What Aerospace Technology Institute does

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent not-for-profit organisation, structured as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (Company number 08707779), that serves as the UK's strategic hub for aerospace technology leadership. Established in 2014 out of the Aerospace Growth Partnership, ATI is jointly funded by the UK Government — through the Department for Business and Trade — and by industrial recipients of project grants under a pound-for-pound co-investment model. The organisation operates three competitive funding programmes — the Strategic Programme (grants up to £18m), the SME Programme (grants up to £1.5m), and the Non-CO2 Programme — with grant-making governed by an independent technology strategy, the Engineering Growth blueprint, which sets priorities across four roadmaps: ultra-efficient, zero-carbon, industrial competitiveness and non-CO2 technologies.

The ATI's core "products" are its funding programmes and the analytical assets that surround them. Since 2014 the ATI Programme has facilitated over £4.2 billion of cumulative R&D investment across 467 projects and 478 organisations, with the UK Government committing up to £2.3 billion through the ATI for the 2025–2035 period. The free ATI Toolkit — comprising the Aircraft Trade Calculator, Market Model and Reference Model Library — provides technology assessment tools to the sector. Independent research outputs include FlyZero (2021–2022), which mapped six technology bricks for liquid-hydrogen-powered aircraft, and the Hydrogen Capability Network (April 2023 – March 2025), a 24-month research network coordinating UK hydrogen capability. The ATI Hub supports SMEs and startups through bootcamps, workshops, showcase events and funding clinics, while the annual ATI Conference and Aerospace Technology & Innovation Awards connect the wider ecosystem.

ATI does not earn revenue in a conventional commercial sense. As a not-for-profit, its operating model relies on UK Government funding and a 2.5% industrial contribution on Strategic Programme grants, with a 60:40 government-to-industry grant ratio typical of those awards. The organisation is headquartered at Cranfield (co-located with Cranfield University), with a secondary London office, and operates with approximately 60 staff led by founding CEO Gary Elliott. Its "customer" base is dual-sided: large OEMs such as Rolls-Royce, Airbus and GKN Aerospace participate as Strategic Programme recipients, while more than 323 SMEs and 125 micro organisations account for the majority of grant recipients by count — making the recipient base broad at the SME tier but with strategic-programme value skewed toward tier-one primes.

Name

Aerospace Technology Institute

Legal name

Aerospace Technology Institute

Website

https://ati.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Aerospace Technology Institute is an independent UK not-for-profit, established in 2014, that channels government and industry co-investment into aerospace R&D through competitive grant programmes, technology strategy and SME support, serving large OEMs, SMEs, academia and research organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Research and Technology Funding

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing (Fixed-Wing) (IMABAAAA), Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services (IMABADAN), Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN), Aerospace Fuel System Components (Tanks, Lines, Valves) (IMABANAJ), Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) & Alternative Fuels (e-fuels, biofuels, hydrogen) (THABANAA), Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production (HEFA, FT, ATJ) (EUAAAHAE)

Keywords

• Aerospace R&D funding
• Technology strategy consulting
• Aerospace innovation grants
• Collaborative research programmes
• Aerospace market intelligence

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Co-investment Funding: The ATI is funded equally by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and by industrial recipients of project grants. Every pound of public investment is matched by private commitment from industry. This co-investment model funds the ATI Programme of R&T activity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Aerospace Technology Institute is an independent not-for-profit organisation that delivers three competitive UK aerospace R&D funding programmes (Strategic, SME and Non-CO2) using a co-investment model where every pound of government funding is matched by industry commitment. Beyond grant administration, ATI publishes the Engineering Growth technology strategy across four roadmaps, provides the free ATI Toolkit of R&D assessment tools, runs the ATI Hub supporting SMEs and new entrants, and conducts independent research projects including FlyZero and the Hydrogen Capability Network.

Product overview

The Aerospace Technology Institute is an independent not-for-profit organisation that serves as the UK's strategic hub for aerospace technology leadership. Rather than a single product, ATI operates a portfolio of interconnected services: the ATI Programme delivers three competitive funding mechanisms (Strategic, SME, and Non-CO2 Programmes) totalling up to £18m grants; the ATI Toolkit provides free online R&D assessment tools (Aircraft Trade Calculator, Market Model, Reference Model Library); and the ATI Hub supports SMEs and startups through events and funding guidance. ATI also conducts independent research through projects like FlyZero and the Hydrogen Capability Network, publishes comprehensive reports and analyses, and hosts events including the annual ATI Conference. The organization's strategic direction is guided by its Engineering Growth technology strategy with four roadmaps, supported by an Advisory Network of industry experts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATI Programme The ATI Programme is a partnership with the Department for Business and Trade and Innovate UK that invests in aerospace technologies through three competitive funding competitions: the Strategic Programme for larger UK aerospace R&T projects (grants up to £18m on a 60:40 government-to-industry basis), the SME Programme for small and medium-sized organisations (grants up to £1.5m), and the Non-CO2 Programme for technologies that reduce non-CO2 aircraft emissions. Open to any UK-registered organisation looking to develop technology for exploitation in the civil aerospace sector.
• ATI Toolkit A free-to-use digital platform for UK aerospace R&D, providing the Aircraft Trade Calculator (quantifying technology fuel-burn impact at aircraft level), the Market Model (global market perspectives to 2050) and the Reference Model Library (IP-neutral aircraft reference models for cross-organisation collaboration).
• ATI Hub A support platform for UK aerospace SMEs, new entrants and start-ups to navigate the aerospace sector, unlock funding, build innovation capability and develop collaborations. Includes events, bootcamps, workshops, showcases and weekly Tech Clinics and Funding Clinics providing one-on-one consultations with ATI technologists and funding experts.
• Engineering Growth Technology Strategy The UK aerospace technology strategy providing an independent assessment of technology investment priorities for the sector, comprising four roadmaps: Ultra-efficient technologies, Zero-carbon technologies (hydrogen, battery-electric), Industrial competitiveness, and Non-CO2 technologies. Acts as a blueprint for sustainable economic growth in UK aerospace and sets investment priorities for the ATI Programme.
• Events and Conferences Regular calendar of aerospace events including weekly Tech Clinics (one-on-one sessions with ATI technologists), Meet the ATI sessions, Funding Clinics, bootcamps, workshops and showcases, and the annual ATI Conference hosting over 400 aerospace experts. Includes a presence at major industry events such as the Farnborough International Airshow.
• Publications High-quality research and analysis publications for the UK aerospace sector, including ATI Reports, Hydrogen Capability Network reports, INSIGHT Papers, Market Spotlights, and Strategy & Roadmaps documents, freely available to download from the ATI website.
• Advisory Network Expert advisory groups supporting the ATI's technology strategy, including the Technology Advisory Group (TAG), Net Zero TAG, Cross-Cutting TAG, Modelling Advisory Group (MAG), Sustainability Advisory Group (SAG) and International Advisory Group (IAG).

Quantifiable outcome

• £14 whole economy output per £1 spent on UK aerospace R&D
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• British AirwaysminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025British Airways is a partner in a two-year UK project led by Rolls-Royce to improve sustainable aviation fuel use, alongside Heathrow and Imperial College London, partially supported through the ATI ecosystem.
• Heathrow AirportminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Heathrow is a partner in a two-year UK project led by Rolls-Royce to improve sustainable aviation fuel application and monitor contrail formation, alongside British Airways and Imperial College London.
• Imperial College LondonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Imperial College London is an academic partner in the SAF optimisation project led by Rolls-Royce with British Airways and Heathrow.
• Green Resource EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2025Partner in ZeroAvia's £10.8m LH-SIFT project developing a liquid hydrogen fuel system for a Dornier 228 aircraft, funded through the UK's £250m green aerospace investment drive.
• Gas & Liquid ControlsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2025Partner in ZeroAvia's £10.8m LH-SIFT project developing liquid hydrogen fuel system for commercial aircraft testbed using liquid hydrogen.
• AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI is an active member of AIAA and participates in joint projects to build international collaboration in aerospace research.
• ACARE (Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI is an active member of ACARE, contributing to European aviation research and innovation strategy.
• IFAR (International Forum for Aviation Research)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI is an active member of IFAR, participating in joint projects such as AREANA to build trusted relationships with international research and funding institutions.
• ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI works closely with ICAO on international aviation policy and sustainability matters.
• Clean AviationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI works closely with Clean Aviation JU to develop better understanding of UK competitiveness and position UK technology for market success in the context of European research programmes.
• ICAS (International Council for the Aeronautical Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI works closely with ICAS on international aviation research and knowledge sharing.
• Innovate UK Catapult NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The ATI funds industry and academia, often supported by the Innovate UK Catapult Network (including NCC, NCCAT, AMRC and others), to develop novel technologies addressing complex challenges in the aerospace sector.
• Innovate UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Innovate UK is a key government partner in the ATI Programme alongside DBT, supporting the delivery of funding competitions and ecosystem innovation through the Catapult Network and other mechanisms.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ADS Group: UK trade association for aerospace, defence, security and space. ATI's Chair Paul Everitt is a former ADS Chief Executive, and ADS represents many of the same OEMs/SMEs that ATI funds — making it a trade-body peer with overlapping stakeholder base.
• Innovate UK: UK's national innovation agency and core co-delivery partner of the ATI Programme. Innovate UK administers the funding competitions and Catapult Network that ATI relies on, making it the closest operational peer in UK aerospace R&D funding.
• High Value Manufacturing Catapult: UK Catapult delivering advanced manufacturing R&D that frequently receives ATI Programme funding for aerospace projects. Shares the intermediary funding/coordination model with aerospace-specific focus areas overlapping ATI's Structures, Manufacturing and Materials remit.
• Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP): UK government-industry partnership from which ATI was established in 2014. Continues to provide strategic oversight alongside ATI on UK aerospace competitiveness, making it a direct institutional peer at the policy-strategy interface.
• Department for Business and Trade - Aerospace Team: The UK government body that co-funds ATI alongside industry. DBT oversees aerospace industrial policy and Repayable Launch Investment, sharing ATI's strategic remit but operating from within Whitehall rather than as an autonomous institute.

Others

• European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA): EU regulator whose certification pathways ATI-funded technologies must ultimately satisfy. While not a funding peer, EASA shapes the technical standards against which ATI's hydrogen and zero-carbon roadmaps are designed, making it an adjacent ecosystem peer.

Broad incumbents

• DARPA (US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency): US government agency funding high-risk aerospace and defence R&D. While much larger and broader than ATI, it serves as an international reference model for government-backed technology leadership in aerospace and advanced systems.
• Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking: EU public-private partnership funding aerospace R&D. ATI works closely with Clean Aviation JU to align UK technology with European programmes, making it the closest international counterpart with overlapping remit in zero-carbon aerospace.

Regional players

• National Research Council Canada - Aerospace: Canadian national aerospace R&D organisation with similar mandate to advance civil aerospace through publicly-funded research collaboration. Comparable in scope to ATI's role in funding and coordinating national aerospace R&D but operating in a different geography.
• ACARE (Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe): European advisory body setting aviation research strategy, of which ATI is an active member. Comparable as a stakeholder convening and strategy-setting body, but operating at EU rather than UK level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ukaeroinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aerospace-technology-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments2 records

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Frequently asked questions about Aerospace Technology Institute