# Billy Thalheimer

> Billy Thalheimer is the co-founder and CEO of Rhode Island-based REGENT, where he and co-founder Mike Klinker are developing seagliders: hydrofoiling, wing-in-ground-effect vessels intended to connect coastal communities at aircraft-like speed. A flight-physics engineer and private pilot who previously worked at Aurora Flight Sciences, Thalheimer has led REGENT from a December 2020 founding through quarter-scale flight, full-scale human-crewed sea trials, defense expansion, a $240 million Series B, and the Viceroy prototype's first flight in September 2026.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at REGENT
- **Organizations:** REGENT, Aurora Flight Sciences
- **Education:** Graduate engineering studies in flight physics and aircraft design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- **Known for:** Led REGENT through the quarter-scale seaglider's first float-foil-fly demonstrations in 2022., Advanced the full-scale, 12-passenger Viceroy from public mock-up to human-crewed sea trials and first flight., Raised more than $340 million in announced equity and debt funding commitments for REGENT by August 2026.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2020** — Worked at Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences; he and future co-founder Mike Klinker were colleagues there and became FAA-licensed private pilots.
- **2020-12** — Co-founded REGENT with Mike Klinker to improve regional coastal transportation.
- **2021-04** — REGENT emerged with $9 million in seed funding and plans for a quarter-scale seaglider prototype.
- **2022-08** — Moved REGENT's headquarters to Rhode Island for coastal testing, maritime composites expertise, and engineering talent.
- **2022-09** — REGENT's quarter-scale prototype completed the float, foil, and fly sequence.
- **2023-10** — Closed a $60 million Series A and entered an agreement with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory to demonstrate seaglider logistics capability.
- **2024-10** — Discussed U.S. Coast Guard approval for full-scale prototype testing and REGENT's choice of Rhode Island in an Atoms Not Bits interview.
- **2025-03** — REGENT began on-water tests of the full-scale Viceroy prototype with people aboard.
- **2025-07** — Announced REGENT Defense and a product line including hybrid and autonomous seagliders.
- **2026-08** — REGENT raised a $240 million Series B, split between equity and debt, bringing announced funding commitments to more than $340 million.
- **2026-09** — The human-crewed, full-scale Viceroy prototype completed its first wing-in-ground-effect flight.

## Achievements

- Led REGENT through the quarter-scale seaglider's first float-foil-fly demonstrations in 2022.
- Advanced the full-scale, 12-passenger Viceroy from public mock-up to human-crewed sea trials and first flight.
- Raised more than $340 million in announced equity and debt funding commitments for REGENT by August 2026.
- Built a commercial order book spanning six continents with multiple years of planned manufacturing capacity.
- Expanded REGENT into defense logistics, including U.S. Marine Corps work and the autonomous Squire platform.
- Established REGENT in Rhode Island and advanced a 255,000-square-foot seaglider manufacturing facility at Quonset Business Park.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — REGENT announced the first human-crewed flight of its full-scale Viceroy seaglider prototype.
- **2026-08** — REGENT announced a $240 million Series B co-led by Mare Liberum and AE Ventures, with debt capital from Erebor Bank.
- **2026-08** — The company said total announced funding commitments had surpassed $340 million and that its Rhode Island manufacturing facility had been completed.
- **2026-04** — Thalheimer discussed REGENT's dual-use strategy, Indo-Pacific logistics, U.S. shipbuilding, and Rhode Island's maritime talent base at the Hill & Valley Forum.

## Links

- Website: https://www.regentcraft.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamthalheimer/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/billythalheimer
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8LiOhPIbGAz5IsVCtM7m9g
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regentcraft/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/regentcraft

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/billy-thalheimer
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27