Flyability raises CHF 15m led by SBI Investment, with the participation of Cargill and Verve Ventures along with historical investors.

  • Clipperton acted as sole financial advisor to Flyability, the worldwide pioneer of advanced drone-based indoor inspection solutions, on its CHF 15m Series C funding led by Japanese SBI Investment with additional new investor participation from Cargill and Verve Ventures. Existing investors also participated, including Dow, ETF Partners, Swisscom, and Future Industry Ventures. 
  • The funds will allow Flyability to further strengthen its position as the market leader and to continue investing in R&D and product development to add capabilities to its recently launched Elios 3 platform.
  • The transaction illustrates Clipperton’s expertise in advising high-growth companies disrupting traditional industries through technology solutions combining advanced hardware with bespoke software platforms.

 Our Client  

  • Flyability was founded in 2014 by Patrick Thévoz and Adrien Briod and is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The company made a market breakthrough in 2016 when it introduced Elios 1, the world’s first collision-tolerant drone specifically designed to access and inspect confined and hazardous spaces. 
  • Driven by a simple vision of removing the need for humans to perform dangerous inspection jobs, Flyability rapidly turned into a commercial success, serving customers in more than 60 countries, from industries including energy, chemical, oil and gas, mining, wastewater infrastructure, maritime and pharmaceuticals.
  • Flyability’s full stack indoor inspection solutions comprise an advanced drone device with cutting-edge sensing technologies coupled with embedded software capabilities allowing semi-automated flight as well as a distant software platform to capture and analyze hundreds of data points.
  • By improving safety, reducing downtime and enhancing data collection and analysis, the solution offered by Flyability has a unique value proposition for clients and unlocks massive ROIs. Flyability also contributes to reducing the environmental impact of clients by allowing more frequent inspection of installations thus reducing the risk of industrial accidents and CO2 emissions.
  • A front-runner of the industry 4.0 revolution, Flyability has recently introduced the latest generation of its solution (Elios 3), creating a paradigm shift for industrial inspection by turning asset data into digital insights. Elios 3 is the first collision-tolerant 3D mapping and inspection indoor drone and offers an unmatched combination of intelligence, versatility, and stability.

Deal Rationale & Process Highlights

  • With revenue growing at a double-digit rate over the past few years and strong capital efficiency, Flyability was looking to onboard new value-adding partners to pursue its development on a global scale.
  • The financing round is led by Japanese Private Equity Firm SBI Investment, with the participation of American global food corporation Cargill and Swiss Venture Firm Verve Ventures. Historical investors amongst Dow, ETF Partners, Swisscom and Future Industry Ventures also participated in this funding round.

Clipperton’s expertise in the Industry 4.0 space

This deal is testimony to Clipperton’s know-how in advising Industry 4.0 companies – including Tevah’s investment from CAPZA, Solem’s sale to Quilvest Capital Partners, or TUCOENERGIE’s €14m fundraising with IDI and Raise Impact. 

Deal Team

About Clipperton

Clipperton is a leading investment bank dedicated to technology and growth companies. We provide strategic and financial advisory to entrepreneurs, corporates, and top-tier investors in Europe willing to execute transactions such as strategic M&A, private equity transactions, and private placements. Founded in 2003 and with offices in Paris, Berlin, Munich, London, New York, and Beijing, Clipperton has completed over 350 M&A and private placement transactions with fast-growing technology start-ups, blue-chip corporates, and renowned financial investors.