20 Things You Didn’t Know About Archer Aviation
Archer Aviation is a new aerospace startup that has been making the news lately with its plans to provide the world with new technologies in the aerospace industry. The company maintains a focus on building aircraft with the capability for takeoffs and landing vertically on an all-electric platform. The goal is to improve mobility in cities. This is an exciting new technology that Archer is undertaking as a designer, manufacturer, and operator of fully electric aircraft with a passenger capacity of four for up to 60 miles. If you’re hearing about Archer Aviation for the first time, here are 20 facts about the company that you might find intriguing.
1. Archer Aviation is an infant startup
According to Crunchbase, Archer Aviation is a brand new company that was founded in 2020. The headquarters for the startup is located in San Francisco, California. The overarching goal of Archer is to provide sustainable air mobility as a new transportation source to cut down the crowds of major cities. Although Archer has only been in business for a year now, it has achieved a lot of attention and has grown and developed at an impressive rate.
2. Archer Aviation has a core leadership team of 10
There are ten executives in charge of the core leadership team at Archer Aviation. Although the number is small, they’re dynamic professionals. Brett Adcock is a co-founder in charge of executive operations. Chloe Berman is a co-founder. Geoffrey Bower is a chief engineer. Bret Wyont is the president of business development and vice president of operations. Tom Muniz is vice president of engineering. Johnny Melack is the director of engineering. Karen Waits is the office manager. Nathan Alloy is the manager of the product lifecycle and engineering manager. Brin Brasfield is the regional account manager at Archer Technologies. Domenick Melillo is an owner.
3. Archer uses a low number of technologies to power its website
Although Archer Aviation is a high-tech aerospace company, it uses relatively few technologies to power its website, when compared with most other enterprises. The thirteen technologies that it uses actively are distributed across 18 technology products and services. They include jQuery, Google Analytics, HTML5, Viewport Meta, SSL by Default, iPhone Mobile Compatible, and several others.
4. Interest in Archer Aviation products is growing fast
We were impressed at the remarkable growth that this young company is experiencing. Interest in its products is also picking up fast. The analytics for the Archer Aviation website shows that there has been a growth in the number of monthly visits to the site of 101.68 percent over the last 30 days. There were 72,027 visitors to the site. This number has earned Archer a ranking of number 350,913 of the millions of websites registered on the world wide web. This is exceptional considering the company is barely a year old.
5. Archer Aviation is the most popular in the United States
Most of the web traffic for Archer Aviation is from people who live in the United States. Seventy-four percent of the visitors are from this country, with a monthly visits growth rate of 86.39 percent in the last 30 days. Five percent of the visitors come from the United Kingdom, five percent from the Netherlands, four percent from Italy, and two percent from India.
6. Archer Aviation was a venture capital-backed enterprise
Archer Aviation has participated in one round of venture capital funding. The most recent was a Series A round that was completed on July 1, 2020, and raised a total of $55.7 million. The startup was backed by ten investors. Archer pitched a novel and plausible concept that piqued the interest of a diverse group of investors.
7. Archer Aviation was funded by some interesting investors
We learned that the one investment round that Archer participated in was supported by a diverse group of investors. Some of them include Adam Goldstein, the A-Rod Corporation, Troy Capital Partners, Global Founders Capital, Greycroft, Lee Fixel, FJ Labs, Brett Adcock, Marc Lore, and Jennifer Lopez. Among the most notable celebrity investors are Jennifer Lopez and the A-Rod Corporation.
8. Archer Aviation went public
According to Business Insider, Archer Aviation is going public through a SPAC merger with a black check sponsor company called Atlas Crest. The electric air taxi startup is going public within a year of its launch as a privately owned operation. This is one of the fastest deals we’ve seen in some time. The announcement of the merger agreement was made in February of 2021.
9. Archer’s valuation was reduced after the agreement
The original agreement between Archer and Atlas Crest delivered a pro format equity value that would place Archer at a valuation of $3.8 billion. Amendments were made to the deal that lowered the offer to $1.1 billion, which are the proceeds that Archer will receive after the agreed-upon amendment. The valuation of Archer is now $1.7 billion. The deal will create a more attractive entry point for Archer in its goal of creating long-term value for its shareholders. Archer will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ACHR.
10. Archer Aviation stuck a billion-dollar deal with United Airlines
United Airlines placed an order with Archer Aviation in February of 2021 for $1 billion in aircraft. The deal included an extra $500 million in aircraft as an option. As a part of the deal, the former CEO of United Airlines, Oscar Munoz joined the Archer Aviation board of directors. It’s not yet known what type of aircraft United is planning to receive from Archer at this time. It is assumed that they’re planning on getting involved with the new vertical-takeoff technology. This is an example of the types of commercial partnerships that will continue to boost the valuation of Archer Aviation in the months and years to come.
11. Archer Aviation is growing its workforce
According to its Linked In profile, Archer Aviation currently employs a workforce of 175 staff members. From the looks of things, the company is planning to expand its workforce by a wide margin shortly. They’ve already listed 62 new job openings which will expand its workforce to nearly a third more than it already employs. All of the openings we reviewed are for jobs that will be located in the Palo Alto area where the headquarters is situated. It appears that Archer Aviation is gearing up for a big growth spurt. Many of the jobs are n the engineering area as well as IT and infrastructure.
12. Archer has grown exponentially in the last 6 months
The growth spurt we’re seeing in Archer Aviation has been ongoing for the past six months. The company has only been in business for a year. In the past six months, the statistical data shows that Archer has grown by an impressive 143 percent, looking at its headcount. The new hires are likely necessary for the company to keep up with its recently placed orders for large numbers of aircraft.
13. Archer is adding to its executive team
Another exciting thing that is happening at Archer Aviation is its expansion in the executive sector. The company has recently made twelve new hires in its senior management layer. The positions are necessary to ensure that a large number of non-management positions have the proper oversight. This is a part of the growth and expansion campaign that Archer is currently undertaking. As orders continue to come in from partnerships and agreements, we’re likely to see these trends continue.
14. Archer is a potential disruptor in the transportation industry
The new technology that Archer plans to put into commercial use is a real game-changer. Currently, commercial airlines are limited by the dated technology that requires a long expanse of runway for takeoffs and landings. The new electric-powered aircraft will have the ability to take off and land vertically. This cuts down on the amount of space needed for air travel operations. Although it’s not yet clear how all of this will unfold, or what the airstrips of tomorrow will look like, it’s an exciting concept. Archer Airlines may end up being the company that changes the way that modern airports will operate in the future.
15. Archer Aviation is involved in a lawsuit
According to Yahoo Business, Archer Aviation has recently filed a lawsuit against Wisk Aero. The lawsuit was filed on August 11, 2021, and it claims that Wisk engaged in a false smear campaign that made defamatory statements about Archer Aviation to the world. Archer contends that the falsehoods impacted its ability to access needed capital and that it has damaged some business relationships. It further contends that an estimated $1 billion in business was lost and this is the amount that Archer is suing Wisk Aero for.
16. Wisk sued Archer first
Wisk Aero previously filed a lawsuit against Archer in April of 2021. They claimed that Archer misappropriated trade secrets when the Cora eVTOL aircraft that Wisk created made its debut. They further claimed that a former worker at Wisk downloaded thousands of files from his work computer, then took the information to Archer and joined their team. The legal battle between the two air taxi rivals has been ongoing for the better part of the year and it appears to be escalating.
17. The battle of the air taxi’s is ongoing
Things are heating up between Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation and there doesn’t appear to be a resolution in sight as of yet. The two continue to battle it out in the media as well as in the legal arena. Both have alleged that their rivals have engaged in malicious and illegal activities with a lawsuit and countersuits. Wisk confirmed that it has no plans to drop its case against Archer and the two have not yet come to any kind of resolution or agreement to cease their intense battling.
18. Archer may usher in a new age of air travel
According to Forbes, Archer Aviation’s demo model of the eVTOL aircraft is a two-seater that recently made its debut. The aircraft has the maneuvering capability of a helicopter, reaching speeds of up to 150 miles per hour and traveling on an electric battery powered for up to 60 miles. It’s a new commuter option that may well usher in a new age of air travel for intracity commuters.
19. You won’t hear Archer Aircraft coming
We found it remarkable that Archer Aviation has developed a commuter aircraft that can carry four people through the air at heights of 2,000 feet, without making much noise. The electric-powered engines are far quieter than traditional petrol-powered aircraft. They run off six independent battery packs and 12 electric motors. Arche claims that the electric aircraft is 100 times quieter than a helicopter and only generates 45 decibels of sound when it’s running. This feature could also make the short commutes aboard the craft far more comfortable without the added air noise.
20. Archer Aviation is a company to keep your eye on
Archer Aviation will soon be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and offer shares in its company for purchase, sale, and trading. If you’re looking to diversify your current investment portfolio, this is a new startup that might be worth considering. Although there has been a bit of controversy among Archer and its rival air taxi company Wisk Aero, Archer seems to be thriving and moving forward despite the legal entanglements. It’s just a year old and already set for public trading with a past-unicorn valuation. Although the situation bears watching, Archer Aviation is still one to keep your eye on as a possible investment option.
