Founder of hydrogen aviation startup ZeroAvia steps down

In an announcement on May 29, 2026, Hydrogen aviation startup ZeroAvia revealed that founder Val Miftakhov has stepped down from his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective May 26, 2026. 

The entrepreneur, who started ZeroAvia in 2017, will remain on the company’s Board of Directors. 

Temporarily, the leadership role at ZeroAvia will be assumed by the Executive Chair of the Board, Christine Ourmieres-Widener, while the search for a new CEO is underway.   

Ourmieres-Widener is widely known in the industry for her past role as CEO of several prominent airlines, such as flybe, TAP Air Portugal and, until 2025, Groupe Dubreuil, the parent company of French airlines French Bee and Air Caraïbes. 

ZeroAvia, which has operations in both the United States and the United Kingdom, is working on the development of a hydrogen-electric powertrain for regional aircraft. While the startup has achieved several significant milestones, such as the fly-testing of its ZA600 system, it has seen its own target dates slip by repeatedly.  

As of May 2026, the company is said to be targeting 2027 for certification of its ZA600 fuel cell system. The certification of the full powertrain is expected to take at least another two years beyond that. In the meantime, ZeroAvia is also working on a larger, more powerful system called ZA2000.  

In December 2025, ZeroAvia managed to close a new funding round for an undisclosed amount led by Barclays Climate Ventures; Breakthrough Energy Ventures; Ecosystem Integrity Fund; Horizons Ventures; Summa Equity; and AP Ventures, plus the additional participation of the National Wealth Fund and the Scottish National Investment Bank.  

Notwithstanding the additional capital raised, ZeroAvia was forced to enact a significant workforce cut in early 2026, with around 50% of the staff exiting the company. 

AeroTime has reached out to ZeroAvia for comment. 

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