HyLight Raises €13M ($15M) Funding to Replace Inspection Helicopters With Hydrogen Airships

HyLight, the French startup building autonomous hydrogen-powered airships for infrastructure inspection, has raised €13 million ($15 million) in Series A funding led by Rubio Impact Ventures, with participation from DRW and Teampact Ventures, alongside existing investors Y Combinator and Ring Capital. The round brings HyLight’s total funding to approximately €16.7 million.

The funding comes as the company scales from four operational airships to 15 HyLighters by 2027, expanding into Germany and the Netherlands and hiring approximately 50 employees across engineering, AI, operations, and regulatory affairs. HyLight’s hydrogen airships have already logged over 750 flight hours, inspecting thousands of kilometres of power lines, pipelines, and railways for customers including Enedis, SNCF Réseau, NaTran, and Téréga .

HyLight Funding Overview By CREDX Media

Startup Name	HyLight
Founders	Martin Bocken (CEO), Josef Rokůsek (CTO), Thomas Laporte (CBO)
Founded	2022
HQ	Le Plessis-Pâté, France
Round	Series A Funding
Amount Raised	€13M ($15M)
Valuation	Not disclosed
Category	Climate Tech, Hydrogen Aviation, Infrastructure Inspection
Lead Investor	Rubio Impact Ventures
Key Investors	DRW, Teampact Ventures, Y Combinator, Ring Capital
Previous Round	€3.7M Seed (April 2024)
Total Funding Raised	~€16.7M ($19M)
Employees	~25 (plans to hire 50)
Fleet	4 HyLighters (targeting 15 by 2027)
Flight Endurance	10 hours, 350 km range

💡 Use of Funds

• Fleet Expansion: Growing from four to fifteen HyLighters in operation by 2027.
• Team Growth: Hiring approximately 50 employees across engineering, AI, operations, and regulatory affairs.
• European Expansion: Priority markets include Germany and the Netherlands.
• AI Development: Investing in software and data analysis platforms for automated defect detection.

Startup Overview: HyLight

What HyLight Is Building in Simple Words

HyLight has developed the HyLighter, a 12-metre autonomous airship that inspects power lines, pipelines, and railways without the emissions, cost, or safety risks of helicopters. The airship combines drone control with lighter-than-air efficiency: helium provides lift, while a hydrogen fuel cell powers electric motors for propulsion .

• Hydrogen-Powered Flight: A fuel cell drives electric motors, producing no direct emissions during flight and operating at substantially lower noise levels than helicopters.
• 10-Hour Endurance, 350 km Range: Each HyLighter can stay airborne for up to 10 hours and cover 350 kilometres—far exceeding conventional drones.
• 10 kg Payload Capacity: Carries LiDAR, high-resolution cameras, and methane detectors.
• Millimetre Precision: Cameras capture 1mm-per-pixel resolution at 25 metres altitude; LiDAR collects over 1,000 points per square metre .
• AI-Powered Analytics: Software identifies and geolocates more than 50 categories of infrastructure defects and vegetation risks, delivering actionable reports to maintenance teams .
• Certified for BVLOS Operations: Approved by France’s DGAC and EASA for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations over critical infrastructure .

Why HyLight Matters

1. Helicopters Are Expensive, Dangerous, and Polluting A helicopter produces up to one metric ton of CO2 per flight hour and consumes approximately 200 litres of kerosene hourly . Despite this, helicopters still dominate infrastructure inspection—as Martin Bocken puts it, “it’s crazy that as late as 2026 we are still using helicopters to inspect power lines” .
2. The Inspection Market Is Massive and Growing The global power grid inspection market is projected to reach $7.4 billion by 2026, driven by aging infrastructure, renewable energy integration, and regulatory pressure . The EU and US alone contain 16.8 million km of power lines and 7.8 million km of pipelines .
3. Methane Leaks and Wildfire Risks Demand Better Monitoring Methane leaks account for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and cost $12 billion annually in the EU and US. Power outages cost US businesses **$100-150 billion annually**, while wildfire risks add another $19 billion .
4. Proven Commercial Traction HyLight’s customers include Europe’s largest infrastructure operators. Enedis plans to carry out airship inspections over 15,570 kilometres in 2026, replacing some of the 120,000 km currently inspected by helicopter .

Startup Story: From a University Project to Replacing Helicopters Across Europe

HyLight didn’t start in a lab. It started as a student project at the University of Technology of Troyes.

Martin Bocken, passionate about aviation, partnered with his high school friend Josef Rokůsek and Thomas Laporte to imagine a different way to inspect infrastructure. The idea was ambitious: build an autonomous airship powered by hydrogen that could do what helicopters do—but cleaner, cheaper, and safer .

The team joined Y Combinator’s Summer 2023 batch, where they received mentorship from Marc Tarpenning, Tesla’s co-founder, who later backed their seed round. That validation helped HyLight raise €3.7 million in April 2024 and begin commercial operations .

By October 2026, HyLight had grown to 25 employees, logged over 750 flight hours, and secured contracts with Enedis, SNCF Réseau, NaTran, and Téréga. The €13 million Series A now funds the next phase: scaling the fleet to 15 airships and expanding across Europe .

Bocken framed the mission simply: “Most power lines are still inspected by helicopter, just as they were fifty years ago. Our HyLighters already do the same job, with greater precision and less risk” .

Our Take on HyLight

HyLight is solving the least glamorous problem in aviation—infrastructure inspection—and that’s precisely why it matters.

Helicopters have dominated aerial inspection for decades because nothing else could match their range and payload capacity. Drones are too limited. Satellites lack resolution. Planes fly too fast. HyLight’s insight is that airships—long dismissed as relics—are actually the perfect platform when paired with modern hydrogen fuel cells and autonomous control systems .

The €13 million Series A is justified on multiple fronts: proven commercial traction with Europe’s largest operators, a clear technical moat (10-hour endurance, 10kg payload, BVLOS certification), and a business model that charges per kilometre inspected—aligning revenue with customer value .

The real risk is manufacturing scale-up. HyLight has operated four airships successfully, but reaching 15 by 2027 requires industrialising production. The company is bringing more component manufacturing in-house and has opened a new production facility, but hardware scaling is notoriously difficult .

For now, HyLight has capital, customers, and a clear thesis: replace helicopters with airships, one inspection at a time.

Founder Background: The Engineering Students Who Built a Helicopter Replacement

Martin Bocken (CEO) studied engineering at the University of Technology of Troyes and is passionate about aviation and hydrogen technology. He was named to Challenges’ “100 startups to invest in 2026” selection .

Josef Rokůsek (CTO) is a mechanical engineer trained at INSA Lyon with expertise in renewable energy. He oversees hardware and software development .

Thomas Laporte (CBO) graduated from emlyon business school and leads market expansion and client engagement .

The founding team’s average age is 27. Their willingness to tackle a hardware-heavy, capital-intensive problem—rather than building software—differentiates them in the climate tech landscape.

The Hydrogen Aviation Race Nobody Expected

HyLight operates in a market dominated by helicopter operators and increasingly populated by drone inspection startups including Percepto .

HyLight’s differentiation lies in its airship platform. Conventional drones offer limited range and payload; helicopters are expensive and polluting; satellites lack resolution. Airships combine long endurance, significant payload capacity, and zero emissions—a unique combination that no other platform matches .

The competitive moat, if it materialises, is integrated operations. HyLight designs, manufactures, and operates its airships, and develops its own software and data analytics. This vertical integration enables rapid iteration and margin capture at every layer .

Founder Intelligence: What Founders Can Learn from HyLight

• Go where others won’t: Airships are considered outdated by much of the aviation industry. HyLight saw an opportunity where others saw a relic.
• Hardware startups need patient capital: HyLight spent years developing and testing before scaling. The €3.7M seed and €13M Series A reflect the capital intensity of hardware.
• Certification is a moat: BVLOS approval from DGAC and EASA took time but created a barrier competitors must also cross.
• Align pricing with value: HyLight charges per kilometre inspected. Customers pay for outcomes, not aircraft.

Investor Intelligence: Why This Round Gets Premium Capital

Rubio Impact Ventures led the round. Helmer Schukken, Managing Partner, framed the thesis: “Today, powerlines, pipelines and railways are still inspected by helicopter, which is expensive, unsafe, polluting and—as workforces age—insufficiently available. HyLight offers a clean and scalable alternative” .

DRW and Teampact Ventures participated as new investors. Y Combinator and Ring Capital returned after backing the seed round .

The Road Ahead for HyLight

Expansion Targets

With €13 million in capital, HyLight will:

• Scale from four to 15 HyLighters by 2027
• Hire approximately 50 employees across engineering, AI, and operations
• Expand into Germany and the Netherlands
• Continue developing AI-powered inspection analytics

Competitive Response

Expect:

• Drone inspection companies to pursue longer-range platforms
• Helicopter operators to face displacement pressure
• New airship startups to emerge
• HyLight’s moat: proven BVLOS certification + integrated operations + commercial traction

Conclusion

HyLight’s €13 million Series A validates the thesis that airships can replace helicopters for infrastructure inspection. The company’s 750+ flight hours, contracts with Europe’s largest operators, and BVLOS certifications demonstrate that hydrogen airships are not a novelty—they are a viable industrial platform.

Market tailwinds favour HyLight: aging infrastructure, methane leak detection requirements, and the aviation industry’s need to decarbonise. The company’s integrated model and proven commercial traction position it to scale as helicopter replacement becomes standard.

For deep analysis of climate tech funding, hydrogen innovation, and companies reshaping infrastructure inspection, explore CREDX Media for comprehensive coverage of startup funding trends, valuation intelligence, and founder playbooks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is HyLight’s total funding and latest round size?
HyLight has raised approximately €16.7 million ($19 million) total. Its €13 million ($15 million) Series A was led by Rubio Impact Ventures in October 2026, following a €3.7 million seed in April 2024 .

2. How much did HyLight raise in its Series A round and who led the investment?
HyLight raised €13 million ($15 million) in Series A funding led by Rubio Impact Ventures, with participation from DRW, Teampact Ventures, Y Combinator, and Ring Capital .

3. What is the valuation of HyLight?
HyLight did not disclose its post-money valuation. The company has raised approximately €16.7 million in total disclosed funding .

4. Who are the major investors in HyLight?
Major investors include Rubio Impact Ventures (lead), DRW, Teampact Ventures, Y Combinator, and Ring Capital. Marc Tarpenning (Tesla co-founder) backed the seed round .

5. Who are HyLight’s founders?
HyLight was founded in 2022 by Martin Bocken (CEO), Josef Rokůsek (CTO), and Thomas Laporte (CBO). Bocken and Rokůsek met in high school; Laporte joined shortly after .

6. What is the HyLighter and how does it work?
The HyLighter is a 12-metre autonomous airship. Helium provides lift, while a hydrogen fuel cell powers electric motors. It flies for up to 10 hours, covers 350 km, and carries 10 kg of sensors including LiDAR, cameras, and methane detectors .

7. What customers use HyLight’s inspection services?
HyLight’s customers include Enedis (power lines), SNCF Réseau (railways), NaTran and Téréga (pipelines), and VINCI. Enedis plans to inspect 15,570 km by airship in 2026 .

8. How does HyLight compare to helicopter inspection?
Helicopters emit up to one metric ton of CO2 per flight hour and cost significantly more to operate. HyLight’s airships produce zero direct emissions, operate near-silently, and deliver higher-resolution data at lower cost .

9. What are HyLight’s plans for the €13 million Series A capital?
HyLight will scale from four to 15 airships by 2027, hire 50 employees across engineering, AI, and operations, and expand into Germany and the Netherlands .

10. What certifications does HyLight hold?
HyLight has received BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) approval from France’s DGAC and EASA, allowing it to operate over critical infrastructure in rural, suburban, and urban areas .

11. Who is the CEO of HyLight?
Martin Bocken serves as CEO and co-founder. He studied engineering at the University of Technology of Troyes and was named to Challenges’ “100 startups to invest in 2026” selection .