Airbus Ventures
Airbus Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Airbus SE, investing from seed through Series D in deep tech and space infrastructure startups across aerospace, defense, quantum, autonomous systems, and AI, operating globally from Menlo Park, Tokyo, and France.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMenlo Park, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Airbus Ventures does
Airbus Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Airbus SE, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with regional offices in Tokyo and France. The firm operates as a conviction-led venture investor focused on deep tech and space infrastructure, deploying capital from seed through Series D into startups building critical aerospace, defense, quantum, autonomous systems, and sustainable aviation technologies. Its portfolio spans 51 companies, including unicorn Quantum Systems (German AI-powered drone manufacturer valued above $1B), CesiumAstro ($470M Series C in space communications), Vatn Systems ($60M Series A in autonomous underwater vehicles), Qunnect (quantum networking), ZeroAvia (hydrogen-electric aviation), and Featherless AI (open-source AI infrastructure).
The firm's core "product" is its investment platform, which combines capital with strategic access to the Airbus industrial ecosystem — supply-chain relationships, defense and aerospace customer introductions, and alignment with DoD and DARPA procurement priorities. The team of approximately 13 people is composed predominantly of former Airbus executives (including a former Chief of Staff to the Airbus CFO and an 11-year Airbus veteran managing EMEA), military veterans (a former US Navy Surface Warfare Officer serving as Operations Manager, Ethics/Compliance Officer, and CISO), and venture professionals from BCG, Silicon Valley Bank, Bridge Bank, and Tenaya Capital.
The business model follows standard VC economics: management fees on committed capital plus performance-based carried interest from portfolio exits. The firm announced a dedicated $155 million deep tech and spacetech fund in September 2024, with limited partners including Eurazeo, Vertex Ventures, and Gobi Partners, and has since added Cross Capital as an Asia-anchored institutional LP. As a corporate subsidiary, revenue figures are not publicly disclosed and the firm's strategic objectives are aligned with Airbus SE's broader innovation and ecosystem goals rather than standalone profitability.
Airbus Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Airbus Ventures
- Legal name
- AV Capital Management, LLC
- Website
- https://airbusventures.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Airbus Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Airbus SE, investing from seed through Series D in deep tech and space infrastructure startups across aerospace, defense, quantum, autonomous systems, and AI, operating globally from Menlo Park, Tokyo, and France.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Airbus Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital Services
- NAICS
- Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing (FSANAHAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB), Late-Stage Venture Capital (Series C+) (FSANAAAC)
Keywords
Where Airbus Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menlo Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Airbus Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Management Fees: Venture capital fund management typically generates returns through management fees on committed capital and carried interest on successful portfolio exits.
- Carried Interest: Performance-based carried interest from portfolio company exits and distributions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Airbus Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Airbus Ventures is a conviction-led corporate venture capital firm that invests equity capital in early-stage deep tech and space technology startups across seed through Series D stages. The firm manages a $155 million deep tech and spacetech fund and provides portfolio companies with catalytic capital, strategic alignment to the Airbus ecosystem, defense and aerospace network access, and operational support from experienced aerospace professionals.
Product overview
Airbus Ventures is a conviction-led venture capital firm that backs founders building critical infrastructure in deep tech and space technology sectors. The firm operates as an investment platform rather than a product company, providing capital and strategic support to portfolio companies developing technologies across space communications, autonomous systems, quantum networking, and AI infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Deep Tech and Space Tech Fund ($155M) Equity investment fund providing capital to early-stage deep tech and space technology startups from seed through Series D, including space communications, autonomous systems, quantum networking, AI infrastructure, and defense dual-use technologies.
Companies that use Airbus Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Airbus Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Airbus Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Airbus Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lockheed Martin Ventures: The corporate venture capital arm of Lockheed Martin, investing in early-stage aerospace, defense, and dual-use technologies. Directly comparable to Airbus Ventures as a defense prime CVC with access to procurement pipelines and strategic commercial partnerships.
- RTX Ventures: Corporate venture arm of RTX (Raytheon), investing in aerospace, defense, and adjacent technologies. Highly comparable to Airbus Ventures as a tier-1 US defense prime CVC investing across space, autonomy, and advanced systems with strategic ecosystem support.
- Boeing HorizonX: Boeing's corporate venture investing arm. Direct aerospace prime CVC peer to Airbus Ventures; both invest from the balance sheets of global commercial aviation and defense OEMs to source innovation in autonomy, space, and advanced manufacturing.
- BAE Systems: UK-headquartered global defense prime with a dedicated venture investing program (BAE Systems Electronic Systems ventures). Comparable as a European/NATO defense prime CVC sourcing dual-use and deep tech capabilities for aerospace and defense integration.
- Shield Capital: US venture firm investing in defense, intelligence, and national security startups. Comparable as a defense-focused VC thesis fund (vs. Airbus Ventures' CVC structure) with similar concentration on DoD-aligned deep tech and dual-use founders.
- Safran Corporate Ventures: Corporate venture arm of Safran, a French aerospace and defense systems prime. Closest European geographic peer to Airbus Ventures given shared Toulouse-adjacent ecosystem and overlapping focus on propulsion, space, and aerospace supply chain innovation.
Broad incumbents
- Andreessen Horowitz (American Dynamism): Major US venture firm with a dedicated American Dynamism thesis investing in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, and public sector technology. Overlaps with Airbus Ventures on space and defense investments but operates as a multi-stage, multi-thesis firm rather than a focused CVC.
- General Catalyst: Diversified multi-stage venture firm with growing defense and dual-use thesis. Overlaps with Airbus Ventures on enterprise and deep tech investing but operates across sectors rather than aerospace/defense specialization.
- Khosla Ventures: US venture firm with significant deep tech and aerospace exposure (including early SpaceX investment). Comparable to Airbus Ventures in deep tech conviction-led approach but operates at multi-billion AUM scale across multiple sectors.
- Founders Fund: US venture firm with public thesis support for defense, space, and frontier technology investing. Overlaps with Airbus Ventures on space and defense conviction bets but is a multi-stage generalist rather than a corporate venture arm.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Airbus Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceAirbus Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Airbus Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Airbus Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Airbus Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments111 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Airbus Ventures
What does Airbus Ventures do?
Airbus Ventures is a conviction-led corporate venture capital firm that invests equity capital in early-stage deep tech and space technology startups across seed through Series D stages. The firm manages a $155 million deep tech and spacetech fund and provides portfolio companies with catalytic capital, strategic alignment to the Airbus ecosystem, defense and aerospace network access, and operational support from experienced aerospace professionals.
Is Airbus Ventures a public or private company?
Airbus Ventures is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Airbus Ventures founded?
Airbus Ventures was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Airbus Ventures based?
Airbus Ventures is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Airbus Ventures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest.
Who are Airbus Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lockheed Martin Ventures, RTX Ventures, Boeing HorizonX, BAE Systems, Shield Capital and Safran Corporate Ventures. Broad incumbents are Andreessen Horowitz (American Dynamism), General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures and Founders Fund.
Does Airbus Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Airbus Ventures.
What industry is Airbus Ventures in?
Airbus Ventures's product category is Venture Capital Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAN, Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing, with a secondary code of FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B). Its NAICS code is 523999 and its SIC code is 6282.