RIL buys majority stake in skyTran; invested in future tech, says Ambani

Shareholding of Indian entity at 54.46%; skyTran has developed breakthrough passive magnetic levitation & propulsion tech for personal transportation

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reilance Industries' subsidiary Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited (RSBVL) on Sunday said that it has acquired additional equity stake in its investee company skyTran Inc. for a consideration of $26.76 million, increasing its shareholding to 54.46 per cent on a fully diluted basis.

"skyTran is a US technology company. It has developed breakthrough passive magnetic levitation & propulsion technology for implementing personal transportation systems aimed at solving the problem of traffic congestion globally. The technology has been developed by skyTran to create Smart Mobility Solutions," the company said in a stock exchange filing

The proposed skyTran transportation systems would consist of computer controlled passenger pods running on its state-of-the-art, patented passive magnetic levitation technology and would use cutting edge IT, Telecom, loT and Advanced Materials technologies to transport passengers in a fast, safe, green, and economical manner. It is also supported by notable global venture capital investors such as innovation endeavors.

“Our acquiring majority equity stake in skyTran reflects our commitment to invest in building futuristic technologies that would transform the world, said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries.

"We are excited by skyTran’s potential to achieve an order of magnitude impact on highspeed intra and inter-city connectivity and its ability to provide a high speed, highly efficient and economical ‘Transportation-As-A-Service’ platform for India and the Rest of the World. We firmly believe that non-polluting high speed personal rapid transportation system will help facilitate environmental sustainability through efficient use of alternative energy and make an impactful reduction in air and noise pollution,” he said.