Five Firms Including Stonebridge Ventures Complete 10 Billion KRW Series B Investment in Aidro

Global Aerotech Startup 'Aidro'
Annual Revenue Surpasses 10 Billion KRW
"Over 90% of Sales from Overseas Markets Including the U.S. and Europe"

Five investment firms, including Stonebridge Ventures, have completed a Series B investment totaling 10 billion KRW (approximately 7.5 million USD) in the domestic mobility aerotech company Aidro.

According to Stonebridge Ventures on November 18, this round included participation from Stonebridge Ventures, K2 Investment, BonAngels Venture Partners, Korea Investment Partners, and Bridge Investment. The funds will be used for new product development, overseas business expansion, and the development of AI-based aerodynamic design solutions.

"U.S. Sales: From 1.8 Billion KRW in 2023 to 5.2 Billion KRW Last Year, Nearly Triple Growth"

Founded in 2020, Aidro saw its consolidated sales, including subsidiaries, grow to approximately 11 billion KRW (about 8.2 million USD) last year. In the first half of this year alone, sales reached 6.5 billion KRW (about 4.8 million USD). The company's performance in overseas markets was even more pronounced, with about 90% of sales generated in 21 countries, including the United States. Notably, U.S. sales grew from 1.8 billion KRW in 2023 to 5.2 billion KRW last year, nearly tripling.

Aidro's products reduce air resistance and increase downforce, thereby improving electric vehicle efficiency. In actual experiments with a Tesla Model Y body kit, results showed a 4.1% reduction in air resistance and a 4.6% improvement in efficiency. Major U.S. partners include well-known automotive aftermarket distributors such as IND Distribution, Vivid Racing, and ECS Tuning. Aidro is also collaborating with GP Products in the Netherlands, Auto ID in the United Kingdom, Studie AG in Japan, and Hub Auto in Taiwan. The company plans to further expand its local customer base by establishing an offline center in the United States and a corporate entity in Germany.

Additionally, leveraging its hardware business experience, Aidro is developing AOX, an AI-based aerodynamic simulation solution. Traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology has been difficult for companies other than large manufacturers to access due to high costs and complexity. AOX is being redesigned with AI and cloud-based technology to offer simulation speeds dozens of times faster and an environment where designers can use it directly without coding. Results from changes in vehicle shapes can be checked within minutes, significantly reducing simulation time compared to conventional CFD processes.

Currently, Aidro is in discussions with HP and AWS regarding cloud collaboration, and beta testing is underway with the goal of an official launch at CES, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, next year. AOX will be offered as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to global automakers and designers in the future.

"The Global Electric Vehicle Era... Equipped with Competitiveness to Improve Both Driving Performance and Energy Efficiency"

Founded in 2020, Aidro is an aerodynamic specialist team led by CEO Yoon Seunghyun, a graduate of the KAIST Department of Aerospace Engineering, and includes Chief Design Officer Lee Yongwon, formerly a designer at Mercedes-Benz and Rivian, and Chief Technology Officer Scott Beeton, formerly of F1. Focusing on technologies that enhance vehicle performance by improving aerodynamics, the company has developed and sold over 230 types of body kits for 12 brands, including Tesla, BMW, Toyota, and Porsche.

CEO Yoon Seunghyun stated, "The competitiveness of the automotive industry now lies in energy efficiency and design. In particular, AOX incorporates aerodynamic design into the design process, making it a new solution for the mobility industry." He added, "Aidro will go beyond traditional hardware improvements to transform industry work processes through software, and ultimately present a 'New Vehicle' that combines both domains."

Lee Jonghyun, Managing Director at Stonebridge Ventures, commented, "Aidro is one of the few companies commercializing aerodynamic technology through both hardware products and software solutions. The company is equipped with technological competitiveness to improve both driving performance and energy efficiency in the global electric vehicle era."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.