{"data":{"type":"company_profile","id":145677,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:145677","attributes":{"canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo","generated_at":"2026-06-11T06:40:14Z","updated_at":"2026-06-11T05:01:11Z","entity_ids":{"company":"wefunder:company:145677","slug":"wefunder:company_slug:valo"},"profile_visibility":{"owner_published":true,"public_search_results":true,"site_search_listed":true,"privacy_mode":"promote","invite_only":false},"provenance":{"source":"wefunder_public_company_profile","as_of":"2026-06-11T06:40:14Z","claims":{"total_amount_raised":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-11T05:01:11Z","as_of":"2026-06-11T06:40:14Z","confidence":"high"},"total_investors":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-11T05:01:11Z","as_of":"2026-06-11T06:40:14Z","confidence":"high"},"active_raise_states":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil)","last_verified_at":"2025-02-06T01:17:55Z","as_of":"2026-06-11T06:40:14Z","confidence":"high"},"latest_fundraise_state":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil).order(funding_started_at)","last_verified_at":"2025-02-06T01:17:55Z","as_of":"2026-06-11T06:40:14Z","confidence":"medium"}}},"company":{"id":145677,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:145677","slug":"valo","name":"Valo (YC W19)","tagline":"Hydrofoils unleashing a new era of water transportation","story":"At Valo, we are unlocking the next revolution in transportation by developing hydrofoil electric vessels that are 90% more efficient than traditional gas-powered vessels. Hydrofoils are like airplane wings, but under the water, lifting the hull up, reducing drag, and improving energy efficiency by a whopping 15 times. We are doing this by leveraging our Hydrofoil Technology Platform, and entering the market in three distinct stages:The Valo Hyperfoil - a cutting-edge personal watercraft sold to consumers, into a $1.5bn market segmentMid-sized hydrofoil systems - sold to recreational and commercial boat builders for integration into boats 14 to 40 feet in length, with recreational boating worth a massive $42bn globally.High-powered commercial hydrofoil systems - Sold to larger shipyards \u0026amp; enables passenger ferries and micro container ships that can transform global freight.Valo is reimagining the $114B marine industry and is backed by Y-Combinator, notable VCs including Soma Capital, Fifty Years, and Climate Capital, and the founders of game-changing companies like Skype.From personal watercraft to larger commercial vessels, our hydrofoil technology platform is making watercraft more efficient, more sustainable, and fully electric - all while improving the on-water experience. Launch video of the first prototype of the Valo HyperfoilLed by a rockstar team of aerospace engineers, boating experts, and a two-time YC-backed founder with 2 successful exits whose companies have raised $50M in VC funding, Valo is uniquely positioned to pioneer the next transportation revolution. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Water, through much of history, was our primary means of transporting people and goods. Access to navigable waterways played a key role in urban development and left a lasting legacy - with 40% of Americans living in coastal counties which represent only 10% of our land mass. Water transport is also critical to the global economyHowever, water mobility is at a standstill, anchored by outdated technology. Ship designs still ride on the age-old principles of buoyancy first floated by Archimedes way back in 246 BC. These designs work well for bulk transport of goods at low speeds, but that is about it. The instant you try to speed up a traditional boat or ship, energy consumption increases immensely due to the high drag of water. For example, a typical gas powered small recreational speedboat - comparable in capacity to a personal car - has staggeringly poor fuel economies of just 1.6 miles per gallon. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The modern world demands speed. As a result, we have replaced our slow, outdated ship designs with alternative methods of transportation - cars, trucks, jet planes, and the like. Today, our expensive and limited land-based infrastructure is choked beyond capacity. And, the once-bustling waterways our cities were built around sit empty and under utilized.\u0026nbsp;This is where we at Valo see a massive opportunity. Hydrofoils are able to bring a step-function efficiency increase to high speed boats and ships -\u0026nbsp; A hydrofoil electric vessel is about 15x more efficient than a traditional gas-powered design, enabling them to become real alternatives to traditional forms of urban transport. However, due to technological difficulty, hydrofoil boats have yet to be widely adopted. At the core of this technological difficulty is the advanced computerized control system required to keep a hydrofoil vessel stable.\u0026nbsp;With Valo, vessels from small to medium size will finally be fast, energy-efficient, and entirely electric, and can now become a real cost-effective alternative to other forms of transportation. How? We unleash the power of hydrofoils.\u0026nbsp;By leveraging the principles of hydrodynamic lift, hydrofoils elevate a boat's hull out of the water, dramatically reducing drag and enabling a smooth, gliding motion above the surface. This minimizes discomfort due to waves, boosts speed, and slashes energy consumption and operational costs by up to 15x - all while delivering an effortless, exhilarating, and near-silent journey. We see a future where waterways and bodies of water are fully leveraged for clean, near-silent recreation and enjoyment, as well as for new forms of mass mobility.The core of our company is the technology that we have spent the last 5 years developing, which we call the Valo Hydrofoil Technology Platform. It is a fully integrated system of hydrofoils, electric propulsion, batteries and proprietary Skyride flight control software. This stability software, which is the core of our technology, precisely controls the vehicle, keeping it stable and rejecting disturbances while only needing low cost off the shelf sensors that scale into mass production. This system has been built and tested, and is now ready for commercial applications.Meet Valo’s hydrofoil technology platform. It is a fully integrated system of hydrofoils, electric propulsion, batteries and proprietary Skyride flight control software. This stability software, which is the core of our technology, precisely controls the vehicle, keeping it stable and rejecting disturbances while only needing low-cost off-shelf sensors that scale into mass production.Rising fuel costs and a need for efficiency demonstrate clear and immediate demand for our hydrofoiling technology, Valo is poised to be the market leader for electrifying all recreational and commercial marine transportation. We are bringing cutting-edge technology to a $114B+ total addressable market.Our first product is the Valo Hyperfoil, a 2-person electric hydrofoil personal watercraft, built on our hydrofoil technology platform. With a top speed of 42mph, a range of 62 miles, and all-electric near-silent operation, the Valo Hyperfoil represents a quantum leap forward in personal watercraft.\u0026nbsp;Hydrofoiling is one of the fastest growing segments in watersports, with foiling surfboard and e-foil boards having become incredibly popular in the last 10 years due to the excitement and thrill of flying over water. This is all despite a steep learning curve and other impediments to adoption. The Valo Hyperfoil is the next logical step in foiling sports, where a rider can experience the sheer joy of foiling flight without a challenging learning curve or superior athletic skill, opening up the experience to a far wider customer base.The structure of the personal watercraft market is also very favorable. It is large and consolidated - approximately 80,000 personal watercraft are sold each year for a total of ~$1.5bn in sales with three major players each holding significant market share.\u0026nbsp;Testing of the Valo Hyperfoil alpha prototype - full launch video at the top of the page!We have demonstrated strong market demand for the Valo Hyperfoil with $3.5m in pre-sales (note about pre-sales).\u0026nbsp;Customers have paid a deposit of $500 - $1,000 per vehicle, with the rest of the revenue incoming once we've delivered, and two customers already paying full price in advance to be first in line. We have completed testing of our first prototype of the Valo Hyperfoil and are on track to delivering the first vehicles to our customers in 2024. Not merely a concept, the first Valo Hydrofoil is already making its mark on waters today.The Valo Hydrofoil Technology Platform integrated into a 18ft boat.While the personal watercraft market is perfect for a single company to capture a small number of products, the broader recreational and small boat commercial market is the complete opposite. There are over 2000 recreational boatbuilders (OEMs) in the world, each with a large range of different boat models and variations.\u0026nbsp;This high level of fragmentation in the recreational boat market is due to a wide variety of customer requirements and desires. Boats vary across several dimensions, function and style.Achieving a large market share in this $42bn market as a boatbuilder requires dozens, if not hundreds of distinct products. We are accessing a broad section of this market with just a few products by providing systems that are usable in many varieties of boat models. Outboard motor manufacturers like Brunswick (Mercury) and Yamaha have been extremely successful with this approach.As our second market entry point, Valo is taking the hydrofoil technology in the Valo Hyperfoil and packaging it up in a way that can be seamlessly integrated into existing boat designs with minimal modifications. Essentially, we offer the outboard engine of the future that yields a dramatically better experience for boaters - vastly superior efficiency, and a much more comfortable ride.With every passing year regulations on gas boat emissions become more stringent across the world, however, no plausible solution exists for boat builders to electrify their products, until now.\u0026nbsp;But what about a non-foiling electric boat? In a word, drag. Since an average boat uses up to 15X more energy than a car, and batteries contain 15x less energy per unit weight than gasoline, a non-foiling electric boat simply consumes too much energy to make a compelling product that recreational boaters will be comfortable buying. In short, non-foiling electric boats either have to travel very slowly to go any distance or suffer extremely limited range if operated at normal speeds.We’ve built Valo to be the technology platform powering the marine industry of tomorrow. And it’s getting attention - We have a pilot project to supply a system for an 18ft ski boat to be delivered in mid-2024, and LOIs worth $8m for future systems.\u0026nbsp;With just four sizes of hydrofoil systems, we can power boats up to 40 feet– meaning we can serve 98% of the total recreational boat market based on boat length and achieve very high production volumes. Hydrofoiling electric passenger ferry and micro containership powered by Valo's hydrofoil technologyThe opportunities in the small \u0026amp; medium boat sector for recreational and commercial uses are huge, but at Valo we believe that the potential for foiling technology doesn’t stop there.\u0026nbsp;Once we have successfully scaled to fully service boatbuilders building small and medium-sized boats, we will introduce Valo’s third product line: high-powered industrial systems for commercial ships like short-haul cargo vessels and passenger ferries. Our high-powered systems will start at 500kW in power and will meet the requirements of class society equipment certification.\u0026nbsp;By partnering with leading naval architects, shipbuilders, and ship owners across the globe, our technology will help unlock the last frontier of water transit by creating small, fast cargo ships that can compete with air freight on transit time, while being half the cost. Leading boat makers, Fortune 100 companies, and ferry operators have signed $124M in Letters of Intent (LOIs). The Valo Hydrofoil has already experienced an explosive launch with $3.5M in pre-sales. And, boat original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are signing contracts to purchase our hydrofoil technology platform.The unique challenges in bringing a hydrofoiling system to market can only be met by an equally unique and qualified team. Our team is a powerhouse of talent with deep knowledge in the marine sector. We’ve built e-foiling boats, self-landing rockets, drones, and America’s Cup yachts, and hail from industry giants like McKinsey \u0026amp; Co., Oracle, and Boeing.We are already generating direct-to-consumer revenue with pre-production sales of our Valo Hyperfoil personal watercraft.Recreational and commercial boat builders purchase hydrofoil systems to be installed on the watercraft they produce, requiring a 50% down payment on a minimum production order of 50 systems worth a total of $1.5M.With a strong and growing number of pre-orders for Valo Hyperfoil, a growing pipeline of initial OEM customers, and additional LOIs for $124M, Valo is well on its way to $100M in annual revenue by 2029.We are targeting sales volume of 2,600 units of the Valo Hyperfoil by 2030, contributing $90m+ revenue at a target gross margin of 26%, all while representing only 3.3% penetration of the PWC market. Note: future projections cannot be guaranteed.Note: Our projections are based on reaching 2600 sales of the Valo Hyperfoil Flagship 2030, reaching a market penetration of 3.5% based on 82,000 personal watercraft sold in 2020 and a conservative assumption of the comparable market in 2030.Our projections are based on reaching 1500 sales of the medium-sized Valo system in 2030, reaching a market penetration of 0.5% based on 305,900 outboard engine sales in 2020 personal watercraft, and a conservative assumption of a comparable market in 2030.Achieving this will require a spin-up of a large manufacturing facility as well as execution of wide-ranging sales and marketing efforts. \u0026nbsp; Note: Although identified as comparables, this does not predict a similar future exit, as outcomes are not guaranteed.We’re raising capital to scale production of the Valo Hyperfoil and capitalize on the demand for our technology platform from our recreational and commercial boat-building partners, positioning us to revolutionize water mobility as we know it.\u0026nbsp;Investing in this round means you’ll be investing alongside Y-Combinator, Soma Capital,\u0026nbsp; Fifty Years VC, Climate Capital, and Lower Carbon Capital, as we unlock the next transportation revolution.","location":"Alameda, CA","website":"https://www.ridevalo.com","total_amount_raised":361472,"total_investors":332,"is_funded":true,"is_active":true,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/valo","https://www.ridevalo.com"]},"media":{"share_image_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/145677/xxl_blob.jpg","logo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/logo/145677/large_blob.png","header_media_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/145677/standard_blob.jpg","cover_photo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/145677/standard_blob.jpg"},"links":{"company_url":"https://www.ridevalo.com","linkedin_url":"https://linkedin.com/company/ride-valo/","instagram_url":"https://instagram.com/ridevalo"},"highlights":[{"id":62781,"name":"venture_backed","url":"venturebacked","presentable_name":"VC-Backed","description":"Raised $250K or more from a venture firm","image_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/2021/profile-highlights-check.svg"},{"id":62735,"name":"y_combinator","url":"ycombinator","presentable_name":"Y Combinator","description":"Raised from Y Combinator","image_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/2021/profile-highlights-yc.svg"}],"quick_facts":[{"index":1,"claim_id":"claim-fact-1","value":"$3.5M+ hydrofoil watercraft pre-sales"},{"index":2,"claim_id":"claim-fact-2","value":"$124M in Letters of Intent with Fortune 100 firms, ferry groups, \u0026amp; original equipment manufacturers"},{"index":3,"claim_id":"claim-fact-3","value":"Led by 2X YC-backed founder \u0026amp; world-class team from McKinsey, Oracle, \u0026amp; Boeing"},{"index":4,"claim_id":"claim-fact-4","value":"Team has built 1st hydrofoiling container ship, e-foiling boats, self-landing rockets, \u0026amp; drones"},{"index":5,"claim_id":"claim-fact-5","value":"Massive $114B recreational \u0026amp; commercial boating market"},{"index":6,"claim_id":"claim-fact-6","value":"Backed by leading venture funds Y-Combinator (YC), Soma Capital, Fifty Years VC, \u0026amp; Climate Capital"}],"team":[{"id":3979588,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:3979588","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:4123790","role":"founder","name":"Ed Kearney","title":"CEO","bio":"Serial entrepreneur. 4x founder, 2x YC-backed \u0026amp; 2 exits. Co-founder of world’s largest photography company, Snappr, grew from 0-2K photographers in 6 countries. Creator of 1st hydrofoiling container ship. MEng Oceanography University of New South Wales.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/3979588/square_blob.jpg?1708187294","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/ed.kearney","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/ed.kearney"]},{"id":4095712,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4095712","role":"employee","name":"Reo Baird","title":"CTO","bio":"Hydrofoiling tech + engineering expert. Co-founder and former CTO of e-foil boat company Navier. Ex-McKinsey consultant focussed on marine. BS Aerospace + ME Electrical \u0026amp; Computer Science Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4095712/square_blob.jpg?1701985481","related_urls":[]},{"id":4095915,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4095915","role":"employee","name":"Paul Beiker ","title":"Naval Architecture Consultant","bio":"Pioneer in marine design. 30+ years in high tech marine design + engineering. Principal design engineer on Oracle Team USA foiling boats.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4095915/square_blob.jpg?1702479157","related_urls":[]},{"id":4095916,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4095916","role":"employee","name":"Mateo Pena Doll","title":"Mechanical Engineering + Powertrain Consultant","bio":"Powertrain industry veteran. Owner at marine powertrain leader Doll Motors. Co-founder of New Valence Robotics (Acquired by Cincinnati). Mechanical Engineering MIT.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4095916/square_blob.jpg?1702479157","related_urls":[]},{"id":4095917,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4095917","role":"employee","name":"Benjamin Tripplet, PhD","title":"Lead GNC Engineering Consultant","bio":"Navigation + control engineer. 25+ years experience in control systems. Ex-Boeing, Insitu, \u0026amp; Masten Guidance. Built guidance systems for surveillance drones + self-landing rockets. PhD University Washington.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4095917/square_blob.jpg?1702479157","related_urls":[]}],"featured_investors":[{"id":4460,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_investor_profile:4460","investor_profile_id":3633762,"investor_profile_entity_id":"wefunder:investor_profile:3633762","subject_entity_id":"wefunder:notable_investor:7250","name":"Y Combinator","bio":"Startup accelerator and VC firm that's launched over 4,000 companies, including Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Dropbox, Instacart, Reddit, and Stripe","avatar_url":"https://wefunder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MzAyMDQsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--ce146950df5e17ddfae9d1e026b4fb87dd2bc7ab/1200px-Y_Combinator_logo.svg.png","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/ycombinator","is_lead_investor":false,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/ycombinator"]},{"id":4461,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_investor_profile:4461","investor_profile_id":3635138,"investor_profile_entity_id":"wefunder:investor_profile:3635138","subject_entity_id":"wefunder:notable_investor:3289","name":"Metaplanet Holdings","bio":"They support novel and evidence based innovation that could produce an outsized return for the benefit of humankind.","avatar_url":"https://wefunder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MzE0MDgsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--5964ecd553709531d228991a5b08ac26028e8d01/Screenshot%202023-10-12%20at%201.34.50%20PM.png","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/metaplanet.holdings","is_lead_investor":false,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/metaplanet.holdings"]},{"id":4462,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_investor_profile:4462","investor_profile_id":3634120,"investor_profile_entity_id":"wefunder:investor_profile:3634120","subject_entity_id":"wefunder:notable_investor:2055","name":"Soma Capital","bio":"Soma invests in brilliant entrepreneurs who use technology to improve humanity on the largest scales possible. 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Before joining Y Combinator he spent 4.5 years at Airbnb where he worked as a Product Lead on the Growth team, a team he helped start in 2012.","avatar_url":"https://wefunder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NjY3MTgsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--1865b2584df7faacf7d1352735f17dc5b9251955/Gustaf+Alstromer.jpg","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/gustaf.alstromer","is_lead_investor":false,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/gustaf.alstromer"]},{"id":7392,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_investor_profile:7392","investor_profile_id":3693463,"investor_profile_entity_id":"wefunder:investor_profile:3693463","subject_entity_id":"wefunder:notable_investor:10882","name":"Lower Carbon Capital","bio":"Co-founded by Chris Sacca, Lowe Carbon Capital backs companies that make real money slashing CO2 emissions, sucking carbon out of the sky, and buying us time to fix the planet.","avatar_url":"https://wefunder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NjY3MTcsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--32e7935f81c57be95d31517c3e781e8a812efd8a/FUND_002425.png","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/lower.carbon.capital.2","is_lead_investor":false,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/lower.carbon.capital.2"]},{"id":8161,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_investor_profile:8161","investor_profile_id":3723061,"investor_profile_entity_id":"wefunder:investor_profile:3723061","subject_entity_id":"wefunder:user:4234079","name":"Fifty Years","avatar_url":"https://wefunder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NzgxMDksInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--03c8dfb3ddbd05256f6269c31fc08b8dd073e263/filename","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/alex.teng","endorsement_quote":"My first ride on a Valo Hyperfoil was the best ride I’d ever had on a jetski. I laughed as I flew out of the water. When I was done, I was so giddy I forgot to stop and rammed the Valo prototype into the pier. While the Valo Hyperfoil is awesome, it’s not just a recreational vehicle. It’s the first demonstration of a massive shift to come. The same pressures that are causing whole-sale electrification in the auto industry are coming to the marine industry. And like electric vehicles, making ships electric isn’t as easy as dropping in a battery and a motor and calling it a day. You have to figure out how to not explode costs by putting a giant, expensive battery in a ship. That’s why the Valo Hyperfoil is so important – it’s the living proof that an electric powertrain coupled with a hydrofoil works. It’s the first step in changing the $100B market of moving things in the water. The Valo team didn’t get here by happenstance. Ed, the co-founder and CEO, is a four time founder with two successful liquidity events. He’s been backed by Y Combinator twice. Reo, the co-founder and CTO, is a three time founder. He’s built and led engineering teams before in the high tech marine space. Given what they’ve built and how quickly, I’m not surprised that they’ve already registered $3.5M in presales for the Valo Hyperfoil and $121M in LOIs signed by shipbuilders and ferry operators. It’s an honor to be part of Valo’s round and support Ed and the Valo team to bring flying to the water.","investment_total":1060000,"investment_info":"Invested $10,000 this round \u0026 $1,050,000 previously","is_lead_investor":true,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/alex.teng"]}],"investor_memos":[],"tab_counts":{"posts":1,"ask_questions":22,"featured_investors":6,"faq_entries":5},"active_fundraises":[{"id":101138,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:101138","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"ttw","security_type":"","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":true,"min_purchase":100,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":1235000.0,"minimum_target":"50000.0","maximum_target":"1235000.0"},{"id":101137,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:101137","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"safe","security_type":"equity","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":100,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0,"minimum_target":"50000.0","maximum_target":"1235000.0","funding_started_at":"2023-12-20T16:37:00Z","funding_closed_at":"2024-09-18T04:00:00Z","auto_close_at":"2024-09-18T03:59:59Z"}],"latest_fundraise":{"id":101138,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:101138","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","structure":"ttw","testing_the_waters":true,"can_invest_now":false,"funding_started_at":null,"funding_closed_at":null,"terms":{"eb":"$32.5M","nb":"$50M","txt":"valuation cap"}},"recent_posts":[{"id":172357,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:172357","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Valo on Wefunder Discover","preview":"Recording from Wefunder VIP Discover EventOn April 9th, 2024, Valo was one of a handful of companies that participated in a\u0026nbsp;Wefunder VIP Discover\u0026nbsp;event.\u0026nbsp;Wefunder VIP Discover\u0026nbsp;events happen every 2-3 weeks and allow Wefunder VIP Members to attend a live event with founders whose companies are currently trending on Wefunder. During the event, Wefunder VIP Members can ask the founders questions live.All investors can access a recording of the\u0026nbsp;Wefunder VIP Discover\u0026nbsp;e...","published_at":"2024-04-10T17:48:17Z","author_name":"Aryan Raigangar","url":"/feed/172357","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/172357"}],"q_and_a":[{"id":277695,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277695","question":"On a different note: I am curious to know if anyone has explored the sound impact on the marine environment. The cargo traffic in the Salish sea has had a very negative and serious impact on our endangered species. In particular our Orca’s the largest of the Dolphin species. Which like the gray whales and humpbacks that also spend time in are seas are more sensitive to noise emissions. I am extremely interested in this technology and fascinated in seeing how this can better our environment. Sine I am a member and supporter of Sea Shepherd. The sentient beings who can not speak for themselves are very important to me and the survival of this beautiful BLUE planet. Therefore I am wanting to help make sure that we are actively working to better their environment. After all they have been the residents in our oceans and seas long before humans arrived. Thank you for taking the time to read and potentially answer my question.","author_name":"Carlisle Sm","votes":4,"created_at":"2024-03-01T05:21:57Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-277695","answers":[{"id":277952,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277952","answer":"Hey Carlisle! One of the reasons we are making the Valo Hyperfoil and our foil systems is we wanted to have a net positive impact on the marine environment. Generally speaking as we use electric systems we produce much less noise than a conventional gas powered vessel as we have no exhaust and engine vibrations. An electric system also produces zero emissions from combustion by-products CO2, CO, NOx, SOx etc. Also the amount of power that our vessels require is far lower, so the amount of thrust we are producing in the water is also far lower also reducing noise. Hope this helps answer your question!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-03-04T19:50:12Z"}]},{"id":303093,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:303093","question":"Hello, No updates since May of last year. Was there a switch in communications method? Otherwise, it would be prudent to at least provide quarterly updates. My apologies in advance if I missed an announcement. Thanks.","author_name":"Andre Dillenseger","votes":2,"created_at":"2025-02-27T21:45:49Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-303093","answers":[]},{"id":293345,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:293345","question":"how do you compare the Valo hydrofoil drive train versus the Candela C-POD that has two contra-rotating propellers with in-line motors, without need for a gear box ?","author_name":"Pramod Rustagi","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-09-30T22:09:24Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-293345","answers":[]},{"id":292783,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292783","question":"Hi - Who are your competitors? I see Candela has ferries and the C-8, a harbor cruiser. Any others and how do you differentiate?","author_name":"Andrew Roosevelt","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-09-22T16:02:16Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-292783","answers":[]},{"id":292472,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292472","question":"Hello there! I came across your crowdfunding campaign and noticed that the deadline is approaching quickly. Would you be open to a brief discussion about how I can help you reach a wider audience and maximize your funding in a shorter amount of time? Kindly reply to me on mail for further discussion","author_name":"Ramon Wareez","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-09-17T16:01:48Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-292472","answers":[{"id":292494,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292494","answer":"Hi Ramon! Sounds like you are selling me marketing services! Thanks for the outreach, but we will politely decline you kind offer.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-09-17T21:22:25Z"}]},{"id":292145,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292145","question":"Hi Hiram, NEVERMIND... It's all here on the video. It just didn't load correctly. Very interesting. I watched the video and I see that you Guys are showing pictures of cargo ships and talking about the use of hydrofoil technology. Just wondering if there are any drawings or concept visuals available to show me? Is there a website or a link that might give me an idea as to what that would look like? Thanks, Carl","author_name":"Carl Bauer","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-09-12T11:49:08Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-292145","answers":[{"id":292372,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292372","answer":"👍","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-09-16T23:05:37Z"}]},{"id":286557,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:286557","question":"Can you tell us about any IP protection that you have? If you don't have an IP wall, what prevents a competitor from just reproducing what you are doing? Also, you refer to your tech as \"disruptive,\" what makes your tech more disruptive that Candela, Navier, Overboat, etc? Is your tech more disruptive than theirs or do you plan to just out compete them in the market?","author_name":"Matthew H","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-07-03T23:48:02Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-286557","answers":[{"id":286831,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:286831","answer":"Hey MN! The main IP we have is in our flight control software which is very hard to copy. It is something that constantly improves over time as we do more testing and add features etc. We will have patent protection on many of the mechanical system also. Regarding competitors that are also making electric hydrofoil vessels - the more the merrier! By definition we are big believers in how this technology will disrupt the marine industry and all the companies you mention are part of that new wave. What differentiates us is our strategy of where to go first and where to move after that. Our plan focuses on hitting scale fast, then building hydrofoil systems for all boat builders - think of it as the outboard motor for the 21st century - and will transform the sector in the same way that the outboard did 50 or so years ago.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-07-08T20:07:45Z"}]},{"id":284214,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:284214","question":"How are your vehicles different from jet skis?","author_name":"Hiram Wong","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-05-28T06:47:14Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-284214","answers":[{"id":284317,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:284317","answer":"Hey Hiram - thanks for the question! Our first product the Valo Hyperofoil is a completely different experience from a traditional gas powered personal watercraft aka a Jetski. Our vehicle flies above the water, clearing all waves and giving a incredibly unique, thrilling and amazing experience - the rider is quite literally experiencing the sensation of flying. Our vehicles are also electric, making zero emissions as well as making them effectively silent, compared to the massive noise of the jetski engine and impeller. Jetskis are often considered a nuisance to those around them, but the Valo Hyperfoil will not be. The last major difference is that our vehicles fly above the choppy water giving a smooth ride, versus jetskis that slam into every wave. The best analogy we have for what the experience is like is skiing in deep powder snow vs skiing on icy moguls - I know what I prefer!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-05-29T22:17:11Z"}]},{"id":281062,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:281062","question":"Hi there. Congrats on your success so far! I was wondering how you view your exit potential. Are there companies with similar paths you're trying to follow within the maritime transportation sector?","author_name":"Brian Eller","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-04-10T19:35:40Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-281062","answers":[{"id":281276,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:281276","answer":"Hi Brian! We see many opportunities for liquidity in the future in both going public and acquisitions. Some recent marine electrification transactions in the last 6 months re-enforce that notion with the acquisition of Fliteboard by Brunswick, as well as Torqeedo by Yamaha motor corporation. This shows that the legacy players do want to buy-into the emerging technologies.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-04-12T19:01:04Z"}]},{"id":277404,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277404","question":"I saw in your presentation on Jan 10 that the valuation was at $20M, and now it is February and I see $50M. Why is it not offered at $20M? as it looked like that would be the raise at the time","author_name":"Enoch K","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-02-27T01:26:31Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-277404","answers":[{"id":277513,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277513","answer":"Hey Enoch - we decided to shifted things around and modified the terms to something that ultimately put us in a better position to succeed in building our vision.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-02-27T23:39:18Z"}]},{"id":311058,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:311058","question":"hello ! Do you have financials for Q1 2025 Thanks Richard Clement","author_name":"Richard Clement","votes":1,"created_at":"2025-07-09T22:21:59Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-311058","answers":[]},{"id":310915,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:310915","question":"Hi, can you provide an update to investors please? Kind regards. Tim","author_name":"Timothy Stumpff","votes":1,"created_at":"2025-07-07T08:10:06Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-310915","answers":[]},{"id":304160,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:304160","question":"Hello! When will the hydrofoil be available and what is the price ? Thanks Richard Clement","author_name":"Richard Clement","votes":1,"created_at":"2025-03-15T20:50:22Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-304160","answers":[]},{"id":292386,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292386","question":"Congratulations! If I were to become an investor, how would I benefit or obtain my ROI?","author_name":"Kevin X","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-09-17T01:32:10Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-292386","answers":[{"id":292493,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292493","answer":"Hey Kevin! We plan to grow the company to a point that it has substantial value at which point we will take the company public which would provide you liquidity for your investment. Hope this answers your question!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-09-17T21:21:50Z"}]},{"id":292342,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292342","question":"What is the planned sales price for this vehicle?","author_name":"Henning Hansen","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-09-16T15:49:21Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-292342","answers":[{"id":292364,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:292364","answer":"Hey Henning! The retail price for the Valo Hyperfoil will be $69,000 USD with a plan for a cost down lower performance model in the future. The first Hyperfoil will be kind of like the Tesla Roadster, and we will have a model S, and Model 3 in the future.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-09-16T21:59:20Z"}]},{"id":279731,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:279731","question":"Just a few design questions from an engineer here - albeit not a marine one. If I heard right in the webinar, the Jet Ski has two or two and a half hours of battery life. When people go to the lake, they spend the whole day there, so that kind of battery life isn't going to cut it. Most launch sites I use are going to have terrible access to charging infrastructure. So people are going to have to use gas generators to charge them? How long does charging take? I feel like this whole user experience hasn't been thought through. For all watercraft, there are obvious concerns about their ability to operate in shallow water near to shore. Most recreational watercraft are able to get right up to shore for loading and unloading when not near a dock. Are users going to be restricted to operating around docks? Or is there going to be a mechanism for raising and lowering the hydrofoils? Without such a mechanism, boats will also require a much taller trailer and launching and retrieving will be more complicated. I just feel like these vessels as I understand them will have significant limitations on their functionality that narrow the TAM to a real fine niche. You're really limiting yourself here with the electric drive train and a fixed set of hydrofoils.","author_name":"Matthew Goodson","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-03-26T18:07:49Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-279731","answers":[{"id":280963,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:280963","answer":"Hey Matthew! Battery life is 2.5 hours at cruise speed constant use, and with breaks we expect that people will get about 3.5-5 hours of general usage. The usage time will be about double on our foiling craft compared to a non-foiling e-boat. We can charge the hyperfoil at any marina slip of which about 95% have either 110 or 240V 30A outlet, or at home in a garage or even at a car charging station. Our struts fully retract, so you can enter shallow waters easily and beach the craft, as well as trailering the craft just like a traditional PWC on a standard PWC trailer. We see it inevitable that watercraft will transition to zero emissions, and our tech is what will enable that, so the TAM will only grow over time. Just like any disruptive tech there will be a different set of pros and cons in the beginning, where over time the pros will build and greatly outstrip the cons - just as described in The innovator's dilemma by Clayton Christensen! Hope this helps!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-04-09T19:47:09Z"}]},{"id":278118,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:278118","question":"What is the impact to the wake of these hydrofoils as compared to conventional boats, respectively.","author_name":"Robert P Gwinn II","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-03-06T18:25:43Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-278118","answers":[{"id":278124,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:278124","answer":"Hey Robert - the wake of a hydrofoil is effectively zero when compared to a conventional boat which is one of the major benefits. In the prototype video you can see us operating at about 20 knots adjacent to a marina which is a low wake zone. If we were in a normal boat at 20 knots we would have made a massive wake that would have caused quite a bit of damage!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-03-06T20:16:42Z"}]},{"id":277509,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277509","question":"Do you ever consider using graphene in your batteries? There is a company, Avadain, that raised funds on the Netcapital site. They have patents for the highest quality graphene on the market. I attended a few Zoom meetings with the Avadain founder Brad Larschan and they are ready to license the technology to some companies. I believe any battery company that uses the graphene technology Avadain provides, will have a great future.","author_name":"Grigore B. Hreniuc","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-02-27T23:34:35Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-277509","answers":[{"id":277514,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277514","answer":"Hey Grigore! We work hard to use the best components in order to give our customers the best product possible - sounds like graphene batteries could do that! I will take a look at Avadain!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-02-27T23:41:56Z"}]},{"id":276968,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:276968","question":"This technology and company looks promising, a few questions: -Approximately when are you planning to close the current investment round? -What does your competition look like or any other color around that? -Any current (2023) or forecasted financials you can share (beyond the very high-level information in your overview)?","author_name":"Joe Smith","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-02-22T17:47:05Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-276968","answers":[{"id":277165,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277165","answer":"Hey Joe! -We are targeting end of April for the close of this round. -Competition - existing non-electric non foiling would be Seadoo, Yamaha etc in PWC, and Mercury, Yamaha, Volvo in the boat engine space. Electric PWCs there are folks like Tiaga in Canada. Electric boats there are a bunch like Arc, Pure Watercraft and torqeedo Foiling electric boats - we have Candela in Sweden, Navier in the US, overboat in Italy, a few other smaller ones. The way we see it - to win the market you need a product that people love, sold at a price that is compelling, that can get to market fast. The Valo Hyperfoil is fast to build, fast to sell, and will drive volume that drives prices way down. That volume efficiency flows directly into our foil systems. -We can jump on a call if you want to chat about our financial forecasts etc. Thanks!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-02-23T22:49:45Z"},{"id":277515,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277515","answer":"Forgot to include my email - ed@ridevalo.com","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-02-27T23:42:49Z"}]},{"id":275056,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:275056","question":"Hi, do you have any patents?","author_name":"Lea C","votes":1,"created_at":"2024-01-30T18:18:10Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-275056","answers":[{"id":275165,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:275165","answer":"Hey Lea - we are keeping the majority of the software technology a trade secret, and will be filing a few patents on the mechanical systems we have developed before we launch.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-01-31T19:02:35Z"}]},{"id":277487,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277487","question":"Innovative and remarkable tech.","author_name":"George Simons","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-02-27T19:29:50Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-277487","answers":[{"id":277512,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:277512","answer":"Thanks George!","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-02-27T23:37:24Z"}]},{"id":276445,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:276445","question":"Hi, are there large tanker designs. Im wondering how this design scales to the larger commercial usecase?","author_name":"Noah Posner","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-02-16T17:51:02Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/valo#question-276445","answers":[{"id":276705,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:276705","answer":"Hey Noah! We do have plans for high powered systems to be used in vessels like ferries and micro-container ships designed to replace air freight.","author_name":"Ed Kearney","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-02-20T02:33:36Z"}]}],"faq":[{"question":"Hi, do you have any patents?","answer":"Hey Lea - we are keeping the majority of the software technology a trade secret, and will be filing a few patents on the mechanical systems we have developed before we launch."},{"question":"Hi, are there large tanker designs. Im wondering how this design scales to the larger commercial usecase?","answer":"Hey Noah! We do have plans for high powered systems to be used in vessels like ferries and micro-container ships designed to replace air freight."},{"question":"This technology and company looks promising, a few questions: -Approximately when are you planning to close the current investment round? -What does your competition look like or any other color around that? -Any current (2023) or forecasted financials you can share (beyond th...","answer":"Hey Joe! -We are targeting end of April for the close of this round. -Competition - existing non-electric non foiling would be Seadoo, Yamaha etc in PWC, and Mercury, Yamaha, Volvo in the boat engine space. Electric PWCs there are folks like Tiaga in Canada. Electric boats there are a bunch like Arc, Pure Watercraft and torqeedo Foiling electric boats - we have Candela in Sweden, Navier in the US, overboat in Italy, a few other smaller ones. The way we see it - to win the market you need a pr..."},{"question":"I saw in your presentation on Jan 10 that the valuation was at $20M, and now it is February and I see $50M. Why is it not offered at $20M? as it looked like that would be the raise at the time","answer":"Hey Enoch - we decided to shifted things around and modified the terms to something that ultimately put us in a better position to succeed in building our vision."},{"question":"Innovative and remarkable tech.","answer":"Thanks George!"}]}}}