Waterfly
Entrepreneur First '24Bangalore, IN · Founded 2024 · 1 known investors
Waterfly develops Wing-in-Ground craft for marine transportation, aiming to move cargo at speeds comparable to aircraft at costs closer to shipping. It positions the technology as an alternative to air freight for faster, lower-cost transport.
Also known as Waterfly Technologies
Founders & leadership
Waterfly was founded in 2024 by Harish Rajesh and Keshav Kumar Choudhary.
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Waterfly (Waterfly Technologies) develops Wing-In-Ground (WIG) effect craft — described as electric sea gliders — intended to provide high-speed marine transportation at costs closer to shipping than aviation. The craft are designed to take off from water and cruise at an altitude of roughly four metres, using ground effect to improve efficiency, with a stated capability to fly up to 150 metres and reach speeds of up to 500 km/h. The company frames the flatter airframe design as improving aerodynamic efficiency, and notes that water-landing capability makes the craft safer than conventional aircraft in emergencies.
The company positions its offering around four claims presented on its own site: speed and affordability, minimal infrastructure requirements, sustainable fuel, and a cost roughly 10x cheaper than air freight. Planned configurations include an initial battery-powered variant with a 500 km range and a hydrogen-electric variant with range up to 2,000 km, marketed as zero-carbon travel. Waterfly is incubated at IIT Madras and showcased its sea glider design at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru.
Applications cited span civilian and defence missions, with the company describing use cases for its first WIG craft. Illustrative route economics given by the CEO include a Kolkata–Chennai crossing of 1,600 km priced at ₹600 per seat, which the company compares favourably to an AC three-tier train ticket, and a longer-term ambition to serve routes such as Chennai–Singapore, with larger craft intended for intercontinental travel.
Founding story
According to the company, the founding team first worked together at IIT Madras, where they built the institute's first electric race car. That project informed their interest in sustainable mobility, after which they shifted focus to Wing-In-Ground effect craft.
Business model
The company states it plans to manufacture the craft and sell them to airline operators, rather than operating routes itself.
Product sales of Wing-In-Ground craft to airline operators, per company statements reported in the trade press.
Traction
Pre-revenue and at prototype stage as of the February 2025 report: a 100 kg prototype was planned for April 2025, a one-tonne prototype later in 2025, and a full-scale 20-seat craft afterwards. The design was publicly exhibited at Aero India 2025.
Latest developments
In February 2025 Waterfly Technologies unveiled its electric sea glider design at Aero India 2025 and outlined its 2025 prototype roadmap.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Positions itself between aviation and shipping — "as fast as a plane, as cheap as a ship" — as an alternative to short-haul air travel and conventional ferries, claiming roughly 10x lower cost than air freight.
Combination of aircraft-like speed with ship-like operating cost, low infrastructure needs, water-landing safety, and an electric/hydrogen-electric propulsion path targeting zero-carbon operation.
Technology
Wing-In-Ground (WIG) effect craft, also described as electric sea gliders. The vehicles take off from water and cruise at about four metres altitude, exploiting ground effect for efficiency, and can fly up to 150 metres. Target cruise speed is up to 500 km/h. A flatter airframe is said to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Initial craft are battery-electric with a 500 km range; a hydrogen-electric variant is planned with up to 2,000 km range. The company also cites minimal infrastructure requirements and sustainable fuel.
Go-to-market
Public visibility through the IIT Madras incubation ecosystem and defence/aerospace trade exhibitions, including a design showcase at Aero India 2025; commercial route is selling craft to airline operators.
Airline and transport operators as buyers of the craft; end use cases cover civilian passenger and freight transport on coastal and inter-city water routes as well as defence missions.
Geography
India, with links to IIT Madras (Chennai) and a design showcase in Bengaluru; envisioned routes include domestic coastal corridors such as Kolkata–Chennai and international routes such as Chennai–Singapore.
History
Waterfly Technologies is incubated at IIT Madras. In February 2025 it unveiled its electric sea glider design at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru, setting out a development roadmap that included a 100 kg prototype by April 2025, a one-tonne prototype later in 2025, and a full-scale 20-seat, four-tonne-payload version thereafter, with a first prototype expected by the end of 2025.
Risks & controversies
Performance, cost and timeline figures — including the 500 km/h speed, ₹600 per-seat Kolkata–Chennai fare, and prototype milestones — are company projections reported in trade press rather than demonstrated results. No independent verification of delivered hardware or regulatory approvals appears in the sources.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 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.
Timeline · 1
launches, deals, and filingsWaterfly Technologies showcased its electric sea glider design at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru, outlining plans for a 100 kg prototype by April 2025, a one-tonne prototype later in 2025 and a 20-seat full-scale craft thereafter.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Waterflywaterfly.info · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Waterfly do?
- Indian startup building electric Wing-In-Ground effect sea gliders as a fast, low-cost alternative to air and ferry travel.
- Who founded Waterfly?
- Waterfly was founded by Harish Rajesh, Keshav Kumar Choudhary in 2024.
- Who are Waterfly's investors?
- Waterfly's investors include Entrepreneur First.
- Where is Waterfly headquartered?
- Waterfly is headquartered in Bangalore, IN.