We build all-electric Seaglider™ vessels for fast, safe, and low-cost coastal transportation.

Our mission is to drastically reduce the cost and headache of regional transportation between coastal cities.  Our vehicle, called the Seaglider, is a wing-in-ground-effect craft that flies just above the water's surface and couples the high speed of an airplane with the convenience of a boat, all at the low cost of an all-electric system. Built to the same safety standards of modern aircraft and watercraft, our vehicle will service routes up to 180 miles at 180 mph with existing battery technology, and routes up to 400 miles with next-gen batteries, all via existing dock infrastructure.  Backed by the same investors who support SpaceX, Anduril, and Archer Aviation, our team of passionate, forward-thinking builders combines the best of aerospace and maritime expertise to turn zero-emission, high-speed coastel travel intro reality.

always near a safe landing site

Distance Icon

180 miles (300 km) at 180 mph (300 kph)

Dock icon

Leveraging existing dock infrastructure

Founders

Billy Thalheimer

Co-Founder and CEO

Billy has accumulated a commercial backlog of Seaglider orders worth more than $10 billion, secured a U.S. Marine Corps contract, and raised over $100M from world-class investors. Prior to co-founding REGENT, Billy honed his skills in human-crewed electric aircraft development at Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, where he was responsible for aircraft design, program management, and business development for Boeing's portfolio of future air mobility solutions. Billy holds a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from MIT, where he was a competitive sailor, and is a licensed aerobatic pilot.

Mike Klinker

Co-Founder and CTO

Mike has led the company’s efforts in developing the Seaglider, overseeing REGENT's successful demonstration of the first foil-to-wing transition of the quarter-scale Seaglider prototype and managing the integration and testing of the full-scale Seaglider prototype. Prior to co-founding REGENT, Mike held roles at Raptor Labs, MIT Lincoln Labs, and Aurora Flight Sciences, where he designed and operated cutting-edge autonomous and piloted vehicles. Mike holds a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from MIT, specializing in flight controls systems and complex systems integrations, and is an experienced mariner and helicopter pilot. 

Leadership Team

Bryan Baker

Chief Engineer and lead designer

  • Flight Physics Lead – eVTOL, Aurora/Boeing
  • America’s Cup Performance Lead, Oracle Team USA
  • Naval Architect, Farr Yacht Design

Ted Lester

VP, Certification

  • Chief Technologist, GE AiRXOS
  • Systems Engineering Lead, MITRE
  • Product Manager, Avidyne

Adam Triolo

VP, Commercial Business Development

  • Managing Director, TechJet Aviation
  • Regional Sales Director, Asia Pacific, Textron Aviation
  • Commercial Airline Pilot, Airbus A321
Tom Huntley

Tom Huntley

VP, Government Relations & Defense

  • Detailed Professional Staff, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
  • Shipbuilding Acquisitions Budget and Program Reviewer, U.S. Coast Guard
  • MH-60T Jayhawk Helicopter Instructor Pilot and Examiner, U.S. Coast Guard

Abi Viswanathan

Executive Advisor, Finance & Strategic Projects

  • CFO, Nuro
  • Strategic Finance, Uber
Tom Huntley

Britt Tedeschi

VP, People

  • VP, People & Business Operations, Resonant Link
  • Director, Leadership, Lambda School
  • Chief of Staff, City Year Miami

Investors

Strategic Investors
Financial Investors
December 2020

Company founding

Co-founders Billy Thalheimer and Mike Klinker founded to drastically improve regional coastal transportation.

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Company founding
Company founding
Company founding
December 2021

First Viceroy Seaglider order

REGENT announced the first Viceroy Seaglider order by Brittany Ferries.

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First Viceroy Seaglider order
First Viceroy Seaglider order
First Viceroy Seaglider order

End of 2021 order book $600M

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End of 2021 order book $600M
End of 2021 order book $600M
End of 2021 order book $600M
August 2022

Opening of Rhode Island headquarters

The company moved to the Ocean State for its best-in-nation coastal testing environments, maritime composites expertise, and access to top talent.

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Opening of Rhode Island headquarters
Opening of Rhode Island headquarters
Opening of Rhode Island headquarters
September 2022

First flight of quarter-scale prototype

REGENT’s quarter-scale Seaglider prototype achieved its first series of flights, proving its full ‘float, foil, fly’ mission.

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First flight of quarter-scale prototype
First flight of quarter-scale prototype
First flight of quarter-scale prototype

End of 2022 order book $7B

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End of 2022 order book $7B
End of 2022 order book $7B
End of 2022 order book $7B
April 2023

Unveil of full-scale Seaglider design

REGENT revealed a mock-up of the 12-passenger Viceroy Seaglider at an event at its headquarters, showing the world’s first full-scale Seaglider design.

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Unveil of full-scale Seaglider design
Unveil of full-scale Seaglider design
Unveil of full-scale Seaglider design
October 2023

Completion of $60M Series A fundraise

REGENT raised $60 million in Series A funding co-led by 8090 Industries and Founders Fund.

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Completion of $60M Series A fundraise
Completion of $60M Series A fundraise
Completion of $60M Series A fundraise
October 2023

Contract with U.S. Marine Corps

REGENT signed an agreement with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL) to demonstrate Seaglider technology for defense logistics operations.

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Contract with U.S. Marine Corps
Contract with U.S. Marine Corps
Contract with U.S. Marine Corps

End of 2023 order book $8B

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End of 2023 order book $8B
End of 2023 order book $8B
End of 2023 order book $8B
July 2024

Opening of D.C. office

REGENT opened its second office in Washington, D.C., to support Seaglider maritime certification and advance the company’s dual-use mission.

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Opening of D.C. office
Opening of D.C. office
Opening of D.C. office
October 2024

First Monarch Seaglider delivery announced

REGENT announced the first order of its 50-to-100- passenger Monarch Seaglider, UME Shipping.

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First Monarch Seaglider delivery announced
First Monarch Seaglider delivery announced
First Monarch Seaglider delivery announced

End of 2024 order book $9B

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End of 2024 order book $9B
End of 2024 order book $9B
End of 2024 order book $9B
January 2025

Groundbreaking of U.S. Seaglider Manufacturing Facility

REGENT and Rhode Island leaders broke ground on the 255,000 square-foot manufacturing center in Quonset Business Park.

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Groundbreaking of U.S. Seaglider Manufacturing Facility
Groundbreaking of U.S. Seaglider Manufacturing Facility
Groundbreaking of U.S. Seaglider Manufacturing Facility
February 2025

Announcement of UAE joint venture for Seaglider manufacturing

REGENT and Strategic Development Fund (SDF) signed an agreement to bring Seaglider manufacturing and aftermarket services to the UAE.

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Announcement of UAE joint venture for Seaglider manufacturing
Announcement of UAE joint venture for Seaglider manufacturing
Announcement of UAE joint venture for Seaglider manufacturing
March 2025

Start of sea trials of full-scale Seaglider prototype

REGENT completes the first on-water tests of the full-scale Viceroy Seaglider prototype with humans onboard.

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Start of sea trials of full-scale Seaglider prototype
Start of sea trials of full-scale Seaglider prototype
Start of sea trials of full-scale Seaglider prototype