Clean Aviation
Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) is an EU public-private partnership that funds and coordinates pan-European research consortia developing sustainable aviation technologies, serving aerospace primes (Airbus, Safran/CFM, Rolls-Royce, GKN, Pratt & Whitney Canada) and research institutes under Horizon Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Clean Aviation does
Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) is a European Union public-private partnership established under the Horizon Europe framework and headquartered in Brussels. It is the EU's flagship research and innovation programme for aviation decarbonisation, operating as the successor to Clean Sky 1 and Clean Sky 2. CAJU does not develop or sell products commercially; instead, it issues calls for proposals, selects consortia, and disburses grant funding to collaborative research projects led by aerospace manufacturers, engine makers, and research institutions.
Its core technology focus spans breakthrough propulsion and airframe concepts: open-fan engines targeting a 60:1 bypass ratio (TAKE OFF project, €100 million); the UltraFan 30 narrowbody engine demonstrator targeting 30% GHG reduction versus 2020 state-of-the-art (UNIFIED consortium, €64 million, led by Rolls-Royce); hybrid-electric propulsion for regional aircraft targeting 20% fuel efficiency gains (PHARES, led by Pratt & Whitney Canada); advanced morphing control surfaces via thermoplastic composites (MANTA, GKN Aerospace); biocomposite cabin demonstrators with projected 22% fuel savings over a 30-year aircraft lifespan; and hydrogen-power programmes including FASTER-H2.
CAJU operates with a headcount of 11–50 staff under a managed-services model: the organisation administers an €824 million programme envelope across five streams covering ultra-efficient short-medium range aircraft, hydrogen power, regional aircraft, hybrid-electric propulsion for both SMR and regional segments, and transverse activities. It serves as a funding and coordination intermediary between the European Commission (its principal governing authority) and industrial partners including Airbus, CFM (Safran/GE Aerospace), Rolls-Royce, Safran, GKN Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Leonardo, Collins Aerospace, ATR, and Avio Aero, alongside research institutes such as DLR, NLR, Fraunhofer, and TU Delft.
Clean Aviation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clean Aviation
- Legal name
- Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU)
- Website
- https://clean-aviation.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) is an EU public-private partnership that funds and coordinates pan-European research consortia developing sustainable aviation technologies, serving aerospace primes (Airbus, Safran/CFM, Rolls-Royce, GKN, Pratt & Whitney Canada) and research institutes under Horizon Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clean Aviation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerospace Research Funding
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing (Fixed-Wing) (IMABAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) & Alternative Fuels (e-fuels, biofuels, hydrogen) (THABANAA), Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production (HEFA, FT, ATJ) (EUAAAHAE)
Keywords
Where Clean Aviation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clean Aviation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- EU Public Funding: Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking receives funding from the European Union to provide grants to research consortia developing sustainable aviation technologies. The organization acts as a funding mechanism rather than a revenue-generating commercial entity.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Clean Aviation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) is an EU public-private partnership that funds and coordinates research consortia developing breakthrough sustainable aviation technologies. The organization issues competitive calls for proposals and distributes €824 million in EU funding across five research streams covering ultra-efficient short-medium range aircraft, hydrogen power, regional aircraft, and transverse activities. It manages coordinated R&D projects involving Airbus, Safran, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, GKN Aerospace, and other aerospace leaders, targeting open-fan engines, hybrid-electric propulsion, hydrogen power systems, and advanced aircraft configurations for commercial service entry around 2035.
Product overview
Clean Aviation is an EU public-private partnership (Joint Undertaking) that funds and coordinates research into breakthrough technologies for climate-neutral aviation. The organization operates successive research programmes: Clean Sky 1 (2000-2024) and its successor Clean Sky 2, followed by the current Clean Aviation Programme (2022-2030). These programmes fund multiple collaborative research projects including engine technologies (TAKE OFF/Open Fan, UNIFIED/UltraFan 30), hybrid-electric propulsion (PHARES), aircraft structures (MANTA morphing surfaces), cabin innovations (Pax Cabin Demonstrator with biocomposites), hydrogen power (FASTER-H2), and hybrid-electric regional aircraft (HERACLES & DEMETRA). Clean Aviation does not sell commercial products; it functions as a research funding and coordination body, supporting consortia of aerospace industry partners to develop and demonstrate technologies aimed at achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clean Aviation Programme Current EU research programme (2022-2030) funding collaborative R&D into breakthrough technologies for climate-neutral aviation, covering ultra-efficient short-medium range aircraft, hydrogen power, regional aircraft, and transverse activities with €824 million in EU funding.
- Clean Sky 2 Programme Predecessor EU research programme (2000-2024) of demonstrators and technology validation for aviation decarbonization, building the foundation for the Clean Aviation Programme.
- TAKE OFF Project Open-fan engine technology project targeting a 60:1 bypass ratio and up to 20% fuel consumption and emissions reduction, led by CFM (Safran/GE Aerospace) with Airbus flight testing planned using an A380.
- UNIFIED Project (UltraFan 30) Rolls-Royce-led multinational consortium developing and ground testing the UltraFan 30 narrowbody engine demonstrator, targeting 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2020 state-of-the-art technology.
- MANTA Programme Demonstrated four advanced morphing control surface technologies including thermoplastic composites, fluid-driven trailing edge, combined flap/aileron mechanism, and adaptive air intake flap for future aircraft, achieving TRLs 3-5.
- PHARES Project Pratt & Whitney Canada-led hybrid-electric propulsion consortium targeting up to 20% improved fuel efficiency on regional aircraft missions, with ATR providing regional aircraft platform integration and Collins Aerospace contributing hybrid-electric propulsion expertise.
- Pax Cabin Demonstrator Full-scale ground-based test platform for regional turboprop aircraft featuring biocomposite interior panels, achieving 8% weight reduction for major cabin components and projected 22% fuel savings over a 30-year aircraft lifespan.
- FASTER-H2 Project Project advancing hydrogen-powered short- and medium-haul aviation by uniting industry, research institutes and universities with access to specialist hydrogen testing facilities.
- HERACLES & DEMETRA Hybrid-electric regional aircraft flight demonstrator projects forming part of the anatomy of an ultra-efficient regional aircraft.
- Clean Aviation Call 4 for Proposals Fourth competitive call for proposals distributing EU research funding to aerospace consortia, with topics covering ultra-efficient short-medium range aircraft, hydrogen power, regional aircraft, and transverse activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions from open-fan engine technology
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Clean Aviation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Clean Aviation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Clean Aviation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- CFM (Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace)flagshipFranco-American aerospace company CFM (joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace) leading the EU-funded TAKE OFF project backed by €100 million from Clean Aviation. The project aims to advance open-fan engine technology achieving a 60:1 bypass ratio, potentially reducing fuel consumption and emissions by up to 20 percent.
- AirbusflagshipAirbus is a key partner in the TAKE OFF project for open-fan engine development. The project includes a flight test campaign using an Airbus A380 targeted for 2029, with goal of commercial operations by around 2035.
- Rolls-RoyceflagshipRolls-Royce secured a €64 million grant from Clean Aviation to lead the UNIFIED consortium developing and ground testing the UltraFan 30 narrowbody engine demonstrator, with testing scheduled for 2028. The multinational consortium includes partners from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
- GKN AerospacecoreGKN Aerospace is part of the 25-partner consortium led by Safran Aircraft Engines for the TAKE OFF open-fan engine project, contributing to development of advanced propulsion technologies.
- Avio AerocoreAvio Aero is one of 25 partners in the Safran-led TAKE OFF consortium developing the open-fan engine architecture targeting 20% fuel efficiency improvement.
- GKN AerospacecoreGKN Aerospace led the MANTA (MovAbles for Next generaTion Aircraft) program, successfully completing it with demonstration of four advanced morphing control surface technologies. Partners included NLR, DLR, TU Delft, and ASCO, achieving TRLs 3-5.
- Pratt & Whitney CanadaflagshipPratt & Whitney Canada, an RTX business, leads the PHARES (Powerplant Hybrid Application REgional Segment) project, marking the first time a Canadian company leads a Clean Aviation program. The project targets up to 20% improved fuel efficiency on regional aircraft missions.
- Collins AerospacecoreCollins Aerospace collaborates with Pratt & Whitney Canada in the PHARES consortium, contributing hybrid-electric propulsion expertise to the regional aircraft project.
- ATRcoreATR is a consortium partner in the PHARES project, providing regional aircraft platform integration for the hybrid-electric propulsion demonstrator.
- LeonardocoreLeonardo partnered in the Clean Sky 2 Passenger Cabin Demonstrator, a full-scale ground-based test platform for regional turboprop aircraft featuring biocomposite interior panels tested at Leonardo and Fraunhofer facilities in Italy and Germany respectively.
- FraunhofercoreFraunhofer collaborated on the Passenger Cabin Demonstrator project, contributing to flammability testing and biocomposite panel development, with the project reaching TRL 6.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clean Aviation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Clean Aviation social profiles
Digital presenceClean Aviation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clean Aviation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Clean Aviation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Clean Aviation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
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Frequently asked questions about Clean Aviation
What does Clean Aviation do?
Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) is an EU public-private partnership that funds and coordinates research consortia developing breakthrough sustainable aviation technologies. The organization issues competitive calls for proposals and distributes €824 million in EU funding across five research streams covering ultra-efficient short-medium range aircraft, hydrogen power, regional aircraft, and transverse activities. It manages coordinated R&D projects involving Airbus, Safran, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, GKN Aerospace, and other aerospace leaders, targeting open-fan engines, hybrid-electric propulsion, hydrogen power systems, and advanced aircraft configurations for commercial service entry around 2035.
Is Clean Aviation a public or private company?
Clean Aviation is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Clean Aviation founded?
Clean Aviation was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Clean Aviation based?
Clean Aviation is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Clean Aviation make money?
One revenue line is on record: EU Public Funding.
Does Clean Aviation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clean Aviation.
What industry is Clean Aviation in?
Clean Aviation's product category is Aerospace Research Funding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAAAA, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing (Fixed-Wing), with a secondary code of THABANAA, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) & Alternative Fuels (e-fuels, biofuels, hydrogen).