REGENT Craft Announces Strategic Investment from H.I.S.
Leading Travel Agency’s Investment Will Help Revolutionize Travel Experiences and Foster Sustainable Tourism
North Kingstown, RI, March 7, 2024 – REGENT, the manufacturer of all-electric seagliders for sustainable maritime mobility, today announced a strategic investment from H.I.S. Group, one of Japan’s largest travel agencies. This investment marks a significant step forward in advancing sustainable travel and enhancing regional travel experiences for customers in Japan and beyond.
REGENT seagliders are a hydrofoiling wing-in-ground effect craft that operate exclusively over water. They represent a new category of maritime vessel combining the high speed of an airplane with the low operating cost of a boat. These all-electric, zero-emission vessels leverage existing dock infrastructure to carry people and goods up to 180 miles with current battery technology.
H.I.S. aims to not only support REGENT in bringing seagliders to market but also to transform the tourism and travel sector by leveraging their expertise to create captivating travel experiences for their customers.
“During REGENT’s recent tour of Japan we experienced firsthand the ways in which people are connected by water and how that connection permeates daily life,” said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder & CEO of REGENT. “Regional mobility, specifically regional coastal mobility, is critically important there, making Japan a truly perfect market for seagliders. We’re thrilled to be partnering with H.I.S. to accelerate the adoption of this innovative and environmentally friendly technology in the tourism industry.”
In addition to the investment, one of the key initiatives enabled by this partnership is the development of recommendations for integrating seaglider technology into Japan’s infrastructure, particularly in the tourism sector. Leveraging the expertise of H.I.S. in collaboration with other industry leaders, these recommendations will focus on enhancing travel experiences, promoting sustainable tourism practices, and leveraging seaglider technology to unlock new tourism opportunities along Japan's picturesque coastlines.
About REGENT
REGENT is pioneering the future of sustainable maritime mobility. The Rhode Island company develops and manufactures seagliders, a new category of all-electric, passenger carrying vehicles that service coastal routes up to 180 miles with existing battery technology. Built to the highest safety standards, REGENT seagliders operate within a wingspan of the water’s surface and couple the high speed of an aircraft with the low operating cost of a boat. REGENT has already secured an order backlog of more than 600 seagliders worth over $9 billion from leading airline and ferry operators on six continents. Its 12-passenger Viceroy seaglider is expected to enter service by mid-decade. For more information, visit www.regentcraft.com.
About H.I.S. U.S.A. Holding, Inc.
H.I.S. U.S.A. Holding, Inc. is a subsidiary company of HIS Group, which operates one of the biggest travel agencies in Japan. They have 157 branches in 60 countries and 112 cities across the globe. They have been active in the US for over 30 years, with offices in New York, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. H.I.S. U.S.A. Holding, Inc. is a company that operates the entire HIS branches in the Americas but also seeks to find possibilities for the cooperation of new businesses with startup companies. The startup division is active on the West Coast, especially in Silicon Valley. Since 2019, HIS USA has invested and R&D on companies in and out of the travel industry.