Japan start-up selling $730k Star Wars-inspired hoverbike to list on Nasdaq
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ALI technology's Xturismo air-mobility hoverbike is displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show, in Tokyo on Oct 24, 2019.
PHOTO: REUTERS
TOKYO - Japanese start-up Aerwins Technologies, which is selling a Star Wars-inspired US$555,000 (S$730,000) hoverbike, has received approval to list on the Nasdaq in a merger with blank-cheque firm Pono Capital Corp, the manufacturer said on Friday.
Aerwins, which is taking orders for the XTurismo hoverbike with a motorcycle-like body on top of propellers
The deal comes at a time when other mobility start-ups have faced difficulty raising funding, with valuations under pressure and a sharp reversal of what had been a market boom for listings through special-purpose acquisition companies (Spacs).
Spacs, like Pono, raise money in public offerings and then aim to merge with a private company to take it public, offering a shorter listing timeframe to the acquired company.
Shares in Pono closed up 24 per cent on Thursday, the largest gain since it listed in 2021.
Aerwins, which also sells drones and related technology, says its hoverbike can fly for up to 40 minutes and at up to 100kmh. It has pitched the bike as a tool for rescue workers, infrastructure inspection and as a showpiece for public entertainment.
The 300kg machine rests on landing skids when stationary and is powered by an engine from Kawasaki Heavy and a battery system.
Started as ALI Technologies in Tokyo, the company said in a statement to Reuters that Nasdaq had approved its listing on Thursday, with trading to begin next Monday.
Aerwins, which moved its headquarters to Delaware in the United States from Tokyo ahead of the listing, has reported one sale of the hoverbike, to Japanese entrepreneur Yoshiyuki Aikawa.
Mr Aikawa’s company, SBC Medical Group, which operates cosmetic medical centres in Japan, is going public through a merger with another Pono-related blank-cheque company, Pono Capital Two.
Early backers of the start-up ALI included Mitsubishi Electric and Kyocera, as well as retired Japanese football star Keisuke Honda. REUTERS
