Failed 2025
Lilium
Building electric aircraft that take off vertically is extraordinarily hard. Even $1B and ex-Airbus engineers weren't enough.
Founded → Closed
2015 → 2025
Funding Raised
$1B+
Industry
Aviation/eVTOL
Country
Germany
IdeaProof AI Failure Score
72/100
Market Fit Risk
55
Burn Rate Risk
85
Founder Risk
25
Full Analysis
Lilium raised over $1B to build electric vertical takeoff jets for commercial air travel. Despite partnerships with Hyundai and ex-Airbus engineering talent, the company couldn't achieve satisfactory flight performance or obtain regulatory certifications. The aviation industry's certification timelines—5-10 years minimum—clashed with startup funding cycles. Lilium declared insolvency in 2025.
Could This Failure Have Been Prevented?
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