[8-K] Archer Aviation Inc. Reports Material Event

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Archer Aviation (ACHR) announced it won a competitive bid to acquire certain patent assets of Lilium GmbH for a total purchase price of €18 million. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of Archer’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, and is subject to customary closing conditions.

The company attached a press release as Exhibit 99.1 providing the announcement details. Forward‑looking statements caution that timing and expected benefits may differ due to factors outlined in Archer’s SEC filings.

Insights

Aerospace & IP strategy analyst

Archer plans a €18M patent buy from Lilium, pending Q4 close.

Archer Aviation disclosed a plan to purchase certain Lilium GmbH patent assets for €18 million. The filing frames this as an asset acquisition focused on intellectual property, with closing targeted for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, subject to customary conditions.

The business mechanism is straightforward: acquiring patent assets can bolster technology positioning or freedom-to-operate. Actual benefits depend on the scope and enforceability of the patents, which are not detailed in the excerpt. The filing does not specify integration plans or revenue impacts.

Key dependencies include completion of customary closing conditions and the timing indicated for Q4 of the current fiscal year. Subsequent disclosures may detail the portfolio’s use cases or any resulting changes to Archer’s development roadmap.

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report: October 15, 2025

Archer Aviation Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Delaware

001-39668

85-2730902

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

190 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA						95134
(Address of principal executive offices)						(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 650-272-3233

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

ACHR

New York Stock Exchange

Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share

ACHR WS

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  o

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  o

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On October 15, 2025, Archer Aviation Inc. (the “Company”) announced that it won a competitive bid process to acquire certain patent assets of Lilium GmbH, for a total purchase price of 18 million euros (the “Patent Acquisition”). The Patent Acquisition, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of the Company's fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, is subject to customary closing conditions. A copy of the Company’s press release announcing the Patent Acquisition is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Forward-looking Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain statements that are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future events, including statements about the expected benefits and use cases of the acquired patent portfolio, the anticipated timing of the closing of the Patent Acquisition and potential impacts on the Company’s business, and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on the current expectations of the Company’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on, by any investor as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more fully detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on February 28, 2025 and the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on June 13, 2025. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable as of the date of they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit Number

Description

99.1

Press release dated October 15, 2025

104

Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in the Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

			ARCHER AVIATION INC.
Date: October 17, 2025			By:			/s/ Eric Lentell
			Name:			Eric Lentell
			Title:			Chief Legal & Strategy Officer