Expliseat
Expliseat is a French aerospace seating manufacturer that designs and produces ultra-lightweight titanium and carbon fiber composite aircraft, rail, and eVTOL seats — 30-40% lighter and 10x more durable than conventional alternatives — serving 25+ airlines and OEMs globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Expliseat does
Expliseat S.A.S. is a French aerospace and transportation seating manufacturer founded in 2011 and headquartered in Paris, with industrial production at a 6,000m² Industry 4.0 factory in Angers/Avrillé and a commercial hub in Montreal. The company's core technology is a patented titanium and carbon fiber composite frame architecture using proprietary structural bonding techniques, delivering aircraft seats that are 30-40% lighter than conventional models while being 10x more durable and producing 10x lower direct maintenance costs. The TiSeat product family spans TiSeat 2V (turboprop, targeting ATR and Dash 8-400), TiSeat 2X (regional jets and single-aisle including the 6kg Lite variant for high-density configurations), TiSeat S (the company's first business class seat, launched April 2026 with entry into service in 2027), SITaeris (rail), and an eVTOL seat co-developed with Lilium. With over 100 patents and 60M+ cumulative flight hours across 400+ equipped aircraft, Expliseat serves 25+ airline customers including Air Canada/Jazz, Air France/HOP!, Porter Airlines, Jazeera Airways, Air Tahiti, and Nolinor.
Expliseat monetizes primarily through direct hardware sales of seats to airlines, sold as Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) or via OEM linefit catalog placement. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise field sales organized by region (North America, APAC, Europe/Middle East) and embedded OEM partnerships with all major aircraft manufacturers — ATR (linefit since 2016), Airbus (A320 BFE catalog), Boeing, Embraer (BFE for E1/E2 families from December 2025), Bombardier, and COMAC. The company is also developing a global MRO service network and has expanded into rail (via Gen Phoenix and Yellow Window partnerships with SNCF R&D) and eVTOL (Lilium), leveraging a horizontal cross-mobility platform. As of June 2025, the order backlog stands at €50-57M (~20,000 contracted seats), with 10,000 seats targeted for delivery in 2025; the June 2025 €36M raise is the largest in the company's 14-year history and is funding manufacturing scale-up, North American expansion, the new business class product, and the MRO network rollout.
Expliseat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Expliseat
- Legal name
- Expliseat S.A.S.
- Website
- https://expliseat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Expliseat is a French aerospace seating manufacturer that designs and produces ultra-lightweight titanium and carbon fiber composite aircraft, rail, and eVTOL seats — 30-40% lighter and 10x more durable than conventional alternatives — serving 25+ airlines and OEMs globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Expliseat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aircraft Seating
- NAICS
- Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerospace Interior Materials & Components (Cabin) (IMABANAI)
Keywords
Where Expliseat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Expliseat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Aircraft Seating Sales: Direct sale of TiSeat aircraft seats to airlines. Revenue generated from seat sales for new aircraft linefit and retrofit/aftermarket installations. Customers include Air France, Air Canada, Porter Airlines, Jazeera Airways, Air Tahiti, Nolinor, and others. Seats sold as BFE (Buyer Furnished Equipment) or through OEM linefit agreements.
- Rail Seating: Sale of lightweight seating solutions for rail operators including high-speed trains, intercity, and urban rail. Development projects underway with SNCF for intercity and TGV applications. Seat weight of 26-28kg for double seat with advanced features.
- eVTOL Seating: Development and sale of seating for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Partnership with Lilium for first serially-produced eVTOL seat compliant with helicopter and aircraft safety standards.
- MRO Services: Plans to deploy global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul network for Expliseat products. Discussions with North American MRO providers initiated to establish service agreements by end of 2025.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Aircraft seating solutions - pricing varies by platform and configuration |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Expliseat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Expliseat designs, manufactures, and sells ultra-lightweight seating systems for commercial aircraft (regional jets, single-aisle, turboprop, and business class), rail vehicles, and eVTOL aircraft. The company's patented TiSeat product line uses titanium and carbon fiber composites with proprietary structural bonding to deliver seats that are 30-40% lighter and 10x more durable than conventional seats, sold directly to airlines, rail operators, and OEMs.
Product overview
Expliseat is a technology-driven manufacturer specializing in ultra-lightweight seating solutions for multiple transportation sectors. The company's product portfolio centers on its patented TiSeat technology platform, utilizing carbon fiber and titanium materials to achieve seats that are 30-40% lighter than conventional alternatives. Core products include: TiSeat 2X and 2V for commercial aviation (regional jets, single-aisle, and turboprop aircraft), TiSeat S as the company's first business-class offering, SITaeris for rail applications, and eVTOL seating for emerging urban air mobility. The products share common lightweight technology and design philosophy while being adapted for each transportation segment's specific requirements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TiSeat: Expliseat's product line of ultra-lightweight aircraft, rail, and eVTOL seating solutions, including TiSeat 2V (turboprop), TiSeat 2X (regional jets and single-aisle), TiSeat S (business class), and SITaeris (rail seating).
Products and services
- TiSeat S Expliseat's first business-class seat family featuring an all-carbon fibre backshell, scalable architecture for regional and mainline aircraft, ultra-lightweight structure, and modern customizable design for premium passenger experience. Targets business-class cabins on Embraer E-Jet and CRJ platforms initially, with planned expansion to A320 and B737 families.
- TiSeat 2X Ultra-lightweight economy-class seat for regional jets and single-aisle aircraft, featuring titanium and carbon fiber composite construction, approximately 30% lighter than conventional seats, with options for Lite (efficiency-focused) and Prime (premium comfort) variants. FAA/EASA certified with HIC compliance and DO-160/CS-25 durability testing. Selected for Air France HOP! Embraer 190 fleet and BFE catalog option on Embraer E-Jet E1/E2.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-40% weight reduction compared to conventional aircraft seats
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Expliseat
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Expliseat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Expliseat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered key, core and supporting.
- EmbraerkeyTiSeat 2X selected as new BFE economy seat option for Embraer E-Jet E1 and E2 families. Major OEM endorsement enabling global airline adoption on regional jets.
- Gen PhoenixcoreCollaboration on SITaeris sustainable rail seat. Gen Phoenix provides recycled leather materials with 83% lower carbon footprint than traditional leather. Partnership combines Expliseat's ultra-lightweight technology with sustainable materials for rail seating.
- Yellow WindowsupportingCollaboration partner on SITaeris sustainable rail seat unveiled at InnoTrans 2024. Belgian design/engineering firm specializing in railway interiors.
- SNCFcoreTwo R&D projects underway with French national railway company for ultra-light seating in intercity and high-speed trains (TGV). Applying aviation lightweight expertise to rail sector.
- Andrea MocellincoreRenowned independent mobility designer (Ferrari, Maserati, Lilium) collaborated on TiSeat 2X design for Air France Embraer 190. Brought automotive-grade aesthetics and passenger-centric design philosophy to aircraft seating.
- LiliumcoreDevelopment of first serially-produced eVTOL seat compliant with both helicopter and aircraft safety standards. Passenger and pilot seats for Lilium Jet program.
- COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China)keySelected to develop lightweight economy seats for ARJ21 aircraft. Chinese manufacturer endorsement for domestic market.
- ATR (Avions de Transport Régional)keyLinefit agreement since 2016. Expliseat seats available as standard linefit option on ATR aircraft. Long-standing OEM relationship in turboprop segment.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Expliseat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Recaro Aircraft Seating: German-headquartered aircraft seating manufacturer focused on economy and premium economy seats for commercial aviation. Direct competitor to Expliseat in the lightweight economy seat category across narrow-body and regional jet platforms.
- Geven: Italian aircraft seating OEM producing economy, business, and first-class seats. Direct competitor overlapping with Expliseat in single-aisle and regional jet economy-class programs.
- Acro Aircraft Seating: UK-based aircraft seating specialist focused on economy class seats for regional and narrow-body aircraft. Direct competitor in the lightweight regional jet segment where Expliseat is also strongest.
- Thompson Aero Seating: UK/Northern Ireland-based premium aircraft seating manufacturer specializing in business class flatbed seats. Direct competitor in the premium cabin segment where Expliseat has launched TiSeat S.
- Mirus Aircraft Seating: UK-based narrow-body economy seat manufacturer focused on lightweight seat design for single-aisle aircraft. Direct competitor in Expliseat's core TiSeat 2X category targeting A320 and B737 operators.
- ZIM Flugsitz: German aircraft seating manufacturer producing economy and premium economy seats for commercial aviation. Direct competitor in regional and narrow-body retrofit markets overlapping with Expliseat's customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Safran Seats: Subsidiary of Safran Group, one of the largest aircraft seating manufacturers globally with a full portfolio from economy to first class. Broad incumbent competing across all of Expliseat's addressable segments with deeper OEM relationships.
- Stelia Aerospace: Airbus-owned seating and aerostructures subsidiary specializing in premium cabin and business class seats. Broad incumbent competitor with strong Airbus OEM alignment that competes with Expliseat's emerging TiSeat S premium offering.
- Collins Aerospace: RTX subsidiary providing a full range of aircraft seating and cabin interiors across commercial, business, and military aviation. Largest broad incumbent with extensive product breadth competing with Expliseat across cabin classes.
Others
- Lantal Textiles: Swiss supplier of textiles, leathers, and integrated seat cushion covers for rail and aviation interiors. Adjacent supplier/partner in the same cabin interiors ecosystem where Expliseat's VP of Rail and eVTOL previously held senior roles.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Expliseat social profiles
Digital presenceExpliseat compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Expliseat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Expliseat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Expliseat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Expliseat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Expliseat
What does Expliseat do?
Expliseat designs, manufactures, and sells ultra-lightweight seating systems for commercial aircraft (regional jets, single-aisle, turboprop, and business class), rail vehicles, and eVTOL aircraft. The company's patented TiSeat product line uses titanium and carbon fiber composites with proprietary structural bonding to deliver seats that are 30-40% lighter and 10x more durable than conventional seats, sold directly to airlines, rail operators, and OEMs.
Is Expliseat a public or private company?
Expliseat is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Expliseat founded?
Expliseat was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Expliseat based?
Expliseat is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Expliseat make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Aircraft Seating Sales are the primary driver. The others are rail Seating, eVTOL Seating and MRO Services.
Who are Expliseat's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Recaro Aircraft Seating, Geven, Acro Aircraft Seating, Thompson Aero Seating, Mirus Aircraft Seating and ZIM Flugsitz. Broad incumbents are Safran Seats, Stelia Aerospace and Collins Aerospace. Lantal Textiles is listed as an others.
Does Expliseat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Expliseat.
What industry is Expliseat in?
Expliseat's product category is Aircraft Seating. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABANAI, Aerospace Interior Materials & Components (Cabin). Its NAICS code is 336413 and its SIC code is 3728.