Venetz Aerospace Secures £202.1k Pre-Seed to Advance Certified Drone Propulsion Systems

Chichester-based Venetz Aerospace Ltd has raised an estimated £202.1k in pre-seed funding. The investment values the aerospace component manufacturer at an estimated £4.7m post-money.

Founded in April 2024 and operating out of Goodwood Aerodrome, Venetz Aerospace designs and manufactures electric propulsion systems for the unmanned aerial systems industry. The startup was established to address a critical bottleneck in the commercial drone sector: the inability of many manufacturers to meet stringent regulatory airworthiness requirements, particularly for large drones operating in high-risk categories over densely populated areas.

Under the leadership of directors Anthony Roman Venetz, Ubaldo Bova, and David Paul Weilert, the company is developing propulsion systems that include electric motors, electronic speed controllers, and propellers. To solve the regulatory challenge, Venetz Aerospace is working directly with the UK Civil Aviation Authority to take its hardware through the Part 21 Type Certification process. This is the same rigorous regulatory standard required for manned aircraft engines.

The company is preparing to release pre-certification versions of its products designed to comply with Specific Operations Risk Assessment requirements up to SAIL 6, as well as upcoming Federal Aviation Administration Part 108 beyond visual line of sight regulations for drones weighing under 600kg. By focusing on internationally recognised industry standards, the startup targets unmanned aerial systems manufacturers requiring high-reliability, UK-manufactured solutions.

The pre-seed round, which was allotted in January 2026 and filed in March 2026, marks the first major external capital injection for the company since its incorporation. The identities of the participating investors have not been disclosed. Venetz Aerospace currently operates with a lean core team, reporting one official employee in its latest accounts, though its wider professional network indicates a growing workforce of seven industry experts.

This funding arrives during a complex period for the UK venture capital landscape. While overall UK tech funding saw an 11 per cent decline in 2025, early-stage capital was hit particularly hard. Recent market data shows that seed-stage funding across the UK fell by 27 per cent to $1.2 billion last year, as investors shifted their focus toward late-stage capital and balance sheet stability.

However, the aerospace and defence technology sectors have consistently bucked this downward trend. Driven by the rapid commercialisation of autonomous flight and an increased national focus on sovereign manufacturing capabilities, deep tech and aerospace hardware have become highly attractive to venture capital. In 2025, deep tech accounted for 31 per cent of all UK venture funding, representing a threefold increase over the past decade.

With the global drone market projected to reach $57 billion by 2033, the demand for certified, reliable components is accelerating. Venetz Aerospace's strategy of aligning its hardware with manned aviation safety standards positions the company to capitalise on this expanding market, providing a vital supply chain link for the next generation of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles.