Ascendance has secured a €12.2M investment through the France 2030 – Première Usine program to transition its hybrid-electric propulsion technology into series production.
The four-year funding commitment marks an industrial inflection point for the company, founded in 2018. This capital will enable the European aviation pioneer to structure its production capabilities in France, moving beyond the prototype phase for its STERNA Hybrid Pack and associated battery solutions. Ascendance will accelerate investment to meet rising demand across both civil and defense markets, positioning hybrid-electric technology as the most credible pathway for decarbonizing aviation in the near and medium term.
The STERNA Hybrid Pack is a modular propulsion system built on more than four years of bench testing and protected by multiple patents. It integrates next-generation batteries with a proprietary energy management software known as the Hybrid Operating System. Designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, STERNA is intended for use in regional aircraft and defense drones. It also serves as the technological core for ATEA, a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft currently in its final integration phase, being developed as a low-carbon alternative to light helicopters for passenger, cargo, medical, and security missions.
The industrial roadmap supported by this funding consists of two primary phases. Initially, Ascendance will establish production capacity for STERNA within its existing facilities at the Muret L’Herm airfield, enabling early deployment across civil aircraft programs and defense drones. In the medium term, the company plans to expand into a new dedicated manufacturing facility to increase production volumes through the use of automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing methods. This expansion will progressively integrate the assembly of its own civil and defense aircraft.
The investment also reflects France’s broader strategy to strengthen industrial and technological sovereignty in the European aerospace sector, supporting the emergence of domestic capabilities in critical next-generation aviation technologies. At a time when the limitations of all-electric propulsion and uncertainties surrounding hydrogen remain, hybrid-electric is emerging as an immediately deployable solution that balances reduced emissions with operational performance and autonomy.
Jean-Christophe Lambert, CEO of Ascendance, commented, “Tomorrow’s aviation is not decreed—it is built, industrialized, and it must happen here, in Europe. With France 2030 support, we cross a major milestone. This funding enables us to move from prototype to production. It is a decisive step in building a European hybrid-electric sector capable of responding to both decarbonization and sovereignty imperatives.”
