Ascendance, a specialist in hybrid-electric aviation, has formalized two partnerships in Malaysia, a dynamic air mobility market, by signing Memorandums of Understanding with Pen Aviation and Pahang Aerospace City Development Berhad (PACDB).
The first partnership with Pen Aviation, a Malaysian aerospace company, will explore integrating Ascendance’s STERNA hybrid-electric propulsion system into UAVs developed locally. The agreement also includes the distribution of the ATEA VTOL aircraft throughout Southeast Asia and an analysis of its potential use for heliport-to-heliport connections as an alternative to helicopters.
Through its partnership with PACDB, the developer of the Pahang Aerospace City (PAC) innovation hub, Ascendance will grow its strategic presence in Malaysia.
This collaboration will assess opportunities for a dedicated hybrid propulsion competence center, the establishment of a co-production or assembly facility, and organizing on-site flight demonstrations.
The partnership also involves working with MRO ecosystem regulatory bodies such as CAAM and ICAO, as well as local academic institutions like the University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), to align with national priorities and global standards.
The official ceremony was held at the headquarters of Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), and attended by His Excellency Axel Cruau, the Ambassador of France to Malaysia, and Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry.
The company, which is based in Toulouse, further noted these partnerships provide access to a growing market and potential for local manufacturing.
In Southeast Asia, the company also has a partnership with PhilJets, which includes 15 Letters of Intent for the ATEA aircraft, and joint efforts to redefine the Philippines’ future of regional air mobility.
Jean-Christophe Lambert, CEO and co-founder of Ascendance, stated, “These structuring agreements strengthen our ability to quickly deploy our solutions in strategic markets. They set the stage for future industrial partnerships and the establishment of high-value collaborations, to the benefit of our partners and the global aerospace sector.”
The agreements will therefore enable Ascendance to strengthen its position in the Asia-Pacific, a market where air traffic is forecast to grow by over 5% annually through 2040, driven by ambitious innovation and energy transition goals.
