Ascendence Flight Technologies

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Ascendance Flight Technologies is a company dedicated to the development of advanced aerial technologies developing eVTOLs and a modular engine, STERNA, which utilizes several sources of energy. This engine is destined to be incorporated onto larger aircraft to broaden our impact on the entire aviation sector. 

Its flagship aircraft, ATEA (Ascendance Transformative Electric Aircraft), is a VTOL aircraft designed for urban air mobility, offering a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. With its distinctive hybrid propulsion system, the aircraft offers a remarkable range of over 400 km and an impressive turnaround time of just ten minutes. It effectively meets the operational needs of various aerial mobility providers, catering to a wide range of missions including passenger transportation, emergency medical services, sightseeing, and surveillance and patrol. The entire aircraft has been meticulously designed to comply with the stringent EASA SC-VTOL regulations and its associated Means of Compliance. Furthermore, it fulfills the existing operational requirements outlined in the Air Ops Regulation concerning flight routes and flight reserves.

Key customers and partnerships

Ascendence has partnered with several organizations such as Bpifrance, Capgemini Engineering , Groupe ADP, the Occitania and Mediterranean Pyrénées region, ISAE-SUPAERO, La French Tech, Plug and Play, World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, Dassault Systems, Ansys, ADDL, and AFI KLM E&M Maintenance Unit. 

Funding and financials

In its latest funding round in March 2023 , Ascendance raised EUR 21 million (~USD 22.8 million) in Series A funding from existing investors Habert Dassault Finance, Céleste Management, IRDI, and M-Capital and new investor Bpifrance. The raised funds will be utilized in flight testing and the advancement of unique technologies aimed at reducing carbon emissions in the aviation industry.