Ilya Khanykov

Ilya Khanykov, also known as Elya Honeycove on LinkedIn, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bartini, Inc., a company based in Cupertino, California, that develops electric aircraft with vertical flight capability.12

Background and Education

Khanykov holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northumbria University in the UK and was awarded a Ph.D. in Economics in Russia.123

Professional Experience

Khanykov has a diverse professional background spanning over a decade:

• Carbon Trading: Spent 10 years in carbon trading and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation projects.2
• Investment Analysis: Worked as an Investment Analyst for Russian stocks in a publicly traded fund.2
• Corporate Innovation: Served as a Corporate Entrepreneur and Innovator for a fund and strategy think tank focused on carbon markets and regulation.2
• Policy Consultation: Acted as a Policy Consultant on climate change regulations and technology transfer.2
• United Nations: Participated as a member of the National Delegation to UN negotiations on climate change.2
• Business Development: Co-founded and developed a consultancy service for carbon market-related issues in Eastern Europe and CIS.2
• Corporate Executive: Helped integrate organizations and lead business development for a multinational company.2
• Fundraising: Led seed investment rounds for a Swedish pharmaceutical startup.2

Current Role

As the CEO of Bartini, Inc., Khanykov is focused on developing electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft for private use and urban air mobility markets.2 The company aims to create aircraft with extended flight endurance, superior comfort, and low cost-index for an estimated $8 billion private and $3 trillion urban air mobility market.2

Additional Roles

• Mentor: Serves as a mentor for The Founder Institute and the Silicon Valley Insiders Intensive Program.1
• Advisor: Holds advisory positions for McFly Aero Infrastructure and Innov8 Global Advisory Ventures Labs.1
• Speaker: Occasionally speaks at international conferences and educational programs.2

Khanykov is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council since March 2022, where he contributes his expertise on technology and business.2