Vertical Aerospace has begun a review of strategic alternatives, including potential strategic and financial partnerships, to support the next stage of development of its Valo eVTOL aircraft, and has retained Jefferies as financial adviser on the process. The Bristol-based company says the review follows what it calls the most significant year in its history: in 2026 Vertical became only the second company globally to complete a piloted transition flight in a full-scale tiltrotor eVTOL, then flew five consecutive days of piloted demonstrations at the Farnborough International Airshow in front of more than 140,000 visitors. “This year has been the most significant year in Vertical’s history, with the completion of the first piloted transition flight under regulatory supervision globally at Farnborough International Airshow,” said Stuart Simpson, Vertical’s chief executive. “Our team at Vertical has developed the best-in-class and only dual-use VTOL platform to the most exacting safety standards to serve a broad range of commercial and defence markets. The technology is in place and has been de-risked. As our focus moves to certification, industrialisation and commercialisation, we feel that now is the right time to explore our options for financing the next phase of our growth.”

The company says its operations, certification programme and commercial commitments will continue unaffected while the review is under way, and it has set no timetable for completion, cautioning there is no assurance the process will lead to a transaction or other outcome. Vertical recently raised approximately 100 million dollars in new financing and appointed former Airbus Commercial Aircraft chief executive Fabrice Brégier as chair of its board, and says it remains on track to complete its Critical Design Review by the end of 2026, with its early production facility and expanded Energy Centre still due to open later this year. The company holds around 1,500 pre-orders for Valo, its four-seat, zero-operating-emissions eVTOL, from customers including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL and Japan Airlines, alongside a hybrid-electric variant under development.