Hopscotch Go Clears Key Hurdle for OTC Listing Amid Air Taxi Boom

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – May 27, 2026 – Hopscotch Go Corporation, the parent company of regional air carrier Hopscotch Air, has taken a significant step in its quest to become a publicly traded company. The firm announced that its designated market maker has filed the necessary paperwork with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), marking the successful clearance of an initial regulatory hurdle for its shares to be quoted on the OTC Markets.

This milestone follows months of extensive due diligence by the market maker and shifts the focus to FINRA, which will now undertake its own comprehensive review. While this filing is a mandatory part of the process, company officials caution that there is no guaranteed timeline for a decision, nor is approval certain. The move represents a critical juncture for the air mobility company as it seeks to leverage public markets to fund an ambitious expansion strategy.

“As Hopscotch Go continues to raise money through our SEC-qualified Regulation A offering, clearing this hurdle is an important step for us,” stated Hopscotch Go CEO Andrew Schmertz in a press release. “There’s more to work to be done, however, and we look forward to working with FINRA as they review the application.”

Navigating the Path to Public Trading

The journey to a public listing, even on the more accessible OTC Markets, is a complex and highly regulated process. The filing with FINRA initiates a period of intense scrutiny where the regulator assesses the company's structure, financials, and compliance. For a company like Hopscotch Go, which was formed in 2021 specifically to acquire its operational subsidiary Hopscotch Air, this review is paramount.

The involvement of a market maker is essential for providing the liquidity necessary for a stock to trade effectively on an over-the-counter platform. By agreeing to file the application, the market maker signals a degree of confidence in the company's viability following its own due diligence. However, FINRA's independent review serves as the ultimate gatekeeper. This process underscores the challenges smaller companies face in accessing public capital, where regulatory compliance and transparency are key to gaining investor trust.

This move toward a public quotation is deeply intertwined with Hopscotch Go's ongoing capital-raising efforts. The company has a qualified Regulation A offering on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), through which it aims to raise up to $20 million by selling shares at $2.00 apiece. Achieving a public listing on the OTC market, where the company has reserved the ticker symbol UHOP, would provide a potential path to liquidity for these early investors and broaden the company's access to capital.

A Niche Player in a Burgeoning Market

Hopscotch Air operates in the rapidly expanding regional air mobility (RAM) sector. Market research reports paint a bullish picture for this industry, with one analysis projecting the market to soar from $5.6 billion in 2024 to over $62 billion by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate of over 27%. This growth is fueled by increasing urban congestion and the demand for more efficient travel over distances of 50 to 265 miles—a segment often poorly served by major airlines and ground transportation.

Since its launch in 2009, Hopscotch Air has carved out a distinct niche within this market. As an FAA-certificated Part 135 air carrier, it operates a fleet of technologically advanced Cirrus SR22 aircraft, known for their safety and efficiency. The company focuses on on-demand air taxi services in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, with operational bases in New York and Boston and plans to expand into Philadelphia.

Its business model differentiates it from traditional private charters by offering fixed, competitive pricing without hourly rates or fuel surcharges. By utilizing smaller, more convenient regional airports, Hopscotch Air bypasses the congestion of major hubs, a key selling point for its clientele. The company currently performs approximately one thousand revenue legs per year, but reports that demand, particularly during peak seasons, often outstrips its current fleet capacity, forcing it to turn away potential business.

Funding Growth Amid Financial Realities

The capital from the Regulation A offering is earmarked for aggressive expansion. The primary goal is to grow the fleet, which consisted of three Cirrus aircraft in early 2026 with two more scheduled for delivery. The company aims to add up to 10 more piston aircraft to meet existing demand and support its geographic growth.

An examination of the company's financials, detailed in its SEC filings, reveals the profile of a growth-stage company navigating a capital-intensive industry. Hopscotch Air generated $840,800 in revenue in 2024, a slight decrease from the previous year. However, it successfully narrowed its net loss from over $93,000 to approximately $78,000. A significant risk factor for potential investors is the company's history of negative cash flow, a common trait for businesses in an aggressive expansion phase but one that highlights the critical need for the current fundraising campaign.

Direct operating costs for its aircraft are reported to be around $175 per hour, allowing for a pricing structure that CEO Andrew Schmertz believes expands the market for private air travel beyond the ultra-wealthy. Success hinges on scaling operations to a point where revenue growth can overcome fixed costs and generate sustainable positive cash flow.

The Vision for Future Skies

Beyond immediate expansion, Hopscotch Go's leadership has a clear vision for the future of air travel. Schmertz, a general aviation pilot and entrepreneur, is focused on a measured, step-by-step evolution. The company is developing new online and AI-powered tools to create a more seamless booking experience, aiming to make chartering a private flight as simple as ordering a car service.

The long-term strategy also embraces a technological shift away from traditional combustion engines. Hopscotch Go is actively exploring the integration of next-generation aircraft into its fleet. It has established a collaboration with Archer Aviation to test operational concepts for future electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Furthermore, the company has stated its intent to acquire Transcend Air Corporation's Vy 400 vertical take-off and landing aircraft once they become commercially available, which would enable true point-to-point travel without reliance on traditional runways.

This forward-looking strategy positions Hopscotch not just as a current air taxi operator but as a potential player in the next wave of aviation technology. For now, the company and its investors await FINRA's decision, a critical next step in Hopscotch Go's ambitious journey from a private operator to a publicly-traded entity in the dynamic air mobility sector.