Electric Aircraft Manufacturer Beta Lands $300M Qatar-Led Investment

The Vermont-based firm on Thursday said it collected more than $300 million in fresh capital to support the commercialization of its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) Alia aircraft, as well the electric charging stations they will use to juice up.

The Series C round was led by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, making it the latest Middle Eastern country to invest in electric aircraft through a state-owned entity. Beta competitors Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation have landed funding through similar means in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

“Beta is a leader in the electric aviation market, and our participation in this funding round is fully aligned with QIA’s efforts to invest in the companies that are making the energy transition a reality,” said Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, chief investment officer for the Americas for the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).

The funding round also included existing Beta investors Fidelity and TPG Rise Climate, as well as Beta customer United Therapeutics, which made its first investment.

Beta is building cargo and passenger configurations of both Alia variants—which rely on the same charging infrastructure and electric propulsion technology—to fly people, medical supplies, and other payloads for commercial and military customers.

The fixed-wing Alia CTOL, which the company hopes to certify as soon as next year, takes off from a runway like a normal plane. The VTOL variant, expected to be green-lighted the following year, takes off vertically like a helicopter and uses both wings and propellers for cruise flight. Both models are designed to reduce emissions and operating costs for customers, including the U.S. Department of Defense.

Beta is manufacturing aircraft at its 200,000-square-foot assembly plant at Vermont’s Burlington International Airport (KBTV) alongside its flagship charging systems, more than 20 of which have already been installed at airports and FBO terminals nationwide. The company is funding the buildout of a charging network using customer orders and government grants. It’s also selling systems to customers, including other manufacturers such as Archer.

The Series C funding will help Beta build and certify both Alia variants and their associated components. It will also directly fund customer deliveries once they are ready to deploy, the company said. The firm’s Vermont facility is capable of churning out as many as 300 aircraft annually, and several are already being assembled.

“For years, we’ve flown across the country and deployed with partners to prove the safety and reliability of our aircraft and chargers,” said Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta. “Now, we’re beginning to produce products for our customers.”

The arrow would appear to be pointing up for Beta, which is coming off what it claims to be the first crewed VTOL transition flight in March. More recently, the manufacturer wrapped up "real-world" exercises under a contract with the U.S. Air Force.

In August, Beta received the FAA sign-off to begin training company and agency personnel on its Alia VTOL. The regulator last month finalized an initial set of rules for VTOL pilot instruction and operations, creating a pathway for Beta to begin training pilots for its customers as well.

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