NOEMI Aerospace Secures €3M from Innovation Norway to Advance Electric Amphibious Aircraft Flight Testing
Norwegian aviation startup NOEMI Aerospace has announced a €3 million public grant from Innovation Norway — the agency's largest single-project award this year — matched by €4 million from private investors, bringing total project funding to €7 million. The capital will fund ground, water, and flight testing of the company's full-scale electric amphibious aircraft prototype, with a first flight target set for late 2027.
Highlights
- NOEMI Aerospace received €3 million from Innovation Norway — the agency's largest single-project grant in 2026 — plus €4 million in private co-investment, for a total of €7 million.
- The funding will finance ground, water, and flight testing of NOEMI's first full-scale electric amphibious aircraft prototype, built at Torp Sandefjord Airport in Norway.
- Key milestones include electric powertrain test bench operations starting August 2026, aircraft rollout within 12 months, and first flight targeted for late 2027.
- The amphibious aircraft requires no new infrastructure and targets regional passenger transport, medevac, search and rescue, cargo delivery, and aerial firefighting missions.
- The long-term goal is to establish a zero-emission regional aviation export industry in Norway, leveraging Norwegian expertise in composites, electric propulsion, and aerospace manufacturing.
Norwegian aviation startup NOEMI Aerospace announced on 15 July 2026 that it has received a €3 million public grant from Innovation Norway, the Norwegian government's national innovation agency, to support the flight testing programme for its electric amphibious aircraft. The public funding will be matched by €4 million from private investors, bringing total project financing to €7 million.
The grant is the largest single-project award approved by Innovation Norway so far this year. Funds will cover ground, water surface, and airborne testing of the company's first full-scale prototype, spanning initial systems validation through to first flight and subsequent flight test campaigns.
Multi-Mission Design Requiring No New Infrastructure
NOEMI Aerospace's amphibious aircraft is designed to operate from both water and land without requiring any new ground infrastructure. Primary use cases target regional passenger transport, while the platform is also suited to cargo delivery, medical evacuation (medevac), search and rescue, military operations, and aerial firefighting.
Build Progress and First-Flight Timeline
The first full-scale test aircraft is currently under active construction at the company's facility at Torp Sandefjord Airport. Key milestones include:
- Wing production is underway
- Motors, inverters, and battery systems have been installed
- Electric powertrain test bench operations are scheduled to begin in August 2026
- Aircraft rollout is expected within the next 12 months
- First flight is targeted for late 2027
Stakeholders Express Confidence in the Programme
NOEMI Aerospace founder and CEO Eric Lithun said the grant represents strong validation of the company's development progress and technical capabilities, underscoring that the flight test phase is one of the most critical milestones in any aircraft development programme.
Leon Bakkebø, Director of Financing at Innovation Norway, noted: "Innovation Norway's role is to step in where market forces fall short. For companies with global ambitions developing new technologies, public risk capital is essential for unlocking private capital and advancing projects to the next stage."
Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer Eirik Sandal said the scale of the award has "significantly boosted confidence among existing shareholders and new investors, and strengthened our international fundraising position as we move toward certification and market entry."
Lene Sælen, Senior Adviser at Innovation Norway Vestland, highlighted the potential of electric amphibious aircraft to address regional connectivity challenges in coastal and remote areas while dramatically reducing carbon emissions compared to conventional aircraft — positioning Norway to become a leader in zero-emission aviation solutions.
Outlook: Building a Norwegian Zero-Emission Aviation Export Industry
The programme draws on Norwegian and international expertise across aviation, advanced composite materials, electric propulsion systems, and manufacturing. The long-term ambition is to establish a new export industry in Norway centred on zero-emission regional aviation, opening a new chapter for Norwegian aerospace manufacturing.
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