From student project to aviation startup – Vortex Aerotec takes off
A drone that can take off vertically like a helicopter, carry a payload of 50 kilograms, and fly over 500 kilometers like an airplane. Sound like a pipe dream? Not for Munich-based startup Vortex Aerotec, which is working on just that: a vertical takeoff, long-range drone powered by hydrogen that rethinks industrial logistics. The mission: a sustainable, efficient transport solution for the so-called middle mile.
WHEN A VISIT TO A MOUNTAIN HUT LEADS TO A STARTUP
Cornelius Kauffmann, Manuel Prinz, and Jan Rudzki had previously founded the student initiative LEVITUM, also based at the gate Garching. There, together with over 40 students, they developed five flying VTOL prototypes powered by hydrogen and were able to attract 17 sponsors.
However, the journey to founding the company did not begin in a laboratory, but in a secluded mountain hut. The three LEVITUM founders, together with co-founder Paul Berthold, retreated there for a week. Their goal was to find out whether their shared experiences with LEVITUM and their ideas could be turned into a viable concept for a start-up.
The result was clear:
“We saw that we could make a real difference with our technology. And that we wanted to build a startup together as a team.”
Cornelius and Jan tell us the story of how the company was founded in the video:
FROM PROTOTYPE TO FIRST FLIGHT
At the gate Garching, Vortex Aerotec developed the first subscale prototype, a scaled-down but functional model of the future logistics drone. In flight tests, the team was able to reach a cruising speed of 110 km/h and successfully validate all flight phases and the software. The design and operation are based on SORA’s SAIL III level in order to obtain an operating license with minimal regulatory effort.
We don’t want to deliver packages to people’s front doors, but rather transport industrial payloads over long distances, for example between company locations,” explains co-founder Cornelius Kauffmann.
FROM IDEA TO PRODUCT – THE CAMPUS MAKES IT POSSIBLE
It is no coincidence that Vortex Aerotec was founded at the Garching research campus. The combination of excellent research, practical infrastructure, and entrepreneurial spirit is unique in Europe.
“The Garching campus is the perfect place to start a hardware startup. With TUM, we have a knowledge base right on our doorstep, a strong scientific partner in the Chair of Helicopter Technology, and the MakerSpace, which gives us the opportunity to produce high-quality prototypes ourselves,” says Cornelius. “At the same time, there is the option of renting offices here at gate to really build up a startup. I think it’s the combination of these factors that makes this campus so special.”
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With the ceremonial muesli handover, Vortex Aerotec is now officially part of the gate-startups.
CHALLENGES? ALL THE TIME. BUT THE TEAM IS WHAT COUNTS.
Of course, not everything runs smoothly at Vortex Aerotec either. Time pressure, technical problems, and limited resources are the order of the day, especially in hardware development. But founder Jan Rudzki remains calm:
“Don’t lose your head. If you tackle challenges as a team, you’ll find a solution.”
What advice would Cornelius Kauffmann and Jan Rudzki give to other students who want to start a business?
“Start early. Join a student initiative. It’s a great way to learn what it means to lead a team, build prototypes, and take responsibility – without taking big risks. For us, it was the perfect start.”
THE GERMAN AVIATION INDUSTRY AS AN INDUSTRY IN TRANSITION
The German aviation industry aims to achieve CO₂-neutral air transport by expanding the production of PtL kerosene in the coming years. The goal: to sustainably reduce emissions and drive the development of climate-friendly technologies.
Vortex Aerotec shares this vision – but takes a different path. With its hydrogen-powered VTOL drone, the gate-startup focuses on the direct use of hydrogen, aiming to make air mobility cleaner, more efficient, and future-ready.
VORTEX AEROTEC – TECHNOLOGY WITH THRUST
And who knows – maybe this gate-startup will one day revolutionize the way goods are moved. What’s already clear: Vortex Aerotec proves that it pays off to dive into entrepreneurship while still at university. The result? A strong team with a clear mission – building a tech startup with real impact, in exactly the right environment.
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