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Within days of achieving a major milestone on the East Coast, Joby announced Friday it had been awarded a $9.8 million California Competes grant by the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz). This grant will support Joby as it continues to expand within the Golden State.
"We're honored to receive a prestigious CalCompetes grant from our home state of California to support pilot training and the growth of our manufacturing facilities in advance of early operations," Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said. "Joby was founded in 2009, today employs more than 1,250 people across the state, and we're thrilled to be able to keep growing in California as we deliver revolutionary emissions-free flight."
The $9.8 million grant will assist in financing the expansion of Joby's facilities in Marina, California. The funding will support the higher manufacturing volumes and initial training for pilots and aircraft maintainers, as well as the continued hiring at the company's offices in San Carlos and Santa Cruz. As part of the agreement Joby committed to investing $41.3 million to create an additional 690 full-time jobs in California by 2027.RELATED STORIES:Joby completes first-ever electric air taxi flight in New York CityJoby begins piloted flight testingJoby delivers first eVTOL to USAF baseJoby to build first scaled manufacturing facility in Ohio
"Marina is excited that, with this CalCompetes grant, Joby will be able to expand their production capabilities at our Marina Municipal Airport, creating hundreds of new, local jobs," Mayor of Marina Bruce Delgado said. "The funding will also support Joby in expanding their research and development hub here in Marina and continue their success as a leader in the eVTOL industry."
The CalCompetes grant will ensure Joby can hasten early manufacturing in California and support the company's ongoing type certification program with the FAA, as well as the initial commercial operations expected to begin in 2025.
"This grant to Joby for their planned manufacturing expansion in Marina, California affirms California's commitment to build the future of advanced air mobility through a partnership with government, community, and industry, which I like to describe as the Marina Way," California Senator Anna Caballero said. "The Marina Way can be a model for how we solve climate, housing, and transportation challenges. The passage of my legislation, SB800, will lay out the regulatory framework for Advanced Air Mobility. I am glad to see that Advanced Air Mobility will take flight by 2025."
Joby has plans to manufacture aircraft for initial operations out of its California facilities. The company announced in September it would be building its first scaled manufacturing plant in Dayton, Ohio, the birthplace of aviation. Joby plans to build a facility in Dayton capable of delivering up to 500 aircraft per year and supporting up to 2,000 clean manufacturing jobs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by GlobalAir.com (@globalaircom) On Nov. 12 Joby completed the first-ever electric air taxi flight in New York City, performing an exhibition flight with its company eVTOL. This was also the first time Joby had flown its aircraft in an urban setting. The flight took place at the iconic Downtown Heliport in Manhattan, New York and other next-gen aircraft, like Volocopter's crewed Volocopter 2X, also flew. On Nov. 13, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the city's intent to electrify the heliport to prepare NYC to become a global leader in the adoption of clean and quiet flight.
Joby currently has over 160 open positions in California, which will grow as the facility expands.
"We are the solutions to each other's problems," said Maria Elena Manzo, project director of Mujeres en Acción. "We are the solutions to each other's problems. Joby has high-road jobs and we have an eager, able and hardworking community ready to contribute to, and benefit from, Joby's success. This is a real partnership, a model of inclusive economic development done with the community, not for the community. We are learning together and ready to do more."