Airbus And Qantas Invest In Fund For Decarbonization Technologies

Airbus and Qantas Join Forces

Qantas and Airbus have partnered to invest AUD$15 million in Climate Tech Partners (CTP), a prominent climate-focused venture capital fund. This investment aims to bolster their common goal of expediting the advancement of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and various technologies for aviation decarbonisation.

In Sydney, the announcement was delivered by Airbus Chief Sustainability Officer Julie Kitcher alongside Qantas Chief Sustainability Officer Fiona Messent. CTP employs a distinctive strategy that focuses on collaborating with corporate partners to pinpoint and promote technological solutions designed specifically for aviation requirements.

The partnership between Qantas and Airbus with CTP aims to drive technological progress in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), specifically in Australia, through a specialized investment fund. This initiative will concentrate on the production of SAF, development of feedstock, and various innovations across the value chain, complementing Climate Tech Partner’s primary fund. CTP intends to utilize the varied expertise and knowledge of its 12 member partners, energy generation and infrastructure leaders, to offer mentorship and strategic advice that fosters further collaboration.

This initiative aims to close the gap identified by Qantas and Airbus between emerging climate technologies and large-scale commercial production in Australia. In this partnership, CTP will invest on behalf of Qantas and Airbus in prominent local and global start-ups that specialize in SAF and other cutting-edge technologies. As these solutions develop, Qantas and Airbus may consider additional follow-on and direct investments to facilitate the implementation of the start-up’s technologies in real-world projects across Australia. The investment will come from the US$200 million partnership established by Qantas and Airbus in 2022 to accelerate SAF production.

Airbus Chief Sustainability Officer Julie Kitcher said: “Decarbonising aviation at speed and scale requires bold action and collaboration across sectors – from airlines, manufacturers and airports to regulators, governments and investors. This partnership with CTP and Qantas highlights that the scaling of Sustainable Aviation Fuel needs innovative solutions for a nascent technology that will drive innovation, attract investment and create new jobs in Australia, which I believe is well positioned to be a leader in low carbon fuels. At Airbus, we are honoured to be partnering with Qantas and now CTP to transform aviation for the long term.”

Qantas Group Chief Sustainability Officer Fiona Messent said: “Sustainable aviation fuel is the most effective tool we have to decarbonise aviation and, with Airbus, we’re investing significantly in ways to make it more available and accessible.  As well as funding, this partnership will help provide a vote of confidence in new technologies so they can be developed, scaled and integrated in the SAF supply chain, while also providing companies with access to Qantas and Airbus as they develop and test their solutions.

“For Australia, an onshore SAF industry will mean improved national fuel security, more jobs and economic benefit, so it’s fantastic to be collaborating across industries to help accelerate local production.”

Patrick Sieb, Co-Founder, CTP said: “Working with global leading aviation and aerospace companies allows us to not only make more deeply informed investment decisions in this complex area but attract and support the best companies by helping them accelerate through industry engagement.”

Climate Tech Partners focuses on investing in globally scalable technology solutions, mainly at the Series A stage, within the Energy & Power, Transport & Logistics, and Industrials & Resources sectors. By collaborating with corporate partners such as Qantas Airways and Airbus, Climate Tech Partners significantly accelerates the commercialization of impactful climate innovations. The BESEN Family Office invests in both Climate Tech Partners and the CTP main fund.

Climate Tech Partners fosters robust collaboration between its partners and target investee companies, enhancing knowledge and experience. This, in turn, leads to better-informed investment decisions and more focused support for these start-ups.