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Based in Somerville, Massachusetts, De-Ice develops electromagnetic de-icing technology that utilizes high-frequency electric currents to remove ice from aircraft without the need for traditional chemical fluids. The company's hardware system incorporates gallium nitride semiconductors to efficiently generate heat, which eliminates the requirement for chemical sprays and reduces winter departure delays by more than thirty minutes per flight. Operating as a business-to-business technology provider, the firm licenses its proprietary hardware to commercial aviation operators, securing Air Canada as its primary customer for installation on Airbus A320-series aircraft. The enterprise currently operates with fewer than twenty-five employees and generates under $5 million in annual revenue, having raised approximately $3.12 million in total venture capital across seven distinct funding rounds. Spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, De-Ice was founded in 2015 by Alexander Bratianu-Badea and Ruben Toubiana.
De-Ice has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
De-Ice has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
De-Ice is a Boston-based technology company that develops chemical-free, electric de-icing systems for aircraft, primarily targeting the aviation industry to eliminate traditional chemical sprays.[1][2][4] The product uses high-frequency electric current generated via gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors to rapidly melt ice, serving airlines by solving the problem of 30-45 minute de-icing delays, high operational costs, and environmental impact from glycol-based fluids and associated CO2 emissions.[1][2][5] This enables faster turnarounds, 50% cost savings, and reductions in 25 million gallons of glycol and 170 million gallons of water annually in the US, with early adoption by Air Canada as the first global airline installer.[1][2][5]
Growth momentum includes spinning out of MIT in 2015, raising approximately $3M in unattributed VC funding (last round ~8 years ago), and filing 7 patents in power electronics and related fields.[1][3][6] The compact, lightweight system outperforms silicon-based alternatives, positioning De-Ice for expansion into in-flight protection and other applications like wind turbines.[2][4][6]
De-Ice originated as an MIT spin-out in 2015, founded by Alexander Bratianu-Badea and Ruben Toubiana after Bratianu-Badea faced frustrating flight delays from chemical de-icing.[1][2][4] Motivated by personal experience and a push for sustainability, the duo assembled a team of scientists, engineers, and policy experts to pioneer high-frequency electric current technology using GaN semiconductors—a breakthrough enabled by recent advances over inefficient silicon transistors.[1][2]
Early traction came from regulatory collaborations and rigorous development, culminating in a landmark partnership with Air Canada, marking the first major de-icing advancement in decades and the world's inaugural airline installation.[1][2] John Owen, co-founder and former CFO of JetBlue Airways, later endorsed the technology for its potential to end weather-related delays.[7] Headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, the company has grown to under 25 employees while maintaining a focus on aerospace ice protection.[6]
De-Ice rides the aviation sector's push toward net-zero emissions and sustainability, addressing a critical pain point in winter operations amid rising climate pressures and regulatory demands for greener fuels and practices.[1][2][5][7] Timing aligns with GaN semiconductor maturity, enabling viable high-frequency systems previously impossible with silicon, while global airlines face escalating de-icing costs (billions annually) and delays impacting 10-20% of winter flights.[1][2]
Market forces like EU/ICAO carbon taxes, biofuel mandates, and supply chain scrutiny on glycol favor De-Ice, potentially disrupting a stagnant industry reliant on 60-year-old chemical methods.[2][5][7] By enabling faster, cleaner ops, it influences the ecosystem—boosting airline efficiency, supporting remote airfields, and paving ways for electric VTOL/hybrid aircraft ice protection, while inspiring cleantech crossovers to renewables.[4][6]
De-Ice stands at an inflection point with Air Canada deployment, likely accelerating certifications, fleet retrofits, and Series A funding to scale manufacturing.[1][2][3] Next steps include in-flight systems and wind turbine applications, capitalizing on aviation's 2050 net-zero goals and cleantech tailwinds like cheaper GaN and policy incentives.[4][5][6]
Trends like electrification, AI-optimized ops, and extreme weather will amplify demand, evolving De-Ice from niche innovator to ecosystem shaper—potentially slashing global aviation emissions if adopted widely, much like how LED lighting transformed energy use. This MIT-born solution, sparked by a single delay, could redefine winter skies.[1][7]
De-Ice has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
De-Ice's investors include Act One Ventures, Bow Capital, Compound, Lazerow Ventures, M13, Miramar Ventures, Ragovin Ventures, SoftBank Capital, TenOneTen Ventures, Eytan Elbaz, Kim Perell.
De-Ice has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in July 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2017 | $3M Seed | — | ACT ONE Ventures, BOW Capital, Compound, Lazerow Ventures, M13, Miramar Ventures, Ragovin Ventures, SoftBank Capital, TenOneTen Ventures, Eytan Elbaz, KIM Perell | Announced |
