Boom Technology
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1 January 2014 in Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Headquarters | Centennial, Colorado , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Blake Scholl (CEO) |
| Products | Supersonic aircraft (Boom XB-1, Overture) |
| Website | boomsupersonic |
Boom Technology, Inc., operating under the trade name Boom Supersonic, is a U.S.-based aerospace firm focused on creating the Overture, a supersonic passenger aircraft. The company also developed and conducted flight tests for a scaled-down prototype, the Boom XB-1, which surpassed the speed of sound on January 28, 2025, at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
History
Established in Denver in 2014, Boom joined Y Combinator's startup accelerator program in early 2016 and has attracted investments from Y Combinator itself, along with notable backers such as Sam Altman, Paul Graham, Michael Moritz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Seraph Group, among others.
In March 2017, Boom secured $33 million from venture capital firms like Continuity Fund, RRE Ventures, Palm Drive Ventures, 8VC, and Caffeinated Capital. By April that year, total funding had climbed to $43 million. Japan Airlines contributed $10 million during a Series B funding round in 2017, which helped raise the company’s capital to $156 million by 2020—funds that supported the development and testing of the XB-1 demonstrator and preliminary engineering of the 60-80 seat Overture airliner. As of 2025, Boom has amassed over $600 million from investors.
In January 2022, Boom revealed plans for a manufacturing plant spanning 400,000 square feet on a 65-acre parcel at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. This facility, known as the Overture Superfactory, was completed by June 2024.
The NEOM Investment Fund made a strategic but undisclosed investment in Boom in November 2023.
If realized, the Overture would represent the first supersonic commercial aircraft since the Concorde ceased operations in 2003.
XB-1 demonstrator
The Boom XB-1 is a supersonic demonstrator built at one-third scale to reach speeds up to Mach 1.3. It is powered by three General Electric J85-15 engines producing roughly 12,900 pounds-force of thrust. Unveiled in October 2020, its initial flight testing was slated for 2022 but was postponed until March 22, 2024. On its inaugural flight, the XB-1 attained speeds of 264 knots and climbed above 7,000 feet.
By its ninth sortie on December 13, 2024, the aircraft reached velocities near Mach 0.87 (517 knots) and altitudes exceeding 27,000 feet. On January 28, 2025—during its twelfth test flight—it surpassed the sound barrier three times, hitting Mach 1.122 (around 650 knots) and flying above 35,000 feet. This achievement marked XB-1 as the first privately funded plane to break the sound barrier.
Boom Supersonic disclosed that XB-1 managed supersonic flight without producing sonic booms audible at ground level by enhancing sonic boom prediction models and refining Mach cutoff algorithms. The final test on February 10, 2025 included three supersonic passes reaching a peak speed of Mach 1.18 (671 knots) at altitudes over 36,000 feet. During this mission, NASA collaborated with Boom to capture Schlieren imagery of shock waves generated at supersonic velocities.
Overture airliner
The Boom Overture is a planned supersonic transport designed to cruise at Mach 1.7 with seating for between 60 and 80 passengers and an estimated range of approximately 4,250 nautical miles. Boom envisions a market demand exceeding 1,000 supersonic airliners and intends to offer tickets priced comparably to business or first-class fares. Its design features a delta wing inspired by Concorde’s aerodynamic profile and incorporates composite materials throughout. Propulsion will come from four medium bypass turbofan engines each generating about 40,000 pounds-force of thrust.
In January 2021, Boom announced intentions to commence Overture flight testing by 2027; CEO Blake Scholl projected entry into commercial service by around 2030.
United Airlines committed to purchasing 15 Overture jets in June 2021 with options for an additional 35 units. American Airlines followed suit in August 2022 by agreeing to acquire 20 aircraft. To date, Boom has secured firm orders and options for a total of approximately 130 aircraft from carriers including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines.
Symphony engine
In December 2022, Boom unveiled the Symphony, an innovative propulsion system designed for the Overture aircraft. Key collaborators in its development include Florida Turbine Technologies, responsible for engine design; Colibrium Additive, providing expertise in additive manufacturing technologies; and StandardAero, handling maintenance services. By April 2025, Boom secured a former hypersonic testing facility previously operated by Reaction Engines at the Colorado Air and Space Port to serve as the exclusive test location for the Symphony engine.
Mach 4 airliner concept
Boom contributed to a NASA-led initiative focused on Mach 4 airliner concepts and the associated technology development roadmap. This project was spearheaded by Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, with Blue Ridge Research and Consulting and Rolls-Royce North American Technologies participating as key partners.