Pivotal's CEO Ken Karklin Departs as Company Advances in eVTOL Market
- Published
- Source
- TechCrunch
Ken Karklin has stepped down as CEO of Pivotal, a flying car company backed by Larry Page, after over four years in the role. His departure was announced in a press release, where Pivotal stated he is 'pursuing new endeavors.' Karklin emphasized the company's progress in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) sector, highlighting the transition from prototypes to operational aircraft.
Karklin's exit is significant as it follows Pivotal's launch of its first lightweight electric personal aircraft, Helix, which began sales two years ago. The Helix, priced at approximately $200,000, does not require a pilot's license to operate. Interim CEO Mike Ross acknowledged Karklin's contributions and expressed confidence in maintaining the company's focus on safety and engineering during this transition.
Looking ahead, Pivotal continues to develop its BlackFly aircraft, which has recently been utilized in emergency response scenarios. The company is also part of the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which aims to enhance testing of eVTOL aircraft across the United States. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
Larry Page’s flying car company Pivotal loses its CEO
TechCrunch · Sean O'KaneThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
Rights concerns? Contact [email protected] with the relevant URL and details. We will review the matter and take appropriate action where warranted.
More related news
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
-
11
RobotToday Weekly September 14 – 18, 2026 RobotToday · 4 weeks ago
- 12
Related Suppliers
Mytra
United States
US warehouse robotics company based in Brisbane, CA, deploying Helix-design bots that lift 3,000 lbs in slotless, software-defined ASRS up to 80 ft tall.
Copperstone Technologies
Canada
Canadian robotics company producing autonomous amphibious robots for hazardous industrial and mining environments.
Teledyne GmbH
Germany
Krailling, Germany subsidiary of NYSE-listed Teledyne Technologies; provides European sales and service for the Teledyne Imaging camera and sensor brands.
Ken Robotech Corporation
Japan
Kagawa maker of TOMOROBO collaborative rebar-tying robots that tie a joint in 2.7 s or less at 200 mm pitch, plus a rail-running material carrier.
CAE Inc.
Canada
Saint-Laurent, Quebec flight-simulation company founded 1947; lists on the TSX and NYSE as CAE and employs about 13,000 people worldwide.
Vecna Robotics
United States
US maker of autonomous forklifts, tuggers and pallet jacks whose Pivotal software orchestrates mixed robot-and-human material handling fleets.
RoboCluster
Denmark
Danish government-funded robotics innovation network founded ~2002 in Odense; merged into the national Odense Robotics cluster in 2021.
SkyDrive
Japan
Japanese eVTOL maker pursuing Japan's first flying-car type cert; SD-05 three-seater demo-flew at Osaka Expo 2025.
Airbility
Korea, Republic of (South)
Korean startup developing hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft and drones using fan-jet propulsion for advanced air mobility and surveillance.
Air VEV
Israel
Israeli developer of the AIR ONE two-seat personal eVTOL and an unmanned cargo aircraft using its patented Fly-By-Intent flight control.
Volocopter GmbH
Germany
German eVTOL pioneer developing all-electric air taxis and regional aircraft, with 2,000+ test flights and EASA Design Organisation Approval since 2011.
Advanced Tactics
United States
Torrance, California VTOL aircraft developer founded in 2007, known for the Black Knight Transformer roadable multicopter for military use.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Join the RobotToday community on LinkedIn
Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.
