Beta Technologies Opens Satellite Office in Montréal 

Source: Seven Days

Beta Technologies, the South Burlington-based electric aviation startup, has opened an office in Montréal, the company said this week.

Beta tapped into the aerospace hub’s talent pool to hire at least 50 employees who will focus on structural engineering and materials processing.

Montréal has one of the largest aerospace industries in the world, employing nearly 60,000 people at hundreds of firms, according to Aéro Montréal, an industry group.

In a statement, Beta founder and CEO Kyle Clark said the city in Québec has been part of the company’s long-term plan. “We have already added a highly skilled team to our ranks in Montreal, and we look forward to continuing to tap into the wealth of experience and talent in the region as we grow,” he said.

Beta is one of several well-funded companies trying to bring electric aircraft to market. Its prototype, Alia, is designed to carry cargo or several passengers for trips of 200-plus miles. Using a network of charging pads, the aircraft made a longer, roundtrip flight from Beta’s testing site in Plattsburgh, N.Y., to Louisville, Ky., late last year.

The company broke ground last year on a manufacturing campus at the Burlington International Airport. It also plans to conduct battery testing at an industrial office in St. Albans.

Beta currently employs more than 450 people, fueled by a surge of venture capital that was unprecedented for a Vermont startup.