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§ Private Profile · Los Angeles, CA, USA
Virgin Hyperloop is a technology company.
Virgin Hyperloop develops a high-speed ground transportation system, propelling passenger and cargo pods through depressurized tubes. This technology uses electric propulsion and magnetic levitation, enabling pods to glide with minimal aerodynamic resistance at speeds near commercial aircraft. The system offers efficient, sustainable rapid intercity transit.
The company began in 2017 when Virgin Group invested in Hyperloop One, leading to its rebranding as Virgin Hyperloop One, with Richard Branson joining the board. This move sought to commercialize the hyperloop concept, popularized by Elon Musk. Engineering leaders like Josh Giegel advanced this novel transportation method.
Virgin Hyperloop aims to serve both travelers and freight, offering swift intercity mobility for people and goods. Its long-term vision is to establish a global network fundamentally transforming long-distance travel. It seeks to deliver accessible, on-demand, environmentally responsible transit, connecting distant locations efficiently.
Virgin Hyperloop has raised $398.2M across 5 funding rounds.
Virgin Hyperloop has raised $398.2M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Virgin Hyperloop has raised $398.2M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $172.2M Other Equity in May 2019.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2019 | $172.2M Venture Round | — | — | Announced |
| Sep 22, 2017 | $85M Series B | Richard Branson | Caspian Venture Capital, DP World, OurCrowd, Western Technology Investment | Announced |
| Oct 13, 2016 | $50M Venture Round | Sultan Ahmed Sulayem | — | Announced |
| May 10, 2016 | $80M Series B | — | 137 Ventures, 8VC, Ziyavudin Magomedov, Fast Digital, GE Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Shervin Pishevar, SNCF, Western Technology Investment, ZhenFund | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2015 | $11M Series A | — | 01 Ventures, ACME Capital, American Express Ventures, AngelPad, BoxGroup, Breakpoint Capital, Crosscut Ventures, Curie.bio, Deep Fork Capital, Eniac Ventures, First Round Capital, FJ Labs, Graph Ventures, Kamran Ansari, Lead Edge Capital, Jeff Richards, Operator Partners, Prefix Capital, Rainfall Ventures, Shunwei Capital, Signia Venture Partners, Stellar Capital, Tsvc Capital, ZhenFund, David KO, David Yaffe, Gabriel Naouri, Oliver Jung | Announced |
Virgin Hyperloop has raised $398.2M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Virgin Hyperloop's investors include Richard Branson, Caspian Venture Capital, DP World, OurCrowd, Western Technology Investment, Sultan Ahmed Sulayem, 137 Ventures, 8VC, Ziyavudin Magomedov, Fast Digital, GE Ventures, Khosla Ventures.
Virgin Hyperloop is a technology company developing hyperloop, a revolutionary high-speed transportation system that propels passenger and cargo pods at up to 670 mph through low-pressure tubes using magnetic levitation and electromagnetic propulsion.[1][2][3] It serves urban and regional commuters, freight operators, and governments seeking faster, zero-emission alternatives to air and rail travel, solving problems like congestion, long travel times, and carbon-intensive logistics by enabling on-demand, autonomous trips that cut a 300 km commute to under 20 minutes.[2][4][5] Based in Los Angeles with around 300 employees, the company has conducted over 500 tests, including human passenger trials, and secured projects in places like India, Nevada, and the UAE, positioning it as a leader in commercializing this first new mass transit mode in over a century.[1][3][5]
Virgin Hyperloop originated as Hyperloop One, founded on June 1, 2014, as a private company to realize Elon Musk's 2013 hyperloop concept, though it made significant technical modifications and abandoned his proposed LA-SF route.[3][6] It rebranded to Virgin Hyperloop after Richard Branson's involvement via Virgin Group in 2017, marking a pivotal moment with successful tests on its 500-meter DevLoop in Nevada, including a 387 km/h speed record in December 2017 and the first human passenger test in 2020.[1][2][6] Early traction included a propulsion demo in 2016, full-system tests in 2017, and a preliminary agreement for a Pune-Mumbai line in India in 2018, evolving from conceptual R&D to global partnerships amid rapid progress toward commercialization.[2][4][6]
Virgin Hyperloop rides the wave of sustainable infrastructure and urbanization trends, addressing climate goals with zero-emission transport amid rising demand for high-speed, scalable alternatives to congested roads, inefficient rail, and polluting aviation.[2][3][7] Timing aligns with global mega-region growth—like India's 26 million-person Pune-Mumbai corridor—where hyperloop could yield $55 billion in benefits over 30 years via time, cost, and safety gains, while public-private partnerships mitigate adoption risks.[2][4] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering vacuum train tech, inspiring competitors like HyperloopTT, and shifting paradigms toward interoperable systems that redefine supply chains, remote work viability, and city connectivity as a "physical internet."[2][5]
Virgin Hyperloop appears poised for certification and initial commercial routes in the mid-2020s, building on human trials and designs like the 28-seat pod, with pilots in India, UAE, US states, and Saudi Arabia driving momentum.[5][6] Trends like electrification mandates, AI-autonomous vehicles, and infrastructure billions will accelerate deployment, though regulatory hurdles and scaling tubes remain key challenges. Its influence could evolve from tester to ecosystem shaper, transforming global mobility if it delivers on promises—echoing its origin as the bold leap beyond a century of stagnant mass transit.[1][2]