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Swisspod, the hyperloop startup that captured the interest of Richard Branson, is raising €7M to revolutionize global transportation with its high-speed travel solution
The company is launching a €200,000 SeedBlink round
- With infrastructure in Switzerland and R&D in the US, Swisspod sets the pace for sustainable high-speed transportation
- The company is involved in the development and deployment of hyperloop technology in India thanks to an agreement between the Swiss and Indian governments
- Richard Branson, a giant industry entrepreneur, is interested in Swisspod's vision
Bucharest, April 17th, 2024: Swisspod Technologies, a Swiss-American startup founded by 2 winners of the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition - Romanian Denis Tudor and Cyril Dénéréaz, announces a new round of €200,000 on SeedBlink as part of a total funding round of €7 million. This strategic investment will continue Swisspod's mission of innovation, research, and global expansion, enabling the company to advance the development of hyperloop, a revolutionary high-speed transportation system that will change the future of passenger and freight transport.
Investors and business angels can participate in the funding round through SeedBlink, starting with a minimum investment of €2,500.
The fundraising round has attracted co-investments from notable players such as Charlie Holding, Polysys Industries and an exclusive circle of business angels.
The company, run by a 30-year-old Romanian, has attracted the attention of Richard Branson. The idea of founding Swisspod came after a discussion with Elon Musk
Renowned entrepreneur Richard Branson, a fervent supporter of hyperloop, was drawn in by Swisspod's progress, eager to explore the potential of using the company's technology to push the boundaries of aerospace innovation.
Founded in 2019, Swisspod emerged from a conversation between its founders and Elon Musk, the co-founder and CEO of SpaceX. This encounter was the catalyst that led them to embark on a mission to develop the most efficient, accessible, and sustainable hyperloop solution
Hyperloop is a revolutionary intra-continental passenger and cargo transportation system consisting of an autonomous, fully-electric capsule traveling at near-sonic speeds (1200 km/h) in a low-pressure environment, with almost no air resistance. Hyperloop will significantly cut travel times between cities and countries and will be more sustainable than any current mode of mass transportation, as its direct carbon emissions can be driven down to near zero through magnetic levitation and electric motors for propulsion.
Swisspod is currently focusing on developing a hyperloop solution for freight transportation as a pivotal step towards its ultimate goal of making this system accessible for passengers.
Partners in a project to develop and deploy hyperloop technology in India
Swisspod has achieved significant milestones over the years, including the construction of Europe's first hyperloop testing infrastructure in Switzerland.
The company has expanded its research and development efforts in Colorado, USA, and, through a partnership with TuTr Hyperloop, is working on developing and deploying this cutting-edge technology in India, backed by an agreement between the governments of Switzerland and India. In addition, Swisspod's role in the European Muspell project, which has received €3.5 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), underlines its commitment to addressing the thermal management challenges associated with hyperloop systems.
"The hyperloop solution we are building at Swisspod is not only incredibly fast and sustainable, but also economically viable as we substantially cut the infrastructure costs. We're thrilled to share our vision for the evolution of transportation with the Romanian community of investors who, like us, value innovation and sustainability, and are contributing to shaping a thriving future", said Denis Tudor, CEO and co-founder of Swisspod.
"SeedBlink is more than just a fundraising platform, we are a growth environment for transformative projects like Swisspod's hyperloop. Our platform provides a complex ecosystem for innovation, growth and success, and we're happy to team up with Denis and his team again. The opportunity to invest in Swisspod is more than an investment in the company's revolutionary technology; it's a commitment to shaping the future of global connectivity and sustainability," added Eric Bartha, Head of Revenue at SeedBlink.
About Swisspod
Swisspod is a Swiss-American transportation technology company leading the development of the most sustainable, efficient, and comprehensive Hyperloop solution. The company was founded in 2019 by Denis Tudor, CEO, and Cyril Dénéréaz, CTO, two multiple-award winners of the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition.
Swisspod aims to change the way people travel by connecting every major city using sustainable, carbon-neutral, energy-efficient, and high-speed transportation solutions. The company envisions a continental map of connections between major cities that will facilitate collaboration, accelerate human progress, and create a more prosperous future for the generations to come.
For more information, visit www.swisspod.com and follow Swisspod on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for ongoing updates.
About SeedBlink
SeedBlink's mission is to simplify and grow equity ownership in Europe. Through its range of products, financial services, and extensive network, it offers an equity management and tech-focused venture investment platform that enables European startups and their stakeholders to access, manage, and trade equity.
SeedBlink SA is registered in the Register of the Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), under number PJR28FSFPR/400001 as of November 3, 2022, with an EU passport as per the European Securities and Market Authority (ESMA) register of crowdfunding service providers. Contact us by email: mailto:hello@seedblink.com.
PublishedApril 18, 2024
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Our main expectation has been to raise the amount we were aiming for, and both rounds launched on Seedblink exceeded our targets, so we’re very happy with that! Even though the launched funding campaigns have been purely crowdfunding rounds, we are thrilled to actually receive extra support from some of the investors, who have chosen to get involved and help us generate product awareness, whenever they can.
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Dragoș Iliescu
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In the early stages, we have been funded by several early (angel) investors, and one and a half year ago through an equity crowdfunding campaign on SeedBlink. Of course, this impacted our growth in many positive ways, partly due to the cash influx that, evidently, was sorely needed, but in a larger part due to the fact that our responsibility towards our shareholders has become more stringent and explicit, becoming embodied in our market approach.
Costin Tudor
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Given the accelerated growth we observed at the end of last year and the beginning of 2021, we want a new capitalization, quickly. This is a bridge round that we will use for one year, and the advantages that SeedBlink offers are the speed at which we were able to list for financing and the experience that we gain as a result of this public listing, similar to a listing on the stock exchange.
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