French aviation start-up Ascendance has expanded its partnership with multinational business and technology transformation company Capgemini to accelerate the industrialisation of its hybrid electric propulsion technology and next-generation aircraft. Building on an ongoing successful collaboration since 2021, this new phase in their partnership will focus on scaling up the Sterna modular propulsion system and the Atea vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, making sustainable aviation more widely accessible.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Capgemini,” says Jean-Christophe Lambert, CEO and co-founder of Ascendance, “together we have forged a strong relationship in recent years with many milestones achieved. Its expertise in engineering, data and industrialisation is crucial to accelerating the commercialisation of our hybrid propulsion solution Sterna and the industrialisation of our aircraft Atea. Together, we will contribute to making sustainable aviation more accessible, leveraging innovations that will reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation sector while offering new possibilities for the mobility of tomorrow.”

Sterna, Ascendance’s patented hybrid propulsion system, offers flexibility by using multiple energy sources simultaneously. It powers Atea, a low-carbon alternative to helicopters, designed for regional applications such as passenger transport, medical logistics and surveillance. Atea’s prototype is set to make its first flight this year, marking a key milestone in Ascendance’s mission to drive the aviation industry’s energy transition.

Capgemini has already played a key role in advancing Ascendance’s innovative roadmap, providing expertise in system engineering, power systems and flight physics. In this next phase, Capgemini will bring its end-to-end capabilities in electric battery technology, connected services and industrial ramp-up to support Ascendance’s scale-up efforts.