Electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation has agreed to acquire Blade Air Mobility’s helicopter rideshare business for up to $125 million. The deal includes the Blade brand and its passenger operations in the United States and Europe, while Blade’s medical division, which specializes in organ transport, will remain a separate entity. Blade founder and CEO Rob Wiesenthal will continue to lead the business as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Joby.
The acquisition provides Joby with immediate access to Blade’s network of 12 terminals in key markets, including New York City. These terminals feature dedicated lounges and bases at major locations such as John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty Airport, Manhattan’s West Side and East Side, and Wall Street.
Founded in 2014, Blade does not own its own aircraft fleet. Instead, it operates a digital platform that allows passengers to book private helicopter rides for short-distance routes. The service has gained popularity among affluent customers looking to bypass traffic, particularly for commutes between Manhattan and the suburbs or weekend trips to The Hamptons. Blade also offers routes from Nice, France, to Monaco and Saint-Tropez, transporting over 50,000 passengers in 2024.
Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt called the deal a strategically important step that will support the company’s commercial launch in Dubai and future global expansion. Joby plans to integrate its air taxi management software into Blade’s passenger service.
Joby, founded in 2009, has spent over a decade developing and certifying an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air taxi services. The company is also pursuing defense-related ventures. Eventually, Blade’s branded service will transition from helicopters to electric air taxis.
Toyota-backed Joby went public in 2021 through a merger with Reinvent Technology Partners, a SPAC supported by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus. As part of the Blade acquisition, Joby is withholding $35 million of the purchase price, which will be released based on performance milestones and employee retention.