The CEOs Behind America’s Next Frontier in Air & Sea Travel

eVTOL Leader: Archer | Plus REGENT + Arc Boats

Sep 09, 2025

Flying Cars to Flying Boats

Adam Goldstein (CEO of Archer), Billy Thalheimer (CEO of REGENT), & Mitch Lee (CEO of Arc) join Sourcery to talk flying cars, flying boats, & the electrification of air & sea travel.

P.S. the trailer is next level.

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The leader in the eVTOL industry, Archer, is scaling its Midnight aircraft for urban air taxis and defense applications; REGENT is launching high-speed seagliders that combine boats and planes; and Arc is bringing electrification to boats.

More specifically, we dive into Archer’s critical partnerships with Palantir and Anduril in defense, their frontier innovations in electric aircraft design, and what it takes to create entirely new categories of mobility.

From winning FAA support and building factories in Georgia and Rhode Island to preparing for the LA 2028 Olympics and contested logistics in the Indo-Pacific, these founders share how they’re creating entirely new transportation categories.

Timestamps

(00:00) CEOs of Archer, REGENT, Arc Boats
(02:16) Archer
(03:21) FAA's New Category & Industrialization
(04:39) Market Potential & Scaling Challenges
(11:19) Midnight Aircraft & Safety Innovations
(20:16) Commercial & Defense Partnerships
(29:30) REGENT
(38:09) Revolutionizing Coastal Transportation
(38:47) Navigating Regulatory Challenges
(40:51) Mastering Waves & Weather
(43:52) Innovations in Manufacturing
(45:53) Future of Maritime & Aviation
(52:09) Arc Boats
(53:48) Reindustrializing the Boating Industry
(01:03:43) AI & the Future of Boating

ACHR + PLTR + Anduril

Archer Aviation, Anduril, and Palantir have formed a strategic alliance that combines advanced aviation technology, defense systems, and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to disrupt traditional defense contracting.
Archer will initially leverage Palantir Foundry and AIP to accelerate the scaling of its aircraft manufacturing capabilities
Archer and Palantir plan to work in parallel to develop software for the next-gen of critical aviation systems, including air traffic control, movement control and route planning
Archer and Palantir will formalize the partnership later today during a signing ceremony between Palantir co-founder and CEO, Alex Karp, and Archer Founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, at Palantir’s AIPCon

Anduril Industries UK today is announcing that it will lead a team for upcoming programmes, including to bid for future flight opportunities. Anduril UK, building on its existing partnership with aerospace company Archer, will receive additional support from Skyports Drone Services and AtkinsRéalis, two other leading technology companies.
Together, Anduril and its partners will explore civil and defence applications in the UK using Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft. This includes explorations for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, enabling low-emission, rapid-response logistics to support a wide range of UK-focused civil and military use cases, including cargo.

REGENT DEFENSE

Defense Partnerships

REGENT is a trusted partner of the U.S. Marine Corps, which continues to advance its strategic shift toward distributed maritime operations. In March, REGENT announced a $10 million expanded collaboration with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab through the second phase of a contract agreement to validate Seaglider use cases across logistics, ISR, MEDEVAC, launched effects, and other mission-critical areas.
In addition to its work with the Marine Corps, REGENT has formalized development relationships with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, supporting innovation in agile, next-generation maritime mobility.

Arc Boats: Recreation to Heavy Commercial

Arc is bringing the first electric truckable tugboat to the Port of Los Angeles. We’re retrofitting the 26-foot-long tug in a new partnership with Portland shipyard Diversified Marine Inc. It’s built for high-performance, zero-emission operations — ushering in a new era of electric workboats at the Western Hemisphere’s busiest port and beyond.
“At Arc, our mission has always been to electrify the entire marine industry. Workboats are a big step towards that end,” says CEO and co-founder Mitch Lee. “We’re excited to enter the commercial market with the most advanced maritime technology available. And this project sets the stage for our future efforts.”

Why tugboats?

Tugboats are the backbone of ports — moving barges, repositioning cranes, and guiding larger vessels. Most are decades old and outdated, staring down retirement, and run on diesel. Fuel and maintenance drive more than half of a tugboat’s substantial operating costs.

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