CO-FOUNDER/CEO , OVERAIR
WHY: Head of upstart aerospace firm building an electric air taxi for urban areas; sees a booming eVTOL market in Orange County. Overair is developing the Butterfly electric-powered flying taxi at company HQ in Santa Ana.
IN THE NEWS: The all-electric, fullscale prototype for the Butterfly is expected to begin test flights by early next year.
QUOTABLE: “We expect to be certified in 2027, so shortly thereafter we should be able to begin commercial operations.”
NOTABLE: 2022 winner of Business Journal Innovator of the Year Award; co-founded Overair in 2020 with Predator drone pioneer Abe Karem.
