Challenge

When Mission North began working with Skyryse in mid-2018, the appetite for new modes of urban mobility, like ridesharing and scooters, was high. But so was media skepticism about the viability and need for urban air transportation. Concerns about safety, noise and traffic in the sky abounded. 

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Skyryse was a stealth startup with a technically accomplished but first-time founder and CEO. The company wanted to differentiate themselves from traditional aerospace companies and distant future vehicles by demonstrating that you can bring 21st century technology into existing aircraft and completely rethink how people fly. Skyryse needed to convince reporters that the technology wasn’t science fiction, and to spotlight CEO Mark Groden as a leader with the technical chops and business know-how to make urban air transportation accessible and safe for consumers.

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Skyryse was a stealth startup with a technically accomplished but first-time founder and CEO. The company wanted to differentiate themselves from traditional aerospace companies and distant future vehicles by demonstrating that you can bring 21st century technology into existing aircraft and completely rethink how people fly. Skyryse needed to convince reporters that the technology wasn’t science fiction, and to spotlight CEO Mark Groden as a leader with the technical chops and business know-how to make urban air transportation accessible and safe for consumers.

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Mission North developed a strategy to launch the company out of stealth and get Skyryse on the map. The team leveraged the company’s funding, partnership with the City of Tracy, Calif. and its founding story to shape a narrative that would convey Skyryse’s vision. In addition, the team established a thought leadership platform for Mark, leaning into his technical achievements and lifelong passion for flight.

Strategy

In August 2018, Skyryse was ready to make its entrance. Mission North focused on placing stories at the highest-impact publications, working with journalists who would understand what made the company unique. This resulted in more than 30 articles, including in The New York Times, CNBC and WIRED, on the company’s funding and pilot program supporting first responders in California. 

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After the launch, the team focused on building Skyryse’s credibility by telling stories about its technology and operational milestones, including the completion of a groundbreaking autonomous flight. Fast Company, TechCrunch, The Verge and 25+ other publications picked up the news. 

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The team continued to elevate Skyryse’s profile with stories in Forbes, Business Insider and, in the fall of 2021, The New York Times and TechCrunch. 

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Impact

Within a year of launching from stealth, Skyryse gained the reputation of an emerging innovator. Mark Groden, a first-time founder, was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Vanity Fair’s The Future Innovator Index 2019. 

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Skyryse has since raised a $200 million Series B, the largest in the aviation industry’s history, and have secured partnerships with 5 of the largest aircraft OEMs in the world.

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