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Natilus: Reimagining Aviation for a Sustainable Future

  • Feb 10
  • 4 min read

If you're watching the future of transportation unfold, Natilus, based in San Diego, California, should be on your radar. The company is redesigning aircraft from the ground up with its blended-wing-body (BWB) designs, achieving 50% lower emissions, 40% more cargo capacity, and 30% fuel savings compared to traditional aircraft. 

 

Natilus was initially seeded with the support of Draper Associates, an early-stage venture capital firm, known for being “first believers” in companies including Tesla, SpaceX and Coinbase.  Wave Function Ventures® has invested in Natilus as part of the company’s ongoing growth, backing its next phase of development toward sustainable aviation. 

 

 "We see big potential here," says Al Peters, Founder of Wave Function®. "It's smart engineering that fits today's rules, helps the planet by slashing emissions, and adds value to the airport industry without needing massive renovation. Right now, strengthening US supply chains is critical for resilience and growth; our investment in Natilus shows our support for founders who build tech that's efficient and makes a real difference." 

  

With aviation creating nearly 3% of global emissions annually, these fuel savings matter—both for the planet and for airline bottom lines. (1) 

 

Innovation That Works with What We Have 

Founded in 2016, Natilus is rethinking how aircraft are built. Instead of the traditional tube-with-wings design, their blended design merges the body and wings into one smooth, aerodynamic shape. Think of it less like a cylinder with attachments and more like a flying wing. 

What makes Natilus smart is what they're not reinventing. Rather than creating entirely new engines or requiring airports to overhaul their facilities, they're using existing engines from established manufacturers and designing aircraft that work with today's airports. This practical approach enables faster implementation and lower risk. 

"Both aircraft designs integrate seamlessly with existing airport infrastructure, which eliminates barriers to adoption that have historically challenged aviation innovations," explains Peters. 

This matters because airport construction costs have jumped 40% between 2012 and 2023, making infrastructure compatibility essential for real-world success. (2) 

  

Making Sustainability Profitable 

Natilus isn't just focused on being green, they're building sustainability into their business model. Their aircraft work with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and deliver real emissions reductions, giving airlines a competitive edge as environmental regulations tighten worldwide. 

  

Natilus CEO Aleksey Matyushev emphasizes that "Our immersive engineering approach leverages digital design and testing methodologies that remove the need for expensive and time-consuming prototypes, without compromising safety. We're not just designing aircraft, we're future-proofing logistics." 

  

By using advanced computer simulations, similar to what companies like Airbus and Rolls-Royce use, Natilus can design and test virtually before building physical models, saving time and money while maintaining safety. 

  

"Using digital prototyping to bypass costly physical tests is a blueprint for startups tackling complex manufacturing, safely," adds Peters. 

  

Why Wave Function® Is Backing Natilus 

The investment decision comes down to five key factors:  

  • revolutionary design that delivers dramatic improvements 

  • addressing aviation's urgent need to reduce carbon emissions 

  • practical choices that reduce risk and speed market entry 

  • focusing first on cargo operations for faster certification 

  • using digital-first engineering to compress development timelines. 

  

"For a margin-thin industry, this isn't a 'nice to have'; it can mean the difference between a route that breaks even and a route that scales," says Peters. 

  

The blended-wing design merges fuselage and wing into one aerodynamic body, creating lower drag and greater cargo volume, resulting in up to 30% lower fuel burn and 40% more capacity versus conventional designs. (3) 

  

Aleksey shared in a recent case study: "We believe that reducing the cost of airfreight by 50 percent or more will bring fresher produce into our stores, enable cross-border e-commerce to flourish and enable low infrastructure regions to develop. To make that happen, we need a new type of vehicle and a different way of thinking." (4) 

  

Purpose Meets Progress 

"At Wave Function, we look to invest in founders who bridge innovation with positive planetary impact," shares Al. "Natilus's 30% fuel savings directly addresses aviation's global CO2 footprint. They can work with existing jet engines and airport infrastructures, which increases their ability to scale quickly and safely. They're reimagining the foundation of their industry, they're thinking differently, and these are the types of founders we're excited to support." 

  

About Wave Function® 

Wave Function® provides strategic support and flexible funding to purpose-driven founders who are changing the world. Wave Function Ventures™ is the investment division of Wave Function®.

Learn more at www.wavefx.comor contact al@wavefx.com. 

  

About Natilus 

Natilus is developing blended-wing-body aircraft designed to transport people and cargo more sustainably and efficiently. Founded in 2016, the team includes innovators from General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, and other leading aerospace companies. 

Learn more at natilus.co. 

 

Sources 

 

FAQs 

  

Who is Wave Function® and who do you invest in? 

We are a Founder-Funder organization, and we back purpose-driven startups across healthcare, technology, energy, logistics and hospitality sectors. We invest in infrastructure compatible innovation with measurable impact, from sustainable aviation to digital manufacturing. 

  

How does Wave Function® support Founders beyond capital? 

Our Solutions include end-to-end workflows with your pre-existing applications to scale productivity and efficiency within your team and processes. We help you automate the applications you use every day so you can tame the chaos and turn your tools into processes. 

 
 
 

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