Caeli Nova

Caeli Nova, established in 2018, develops patented breathing technology to improve human oxygenation in demanding environments like high altitudes. The company was founded by Leo Grünstein, Övünç Okyay, Marc Studer, and Gunnar Jansen, who combined their expertise in aerospace, medicine, and business. The initial idea sparked in 2010 when a founder, during medical studies on oxygenation, realized a flight he was on took a non-direct route due to limitations of the aircraft's emergency oxygen system over high terrain.

The company's launch product, Cordillera, is an advanced emergency oxygen system for commercial and military passenger aircraft. It is designed to protect passengers during a loss of cabin pressure (decompression). By improving passenger oxygenation, Cordillera allows aircraft to safely fly at higher diversion altitudes, removing operational constraints that currently force planes to take longer routes to avoid high terrain like the Himalayas. This enables airlines to operate shorter, more direct flights, leading to significant reductions in flight time, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions. The system is also lighter than existing equipment, offering further weight and payload planning benefits.

Caeli Nova's business model is centered on the research, development, and sale of these aviation safety solutions to clients such as commercial airlines and aircraft manufacturers. The company has received funding from the UK's Innovate UK program and completed a Series A funding round in 2022, raising a total of CHF 10 million from investors including Ornament Health and aerospace manufacturer Latécoère. Caeli Nova has also entered into a co-development partnership with Airbus to integrate Cordillera onto its aircraft. The company is headquartered in London, with offices in Switzerland, and is led by CEO Tim Wakeford, who has a background at Boston Consulting Group and Rolls-Royce.

Keywords: emergency oxygen system, aviation safety, breathing technology, decompression, flight route optimization, fuel efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, aerospace engineering, passenger aircraft, high-altitude operations, Cordillera, EASA, aircraft manufacturing, airline operations, sustainable aviation, flight diversion, cabin pressure, oxygenation, aerospace innovation, medical technology