Driven by his passion for engineering, he is developing autonomous airships to revolutionize global goods and services delivery. His startup has already received multiple awards and distinctions for its innovative approach.

Spencer Horne (photo) is a South African mechanical engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the founder and CEO of Cloudline, a startup focused on designing autonomous airships.

Horne established Cloudline in 2017 with the mission of connecting isolated communities to global supply chains. The company is developing a network of autonomous airships designed to deliver goods and services worldwide.

These innovative airships operate on batteries and solar energy, enabling zero-carbon flights. According to Cloudline, their airships can reduce carbon emissions by up to four tons per day compared to traditional helicopters. Each airship boasts a range of over 200 kilometers, an endurance of 12 hours, and a payload capacity of 100 kilograms.

Horne earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Harvard University in 2014. During his studies, he completed an internship in 2011 with the wind energy development division of BioTherm Energy, a company specializing in renewable energy.

In 2012, he joined Mobius Motors, an automotive startup based in Kenya, as an engineering analyst. From 2014 to 2016, Horne worked as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company in South Africa.

In 2019, Horne was recognized as one of the 30 innovators on the Quartz Africa digital platform. That same year, Cloudline won the Safety Ideas Challenge organized by the insurer Santam, which honors companies offering innovative solutions in safety and insurance technology.

Melchior Koba