Safran is taking a minority stake in French propulsion specialist Akira through its venture capital arm Safran Corporate Ventures. The investment is part of a current funding round. Safran is joining existing investors MBDA and Definvest. The amount invested was not disclosed.
From prototypes to small- and medium-series production
Founded in 2003, Akira employs 70 people and generates annual revenue of €13 million. The company designs, prototypes and tests high-performance propulsion systems and rotating machinery, including turbomachinery, piston engines, electric machines, gearboxes and pumps. Its customers include companies in the motorcycle, aerospace and defense industries.
Akira operates a design office, assembly plant and test facilities in Bayonne. Its Bergerac site covers machining, metal additive manufacturing and quality control.
The funding will be used to expand production capacity and test infrastructure and to obtain EN 9100 certification for aerospace quality management. Akira also plans to enter the drone propulsion and defense microturbine segments and move into small- and medium-series production.
Cooperation on the RISE demonstrator
Akira already works with Safran Aircraft Engines, Safran Helicopter Engines and Safran Tech. The company supports development and testing of the RISE demonstrator for CFM’s Open Fan architecture, as well as R&T projects involving hybridization and hydrogen combustion. Akira also designs and manufactures test benches for Safran.
“Akira brings extensive expertise, particularly in design, prototyping and agile development,” said Florent Illat, CEO of Safran Corporate Ventures. He said these capabilities are important for accelerating the development of future aviation technologies and addressing growing demand from the defense sector.
Safran Corporate Ventures was founded in April 2015 and has made 14 investments to date. Safran employs more than 110,000 people worldwide and generated revenue of €31.3 billion in 2025. The Group is listed on Euronext Paris and is a member of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50.
Source: Safran