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Lightship
Broomfield, US · Founded 2020 · Delaware corporation · 95 employees on LinkedIn · 13 known investors
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Lightship designs and builds the AE.1, an all-electric travel trailer for the RV market. The company aims to bring electrification to recreational vehicles, designing and manufacturing its trailers in Colorado for consumers taking road trips.
Also known as Lightship RV
Founders & leadership
Lightship was founded in 2020 by Tobias Kraus, Toby Kraus, and Benjamin Parker.
Board
Investors · 13
How we know: prnewswire.com · av.vc · Not right? Tell us
How we know: the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Congruent Ventures's portfolio page · prnewswire.com · the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us
How we know: prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Obvious Ventures's portfolio page · funding news · prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Prelude Ventures's portfolio page · funding news · prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: TechNexus Venture Collaborative's portfolio page · funding news · prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
Also in the syndicate · 1
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements$108M disclosed across 5 rounds · 2020–2025
- $20MSeries BFeb 2020 · 2 sources
Define Ventures (lead), McKesson Ventures (lead), Khosla Ventures
Source ↗
▶$26.6MraisedDec 2025 · 12 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Victor WesterlindDirector
- Andrew BeebeDirector
- Tobias KrausExecutive Officer, Director
- Ben ParkerExecutive Officer, Director
- Gabriel KraDirector
- Offering amount
- $35M
- Amount sold
- $26.6M
- First sale
- Nov 2025
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2020
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$34.1MraisedJan 2024 · 13 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Ben ParkerExecutive Officer, Director
- Andrew BeebeDirector
- Tobias KrausExecutive Officer, Director
- Gabriel KraDirector
- Offering amount
- $34.1M
- Amount sold
- $34.1M
- First sale
- Nov 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2020
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$23.1MraisedJul 2022 · 19 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Ben ParkerExecutive Officer, Director
- Tobias KrausExecutive Officer, Director
- Victoria BeasleyDirector
- Andrew BeebeDirector
- Offering amount
- $25M
- Amount sold
- $23.1M
- First sale
- Apr 2022
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2020
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$4.1MraisedJul 2021 · 25 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Toby KrausDirector
- Ben ParkerExecutive Officer, Director
- Andrew BeebeDirector
- Offering amount
- $4.1M
- Amount sold
- $4.1M
- First sale
- Jun 2021
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2020
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Lightship is an adventure-vehicle manufacturer whose product is the AE.1, an all-electric travel trailer intended for road trips and off-grid stays. The trailer is offered with up to 77 kWh of battery capacity, 1.8 kW of integrated solar generation, and what the company calls an Aero-Electric design intended to reduce drag and extend range. Named subsystems include TrekDrive, which the company associates with improved towing efficiency, and CampQuiet, positioned around quiet operation while camping.
The company describes itself as combining automotive-grade engineering with U.S. manufacturing, building every vehicle under one roof at a Colorado factory, and traces its origins to Silicon Valley. As of its 2026 site, the AE.1 is described as built in Colorado and delivering nationwide, and the company also runs a traveling roadshow so prospective buyers can view the vehicle in person.
Business model
Direct-to-consumer manufacturer: Lightship designs, builds and sells its own electric travel trailers rather than distributing through third-party dealers.
Traction
The AE.1 is in production and delivering nationwide, and the company has announced a Colorado facility expansion that more than quadruples manufacturing capacity.
Latest developments
In March 2026 Tom vonReichbauer joined the board of directors, and in April 2026 the company announced an expansion of its Colorado facility that more than quadruples manufacturing capacity. The company has also published range testing content, including a 200-mile TrekDrive loop in Northern California and a cold-weather, crosswind "run it to zero" range test in Colorado.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography
Market position
Vertically integrated, single-facility U.S. production combined with an aerodynamic all-electric trailer design aimed at extending range and off-grid stay duration, sold direct rather than through dealers.
Technology
All-electric travel trailer platform with an aerodynamic "Aero-Electric" structure, battery capacity of up to 77 kWh, 1.8 kW of integrated solar, the TrekDrive drivetrain/efficiency system, and CampQuiet for low-noise operation.
Go-to-market
Sold directly to consumers, supported by a traveling roadshow that brings the AE.1 to in-person viewing locations and an email newsletter for production and event updates.
Consumers who travel and camp with towable recreational vehicles, including off-grid weekend users and long-distance road trippers.
Geography
Manufacturing at a Colorado factory, with origins described as Silicon Valley; deliveries offered nationwide in the United States.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Related companies · 3
Companies working in the same space as Lightship.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsCompany update announcing an expansion of its Colorado manufacturing facility that more than quadruples manufacturing capacity.
Company update announcing the addition of Tom vonReichbauer to Lightship's board of directors.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- Lightshiplightshiprv.com · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Lightship do?
- Lightship is a direct-to-consumer manufacturer of the AE.1, an all-electric travel trailer built in Colorado.
- Who founded Lightship?
- Lightship was founded by Tobias Kraus, Toby Kraus, Benjamin Parker in 2020.
- Who are Lightship's investors?
- Lightship's investors include Alumni Ventures, Climactic, Congruent Ventures, Hyperguap, Jetstream, Obvious Ventures, Prelude Ventures, TechNexus Venture Collaborative and 4 more.
- How much funding has Lightship raised?
- Lightship has disclosed $108M raised across 5 rounds.
- Where is Lightship headquartered?
- Lightship is headquartered in Broomfield, US.