What's Happening?
Aurrigo International, a company specializing in autonomous transport, has successfully raised £14.1 million to accelerate its growth and expand its manufacturing capabilities. The funding, which includes £9.75 million from Next Gen Mobility, will be used to create multiple demonstrator vehicles, potentially relocate to a larger engineering and manufacturing center, and scale production to meet increasing airport demand. Aurrigo plans to expand its workforce, currently at 110 employees, to manage the anticipated increase in production and deployments. The company is also exploring future commercial opportunities with Next Gen, particularly in the UK, and considering setting up an offshore manufacturing operation to enter the South Asian and Southeast Asian aviation markets.
Why It's Important?
The funding marks a significant step for Aurrigo in the competitive field of autonomous transport, particularly in aviation. By expanding its manufacturing capacity and workforce, Aurrigo is positioning itself to meet the growing demand for autonomous solutions in airports worldwide. This development could lead to increased efficiency in airside operations, potentially reducing costs and improving service delivery in the aviation sector. The move also highlights the growing interest and investment in autonomous technologies, which could have broader implications for transportation infrastructure and logistics globally.
What's Next?
Aurrigo is set to continue its partnership with Swissport, conducting a global pilot of its autonomous ground handling technologies at Zurich Airport. This includes deploying its Auto-Sim simulation platform and a live trial of the Auto-DollyTug. The company is also exploring the potential for additional offshore manufacturing operations, which could facilitate entry into new markets in South Asia and Southeast Asia. These steps are likely to enhance Aurrigo's market presence and drive further innovation in autonomous transport solutions.
