By piloting the Solar Impulse 2 from Nagoya to Kalaeloa, Hawaii, he surpassed the previous record set by Steve Fossett in 2006. This flight formed a critical leg of the first manned, solar-powered circumnavigation of the globe, which concluded in 2016.
Academic and Professional Background
Born in Zurich in 1952, Borschberg pursued advanced studies in engineering and management. He obtained a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and an additional master's in management science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management. Complementing this technical training, he holds professional certifications in business and financial management from HEC Lausanne. Early in his career, he served as a pilot in the Swiss Air Force and spent five years as a consultant for McKinsey & Company.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Technological Development and Solar Impulse
Before his circumnavigation efforts, Borschberg founded Innovative Silicon in 2002 to produce microprocessor technology. He subsequently transitioned to the Solar Impulse project, serving as co-founder, CEO, and pilot. The project demonstrated the viability of solar energy in aviation, starting with a 26-hour solar-powered flight in 2010. Over the following years, he and Bertrand Piccard navigated the Solar Impulse 1 across Europe, to Morocco, and across the United States. These missions served as testing grounds for integrating solar aircraft into commercial international airspace.
Electric Aviation and H55
Building upon his experience with solar technology, Borschberg co-founded the Swiss startup H55 in 2017. Based in Sion, this company functions as a technological spinoff from the Solar Impulse project, focusing on the development of electric propulsion systems. H55 provides these technologies to aircraft manufacturers and has launched specific models including the Aerol in 2017 and the BRISTELL Energic in 2019.
Awards and Distinctions
Borschberg holds 14 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale world records, encompassing achievements in distance, duration, and altitude. His contributions to aviation and clean technology have been formally acknowledged through several honors, including the 2009 Braunschweiger Forschungspreis and the 2011 Nessim-Habif Award. In 2018, he was jointly awarded the Mungo Park Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society alongside Bertrand Piccard for their work on the Solar Impulse project. Additionally, he authored the book Objectif Soleil in 2017 to document these aviation experiences.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Zurich
- Education: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Company founded: Innovative Silicon (2002)
- H55 founded: 2017
- Record-breaking solo flight duration: 117 hours, 52 minutes
- Awards: Nessim-Habif Award, Braunschweiger Forschungspreis, Mungo Park Medal
- FAI world records: 14
Questions readers ask
What record did Borschberg break during his flight to Hawaii?
He broke Steve Fossett’s 2006 world record for the longest solo flight in an airplane of any kind.
What is the primary function of the company H55?
H55 develops and sells electric propulsion technologies for the aviation industry.
Achievements
- Educated at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Worked as aircraft pilot, entrepreneur and engineer
.jpg)
