Lachy Groom backs Indian startup aiming to keep aircraft aloft for a year

Alteon, founded by 20-year-old Samay Sanghvi, secured a $2.5 million pre-seed round led by Lachy Groom to build a 3-meter-wingspan autonomous aircraft that exploits dynamic soaring of ocean-wind shear. The team flew O-shaped patterns at 62 mph within one meter of the Bay of Bengal’s surface and now aims for energy-neutral dynamic soaring, allowing propulsion to be turned off while continuously harvesting wind energy.