Heads Up Technologies (HUT), an aviation technology company serving the business and commercial sectors, has acquired Innovative Advantage (IA), a premier provider of cabin management system (CMS) backbone technology for a wide range of business jets.

A leader in engineered systems across lighting, CMS/IFE, safety and audio, HUT is expanding its capabilities to deliver integrated, high-performance solutions that encompass every touchpoint of the passenger and crew journey.

The acquisition reflects HUT's brand promise, ‘Flight. Elevated’, by expanding its portfolio of proprietary technologies and systems that elevate not only the cabin experience, but the infrastructure, ingenuity and orchestration beneath it. With IA's AVDS platform, a modular, fibre-optic technology backbone delivering 4K video, audio and ethernet with low latency, HUT adds a trusted, globally installed platform to its offering, one already flying on over 2,000 aircraft.

Founded over two decades ago and headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, Innovative Advantage has become a trusted provider of high-performance CMS infrastructure, particularly within the large-cabin jet segment. Its 40-person team, composed predominantly of engineers, brings deep technical muscle and a culture of innovation that aligns closely with HUT's own. The two organisations share a deep commitment to engineering craftsmanship, agile decision-making and a passenger-first mindset, creating a strong cultural foundation for long-term integration and innovation.

“We built Innovative Advantage to solve unseen problems in the cabin and elevate the passenger and crew experience,” says Richard Morris, founder of IA. “Joining Heads Up Technologies is the natural next step, combining our engineering roots with its design precision and market access. It's a win for innovation and a win for customers.”

IA's CMS backbone systems pair seamlessly with HUT's strength in lighting, passenger interface and integrated cabin control solutions. Together with the audio and aftermarket capabilities of Alto Aviation, which was acquired by HUT in 2023, the combined group can now deliver on the vision of a fully integrated cabin experience.

With this acquisition, HUT further unifies the front-end and back-end of cabin technology, positioning the company as a single-source partner for complete cabin integration.

“This acquisition represents our vision in action: to shape extraordinary flying experiences by delivering engineered solutions that get every detail right,” adds Renée Rump, CEO of Heads Up Technologies. “IA strengthens our ability to innovate with agility, adapt to customer needs at scale and elevate the passenger experience across every class of business aviation. Just as importantly, we share the same cultural DNA; passion for aviation, respect for precision and a belief in pushing boundaries together.”