MAKO closes AU$28M Series A led by Virescent Ventures for shark skin aviation drag reduction film

Australian aerospace technology company MAKO (formerly MicroTau) has closed a AU$28 million Series A funding round led by Virescent Ventures, with participation from International Airlines Group (IAG) through IAGi Ventures, Zero Infinity Partners, Grok Ventures, Skip Capital, IP Group, and TreeArc. The capital will scale production and global deployment of Flightfilm, a precision-engineered adhesive film inspired by shark skin that reduces aerodynamic drag on aircraft surfaces. MAKO CEO Henry Bilinsky confirmed the film achieves a net drag reduction of over 4%, independently validated in flight testing with the US Air Force on a C-130J Super Hercules. The company holds pre-orders from commercial airlines and defense customers, and is pursuing certification across Australia, Europe, and the United States.

This funding round is significant for additive manufacturing because Flightfilm represents a production-scale application of bio-inspired surface texturing - a domain where AM-enabled micro-structuring and precision coating technologies are increasingly relevant. MAKO is vertically integrated from design through manufacturing and on-aircraft application, positioning it as a materials-and-services provider rather than a pure machine vendor. The drag-reduction film addresses a clear economic pain point: fuel is the largest operating cost for airlines, and a 4% reduction per aircraft translates into meaningful operational savings across large fleets. The involvement of IAGi Ventures, the venture arm of one of the world's largest airline groups, signals that the technology has passed initial commercial due diligence and is moving toward fleet-level deployment. The US Air Force validation provides a defense-sector reference that strengthens the company's qualification narrative across both civil and military aviation.

From an AM industry perspective, MAKO's trajectory illustrates how surface engineering - rather than structural part production - can become a high-value application for precision manufacturing techniques. The company's challenge now is execution: scaling film production to meet pre-order volumes while navigating aviation certification timelines across multiple regulatory jurisdictions. For buyers evaluating drag-reduction technologies, the independent flight test data and airline strategic investment provide stronger evidence than lab-scale demonstrations alone. The real test will be whether Flightfilm can maintain its aerodynamic performance across years of operational service and repeated maintenance cycles.