Lilium’s Post

It seems almost impossible for a European Company to compete with a US Company in a high tech sector. Not only is private sector investment capital much more available in the US than is the case in Europe (or UK), it is also the case that Government attitudes to assistance are radically different. In eVTOL, through Defence Departments and through local government trade / industry bodies, there are numerous routes to state aid being exercised in the US - e.g. by Joby, Archer, Beta - while here in Europe, private sector investment funds are much more limited and any form of state assistance seems to be almost impossible. Unless we can find a better way to compete with US companies in areas where Europe has real talent, we will simply find our talent and its benefits drifting towards increasing US profitability.

It would be interesting to look at the business plan and the roadmap to profitability. If Lilium is not a viable business and faces potential insolvency, it’s unlikely that German lenders would be permitted to intervene, as doing so could expose creditors to greater risk and create liability issues in the event of future insolvency.

Stories like that of Lilium inspired the existence of Metapilot and the years neurobotx put into building it. The eVTOL industry is a conglomerate of companies, building not just flying cars, but vertiports, regulatory data, governments, manufacturing sites, solar power and battery manufacturers, hundreds if not thousands of data analysts and regulators across the board. We're looking at a 5T $ industry aimed to generate around 2 million jobs in the next decade. No single company is going to create the industry alone. Apart from having a great aircraft model, which without a doubt Lilium does, company culture and the CEOs ability to fundraise, and most importantly the team working together with excitement, positivity, curiosity, and respect towards their partners, is vital, not just a 'soft skill'. The German government alone is on the fence about financing the company alone, and for fair reasons, as the general population needs to be onboard with such a governmental decision. The reason we created Metapilot is to reach hundreds of millions of players, and train the best ones to become part of the industry. Whether the German Government decides to give Lilium a lifeline or not, this story teaches us an important lesson. We're excited to onboard more airtaxis on Metapilot, find them the right investors and clients, and to train the future generation of Metapilots as industry leaders. What unites us above all is the joy of flight, trust in each other, and excitement about the future. 🚀 Partner with us and get involved https://lnkd.in/g38aPTdh

After months of discussions with the Italian government, Chinese #oem Chery International appears to be close to a deal with the Spanish government to occupy all or part of the former Nissan assembly complex in Barcelona, Spain. Chinese #electricvehicle #oems are moving quickly to establish production facilities in the EU in advance of the European Union Comission’s investigation into Chinese government subsidies for the #electricvehicle industry. #autoforecastsolutions is also looking at how European subsidies affect the placement of #ev assembly facilities. The Spanish government has the potential to make either loans or grants available to #chery using funds from the 1.7 billion euro ($1.84 billion USD) PERTE program, itself made up from funds from the European Union originally earmarked for COVID pandemic relief. A decision from Chery on the Barcelona site appears imminent. #automotiveindustry #evs #subsidies #forecasting #automobilindustrie #newenergyvehicles https://lnkd.in/e2PUbh85

The dream of flying taxis is grounded. And it’s taking a company with it. Lilium, the Bavarian electric air taxi startup, has filed for insolvency. After failing to secure a €100M state subsidy from Germany and Bavaria, the company has reportedly dismissed 1,000 employees. A last-minute rescue? It was close. Reports said multiple investors were in the race last week. But the Bundestag’s budget committee rejected critical funding. Bavaria followed. For a company once seen as innovative, futuristic, and promising, this is more than an insolvency—it’s the end of a vision. Founded in 2015, Lilium was building electric jets that could take off vertically—a leap for urban mobility. But without funding, there was no way back. Why does this matter? The failure of Lilium raises tough questions: 1. What’s next for electric aviation? 2. Can startups build radical technology without government support? There’s still hope for innovation. But it’s clear— big ideas need even bigger backing. Your thoughts? Where do you see electric aviation going from here? Where does #hydrogen hybrid #Electric fit? #EVTOLS #ElectricAviation

🌟 Exciting Milestone for Eye-Able® ! We are proud to announce our investment into Eye-Able® , Germany’s leading digital accessibility software provider. This marks a transformative step for the company as it expands its mission of making the digital world accessible for everyone. We are thrilled to partner with Oliver Greiner, Tobias Greiner, Chris Schmidt, and Eric Braun, whose innovative leadership has driven Eye-Able® ’s rapid growth to become a market leader. Together, we look forward to shaping a future where the internet is truly "Accessible for Everyone." #GrowthInvestment #DigitalAccessibility #InclusiveInnovation #TechForGood

Changing the world around you is a marathon, not a sprint. I was saddened to read about the insolvency of Numbat GmbH. 💔 Being a front-runner with an innovative idea is never easy, but daring to push for change is essential. I hope that a turnaround, similar to what happened with Solandeo GmbH, could also be possible here. To all the people at Numbat, I’m sending you a big virtual hug. 🤗 The German eMobility industry is indeed facing challenging times, with a market decrease of roughly 30% compared to 2023. While China is seeing a surge in BEV registrations, Germany is experiencing a slowdown, with many anticipated growth models falling short of expectations. Despite these setbacks, I remain optimistic. The road to systemic change is often bumpy, but electric cars—and increasingly, trucks—are the future. It’s only a matter of time. 🚗🔋 What are your thoughts? https://lnkd.in/d-38UPqn

Recent political decisions to grant tax advantages to drivers of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in Germany poses significant risks for Germany's car manufacturers. This move could potentially slow down the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and undermine the investments and advancements made by our automakers in the EV sector. By incentivizing ICE vehicles, the policy may hinder innovation and competitiveness in the global market, where the shift towards sustainable transportation is accelerating. While Volker Wissing, Christian Lindner & Co talk in their "innovation theater", about openness to technology and the "triumph" of eFules ... could their decisions ultimately jeopardize the future growth and sustainability of Germany's automotive industry. Previous post on this? - Nothing learned: China overruns German carmakers with smartphone principle. https://lnkd.in/gbzA7u9t - Electric trucks with overhead lines https://lnkd.in/eDVHRhZZ Can someone pls. explain these books for our political decision makers? - Clayton Christensen's 1997 book, "The Innovator's Dilemma" https://lnkd.in/ex8mxUBV - Andy Grove's "Only the Paranoid Survive" (recommebded by Hasso Plattner) https://lnkd.in/esZmguUC European Workshop on Software Ecosystems (EWSECO), Silicon Valley Europe, #innovation, #startups, #sapfamily https://lnkd.in/ejtqiZeA

In the run-up to today's car summit in Munich, hosted by Dr. Markus Söder, I had a good conversation with Henrik Mortsiefer from Tagesspiegel and Andreas Höß from Münchner Merkur about the difficult situation of the commercial vehicle industry. Thanks for the exchange! How is the situation: We have delivered and invested billions. The electric vehicles are here. What's missing are the framework conditions. And that must be set by politicians. We urgently need a shift in mindset – we need concrete action now. The new government in Berlin must take decisive action to set the right impulses and place a stronger focus on the commercial vehicle sector. This requires close collaboration between all stakeholders. Our MAN position in the detailed interviews: For readers of Münchner Merkur, read more here: https://go.man/s4eCFzQS  (in German) For readers of Tagesspiegel, read more here: https://go.man/bNy1Cunj (in German, for subscribers) #MANTRUCKANDBUS #MANSustainability #Electrification #Zeroemission #eTruck

It was about time that someone in the industry complained. How could the EU ever think that individual car companies, under fierce fratricidal competition, could overtake whole economic blocks, fuelled by decades of EV sector subsidies? China went from nothing to building battery champions in 20 years, they also captured control of the most critical supply chains, and pushed demand for affordable EVs. The USA did what they have always done: nurture a new disruptor like Ellon Musk with capital and publicity. And Europe…with the abandonment and neglect of internal combustion engines, pieces of admirable engineering refined over decades, Europe threw away a key barrier of entry to foreign competition, and green washed its image at the expense of millions of jobs. Now European carmakers can only offer 2.5 ton-heavy expensive EVs, with an arguable environmental contribution, while leaving the bulk of the market unaddressed, and millions of Europeans tempted to buy Chinese, the only thing they can afford, in awe about their progress in build quality and design. Europe regulates, we export ground breaking legislation on social media privacy or health in public spaces. But on industrial policy... the whole EV supply chain has been left alone for individual governments to develop. EV car subsidies have been tactical and mostly useless to develop demand, because OEMs were just watching their profits and churning out unaffordable propositions. I wrote my own letter to the EU Commission back in 2018…European OEMs urgently need a common small and medium car EV platform to create affordable electric vehicles that families can afford and that can compete with Chinese rivals. They need to legislate in cities and subsidise a brave change to EV car-sharing and related services, freeing up streets from millions of unused parked vehicles, and cleaning the air from pollutants and noise. It will hurt the old automotive business model, but it can create a new world of sensible, lower cost, truly environmental mobility that only Europe can lead.