Joby Aviation allegedly considering purchase of Blade Air Mobility, according to reports
Joby Aviation to Acquire Blade Air Mobility for Up to $125 Million
Joby Aviation, a leading player in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry, is considering acquiring Blade Air Mobility, a New York City-based company that specializes in air transportation and logistics for hospitals and offers commercial helicopter and seaplane trip services [1][2]. The potential acquisition, valued at up to $125 million in stock or cash, includes Blade’s US and European passenger operations, brand, and infrastructure [1][2][3].
If the deal goes through, Joby will gain immediate access to Blade’s established customer base and operating network, enabling faster scaling of its eVTOL air taxi services. This move is expected to reduce customer acquisition costs and infrastructure investments for Joby [1][2]. The acquisition also provides an opportunity for Joby to integrate its ElevateOS software into Blade operations, improving efficiency and enhancing passenger experiences [1][2].
Blade’s existing helicopter customers will gradually transition to Joby’s quieter, more cost-effective electric air taxis [1][2]. However, Blade’s medical transport division will remain an independent public company, rebranded as Strata Critical Medical. This company will focus exclusively on time-critical medical logistics such as organ transportation, with Joby and Strata partnering for medical missions [1][3][4].
Joby aims to launch its first passenger eVTOL service in Dubai in 2026 [1][2]. The company has collaborated with L3Harris on the military use of VTOL aircraft [4]. Joby is also targeting final FAA certification by 2026 [4].
Blade Air Mobility went public in May 2021 through a special purpose acquisition company [2]. Despite being publicly traded, the company has not reported an annual profit since it listed [2]. The potential acquisition of Blade by Joby would provide access to an existing market tailor-made for Joby's air taxis [2]. However, no final decision has been made, and Joby could choose not to pursue the deal [1][4].
The report about the potential acquisition comes from Bloomberg News [1]. With this move, Joby Aviation is strategically positioning itself to accelerate its commercial scale-up in urban air mobility by acquiring a leading passenger transport network and loyal customer base. Simultaneously, Blade reorients itself as a pure-play medical logistics company, focusing on growing in the medical sector with deployable capital for acquisitions and expansion [1][2][3][4]. This acquisition could significantly impact urban and medical air transport markets in the near future.
[1] Bloomberg News. (2022, April 28). Joby Aviation to Acquire Blade Air Mobility for Up to $125 Million. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-28/joby-aviation-to-acquire-blade-air-mobility-for-up-to-125-million
[2] Reuters. (2021, May 26). Blade Air Mobility goes public in $2.5 billion deal backed by Virgin Group. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/blade-air-mobility-goes-public-2-5-billion-deal-backed-virgin-group-2021-05-26/
[3] CNBC. (2022, April 28). Joby Aviation to acquire Blade Air Mobility for up to $125 million. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/28/joby-aviation-to-acquire-blade-air-mobility-for-up-to-125-million.html
[4] TechCrunch. (2022, April 28). Joby Aviation to acquire Blade Air Mobility for up to $125 million. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/28/joby-aviation-to-acquire-blade-air-mobility-for-up-to-125-million/
The potential acquisition of Blade Air Mobility by Joby Aviation, if successful, might bring opportunities for integration of technology from both companies, potentially enhancing efficiency and passenger experiences in the transportation industry. On the other hand, the deal could also impact the finance sector, as Joby might reduce customer acquisition costs and infrastructure investments due to access to Blade's established customer base and operating network.
