ZeroAvia acquires HyPoint in full

ZeroAvia has acquired fuel cell stack developer, HyPoint for an undisclosed fee. The acquisition adds HyPoint’s high-temperature fuel cell technology to ZeroAvia’s development of the full hydrogen-electric powertrain.

All 40 HyPoint team members will be integrated into ZeroAvia, working across the R&D locations in Kemble, Gloucestershire, and HyPoint’s base in Sandwich, Kent. HyPoint’s CEO Alex Ivanenko joins ZeroAvia as GM for VTOL and new segments, to develop ZeroAvia’s rotorcraft business applications.

Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO, ZeroAvia said: “There are no other organisations with the breadth of expertise and world-leading IP in hydrogen-electric aviation that we now have within the company. This acquisition, together with our long-standing partnership with the leading LTPEM (low-temperature PEM) fuel cell maker PowerCell, puts us in the top position for delivering the most environmentally and economically attractive solution to aviation’s growing climate impact.”

All of HyPoint’s engineering team will join ZeroAvia’s Hydrogen Power Generation Systems (PGS) division.The two companies have worked closely together on co-developing and testing HTPEM fuel cell technology as part of ZeroAvia’s powertrain development.

Ivanenko, former CEO of HyPoint, said: “It will accelerate our product development and, as a result, partners from different market segments will get mature products based on novel turbo-air cooled HTPEM hydrogen fuel cells. The team and I are excited to join forces with ZeroAvia to achieve the ambitious vision and product roadmap for zero-emission aviation.”

The news comes on the heels of a major deal with ZeroAvia’s long-term fuel cell partner PowerCell which will see the serial delivery of hydrogen fuel stacks beginning in 2024.