Skypull

Skypull SA is a Swiss cleantech company developing a disruptive solution in the renewable energy sector through its Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) system. The company's origins trace back to 2013, when the concept was first conceived by Aldo Cattano, an aerospace engineer with extensive experience in ultralight planes and wind energy. Officially founded in 2017 by Cattano, Nicola Mona, and Marcello Corongiu, Skypull aims to harness high-altitude winds, which are stronger and more consistent than those captured by traditional turbines. Co-founder Nicola Mona brought a strong background in engineering from ETH Zurich and an MBA from the University of Oxford, coupled with experience at RUAG Aviation. He initially served as CEO before transitioning to Chairman of the Board. Aldo Cattano, the innovator behind the core technology, serves as the Chief Technology Officer, leveraging over 25 years in R&D and four international patents. Reinout Oussoren, an expert from the wind industry, later took the helm as CEO to guide the company's commercial trajectory.

The core of Skypull's business is an autonomous drone designed to generate electricity from winds at altitudes between 200 and 600 meters. The system operates much like a yo-yo; a tethered, fixed-wing drone ascends, pulling on a cable (made of high-resistance Dyneema) that unwinds from a ground-based generator, producing electricity. Once it reaches its maximum altitude, the drone autonomously adjusts its flight to retract the cable with minimal energy consumption, and the cycle repeats. This innovative design features a rigid "box wing" drone capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), which eliminates the need for a launcher and allows it to operate even without ground wind. The company’s business model targets energy utilities and power generation companies, offering a system that promises to produce up to double the energy output with 95% less material than conventional wind turbines. This significantly reduces the cost of energy, CO2 footprint, and logistical complexity, making clean energy more accessible for both on-grid and off-grid applications.

Since its inception, Skypull has achieved significant milestones, securing early-stage funding through various awards, including the Venture Kick final in 2017 and the W.A. de Vigier Award. In February 2020, the company closed a seven-figure seed funding round led by Shibumi International, a venture capital firm and a subsidiary of the industrial company Gulermak. This investment was crucial for accelerating the development of a technical demonstrator, which successfully completed its first fully autonomous flight in May 2020. The company operates from the Switzerland Innovation Park Ticino, providing access to essential office, lab, and testing facilities. Skypull's patented technology is positioned to address the limitations of traditional wind power, aiming for a commercial product launch and subsequent scaling to utility-level power generation.

Keywords: Airborne Wind Energy, AWE, high-altitude wind, renewable energy, cleantech, drone technology, power generation, autonomous systems, VTOL drone, sustainable energy, wind power, ground-based generator, energy utilities, off-grid power, decarbonization, Swiss tech, aerospace engineering, energy innovation, electricity generation, yo-yo system