Electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation has filed a lawsuit against rival Archer Aviation, accusing the company of using stolen trade secrets to interfere with its business. The case, filed in California Superior Court, alleges that Archer obtained confidential information from a former Joby employee, George Kivork, and then leveraged it to undermine Joby’s partnerships.
The Allegations
Joby claims Kivork, hired by Archer shortly after leaving Joby, exfiltrated a large volume of sensitive files just days before his resignation. These files allegedly contained critical details about Joby’s business strategies, regulatory plans, infrastructure development, and technical specifications for its aircraft. The lawsuit asserts that Archer then shared this stolen information with one of Joby’s strategic partners, disclosing confidential terms of an exclusive agreement.
“This is corporate espionage, planned and premeditated,” Joby states in the complaint.
Archer’s Response
Archer swiftly dismissed the allegations as baseless. In a statement to TechCrunch, Archer’s chief legal and strategy officer, Eric Lentell, accused Joby of using litigation to distract from its own shortcomings and stifle competition. Lentell insisted that the lawsuit lacks merit, claiming the former employee in question held a non-technical business development role and that Archer has robust protocols to prevent misappropriation of trade secrets.
The Broader Context
Both Joby and Archer are key players in the burgeoning electric air taxi industry. Both companies went public in 2021 through SPAC mergers and are also aggressively pursuing defense applications for their technology. Archer recently partnered with weapons manufacturer Anduril to develop hybrid gas-and-electric VTOL aircraft for military use, while Joby has an agreement with L3Harris Technologies to explore similar gas-turbine hybrid VTOL designs.
This lawsuit signals a significant escalation in the rivalry between the two companies. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) sector is highly competitive, with substantial investment and rapid development. The stakes are high, as control of this emerging market could reshape urban transportation and defense industries.
The legal battle will likely unfold over the coming months. The outcome could have significant implications for both companies, as well as the broader industry landscape.
