Aviation Climate Taskforce
Aviation Climate Taskforce is a non-profit coalition founded in 2021 by ten global airlines and BCG to accelerate aviation decarbonization by funding pre-commercial R&D, mapping the research landscape, and convening industry stakeholders around emerging technologies like power-to-liquid fuels and direct air capture.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aviation Climate Taskforce does
Aviation Climate Taskforce (ACT) is a non-profit coalition founded in October 2021 by ten major global airlines and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), headquartered in San Francisco. Its stated mission is to accelerate breakthroughs in critical emerging aviation decarbonization technologies by 10 years, addressing the so-called 'valley of death' that prevents technically proven climate technologies from reaching commercial viability. ACT operates three program pillars: the Innovation Network (a collaboration platform that maps the aviation decarbonization research landscape, provides grant funding, and hosts innovation challenges); the SAFARI R&D Consortium (an industry-led initiative funding pre-commercial R&D at TRL 2-4, targeting billion-gallon scale production of carbon-neutral aviation fuels); and the Aviation Collaboration Forum (a coalition engaging stakeholders across the aviation value chain).
The organization's core technology focus areas include power-to-liquid synthetic fuels, direct air capture aligned with aviation, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pathways, and aviation contrails research. ACT is structured with two legal pillars: a non-profit entity and a separate for-profit legal entity housing the Innovation Network, enabling both grant-funded mission activity and potential commercial revenue models. Founding members include Air Canada, Air France-KLM, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, alongside BCG as a founding strategic partner.
ACT is funded through member contributions and operates with a lean team of approximately 5-10 personnel. Leadership comprises President & CEO Tom Light (appointed June 2022), CTO Daniel Matuszak, and a Board of Directors including academic experts Steven Barrett (MIT), Valentin Batteiger (Bauhaus Luftfahrt), and Mercedes Maroto-Valer (Heriot-Watt University). ACT's go-to-market is community-led: the organization grows through coalition-building, recruiting members from all stages of the aviation value chain via direct outreach rather than traditional sales channels.
Aviation Climate Taskforce firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aviation Climate Taskforce
- Legal name
- Aviation Climate Taskforce Inc.
- Website
- https://aviationclimatetaskforce.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Aviation Climate Taskforce is a non-profit coalition founded in 2021 by ten global airlines and BCG to accelerate aviation decarbonization by funding pre-commercial R&D, mapping the research landscape, and convening industry stakeholders around emerging technologies like power-to-liquid fuels and direct air capture.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aviation Climate Taskforce industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aviation Decarbonization Coalition
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) & Alternative Fuels (e-fuels, biofuels, hydrogen) (THABANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Carbon Management (GHG accounting/MRV, targets, internal carbon pricing) (THABANAD)
Keywords
Where Aviation Climate Taskforce is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aviation Climate Taskforce business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Member Contributions and Dues: As a non-profit organization, ACT is funded through contributions from its member organizations. Founding members include global airlines and BCG who provide financial and strategic support to accelerate aviation decarbonization technologies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Aviation Climate Taskforce product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ACT is a non-profit coalition founded in 2021 by global airlines together with Boston Consulting Group that funds and coordinates pre-commercial research into emerging aviation decarbonization technologies — including power-to-liquid synthetic fuels, direct air capture, sustainable aviation fuel, and contrails — through its Innovation Network (research landscape mapping and grant funding), SAFARI R&D Consortium (pre-competitive research funding at TRL 2–4), and Aviation Collaboration Forum (cross-disciplinary convenings). Its objective is to accelerate technology breakthroughs that decarbonize aviation by roughly 10 years.
Product overview
Aviation Climate Taskforce (ACT) is a non-profit coalition that accelerates breakthroughs in emerging technologies to decarbonize aviation by 10 years. ACT operates as a platform-plus-programs organization comprising the Innovation Network (a collaboration platform mapping research and providing grant funding), the SAFARI R&D Consortium (funding pre-commercial R&D projects at TRL 2-4), and the Aviation Collaboration Forum (for stakeholder engagement). These programs are complemented by strategic research initiatives including Direct Air Capture strategy, Power-to-Liquid Synthetic Fuels research, and Aviation Contrails Research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Innovation Network: ACT's initiative using proven tools to map research across the ecosystem, providing grant funding and hosting innovation challenges to stimulate collaboration. Includes focus on people and expertise, funding, and tools and technology.
- SAFARI (Systemic Approaches For Aviation Research Initiative)
- Aviation Collaboration Forum
Products and services
- Innovation Network A program that maps the aviation decarbonization research landscape and provides grant funding to emerging-technology projects, available to ACT's airline members, research institutions and clean-tech startups.
- SAFARI R&D Consortium A pre-competitive research consortium in which ACT's airline members pool funding to sponsor shared R&D at technology readiness levels TRL 2–4 across emerging aviation decarbonization technologies.
- Aviation Collaboration Forum A convening forum that brings together cross-disciplinary teams — climate scientists, engineers, AI and data-science practitioners, and policymakers — to address aviation decarbonization challenges.
Quantifiable outcome
- Accelerate breakthroughs in critical emerging technologies by 10 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Aviation Climate Taskforce
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Aviation Climate Taskforce technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature3 records
Aviation Climate Taskforce partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Air CanadacoreFounding member of ACT. Air Canada committed to net zero emissions by 2050 and joined ACT to collaborate with global carriers and invest in emerging technologies to advance aviation decarbonization. First Canadian airline to join the Aviation Climate Taskforce.
- Cathay Pacific GroupcoreFounding member working with different sectors to develop radically new technologies for decarbonizing airline operations. Recognizes importance of collaboration to meet net-zero carbon emissions goal.
- JetBluecoreFounding member committed to IATA's joint commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Works with leading airlines to develop and enact comprehensive decarbonization approach.
- Southwest AirlinescoreFounding member focused on environmental stewardship. Collaborates with innovative group to decarbonize aviation and advance critical science for planetary improvement.
- Air France-KLM GroupcoreFounding member committed to moving faster and accelerating sustainability transformation. Believes success requires commitment from all stakeholders across aviation value chain.
- Boston Consulting GroupcoreFounding partner providing strategic expertise and joining forces with global aviation leaders to tackle the challenge of sustainable aviation. CEO Christoph Schweizer expressed commitment to making flying more sustainable.
- Lufthansa GroupcoreFounding member committed to driving aviation transformation. Joining forces with industry to achieve next leap in innovation for sustainable flying.
- Virgin AtlanticcoreFounding member supporting near and medium-term innovation in emerging SAF pathways as well as longer-term breakthroughs such as electric and hydrogen flight. Strongly supports portfolio approach and collaboration across energy and aviation value chains.
- American AirlinescoreFounding member of the Aviation Climate Taskforce coalition to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies for aviation decarbonization.
- Delta Air LinescoreFounding member of the Aviation Climate Taskforce coalition to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies for aviation decarbonization.
- United AirlinescoreFounding member of the Aviation Climate Taskforce coalition to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies for aviation decarbonization.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aviation Climate Taskforce competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Clean Skies for Tomorrow (World Economic Forum): WEF-led coalition convening airlines, fuel producers, and governments to scale sustainable aviation fuel. Closest analog to ACT as a multi-stakeholder aviation decarbonization coalition with similar membership model.
- Mission Possible Partnership: Industry-led coalition focused on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors including aviation. Shares ACT's coalition-of-industry-leaders model and net-zero by 2050 alignment.
- SkyNRG: SAF-focused company developing supply chains for sustainable aviation fuel. Comparable focus on SAF scaling pathway but operates commercially rather than as a non-profit coalition.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel Alliance: Industry alliance promoting SAF adoption and policy advocacy. Direct peer on the SAF promotion mandate with similar airline stakeholder engagement approach.
Emerging players
- Carbon Engineering: Pioneer in direct air capture technology, a key focus area of ACT's strategy. Adjacent in the DAC value chain rather than coalition-based, but directly relevant to ACT's technology portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization): UN agency setting international aviation standards including CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme. Operates at regulatory rather than R&D layer but shapes the same decarbonization policy environment ACT engages with.
- RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): Established clean energy think tank working on aviation decarbonization and other hard-to-abate sectors. Broader portfolio than ACT but overlapping decarbonization R&D agenda.
Others
- IATA (International Air Transport Association):
- MIT Energy Initiative: MIT research initiative covering energy and decarbonization including aviation fuels. Connection through ACT board member Steven Barrett, and ACT's research mapping scope intersects with MITEI activity.
Regional players
- Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI): UK-based R&D funding body investing in aerospace technology including sustainable aviation. Similar mandate of bridging research to commercialization but focused on UK aerospace sector.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aviation Climate Taskforce social profiles
Digital presenceAviation Climate Taskforce financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aviation Climate Taskforce leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Aviation Climate Taskforce funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aviation Climate Taskforce M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aviation Climate Taskforce
What does Aviation Climate Taskforce do?
ACT is a non-profit coalition founded in 2021 by global airlines together with Boston Consulting Group that funds and coordinates pre-commercial research into emerging aviation decarbonization technologies — including power-to-liquid synthetic fuels, direct air capture, sustainable aviation fuel, and contrails — through its Innovation Network (research landscape mapping and grant funding), SAFARI R&D Consortium (pre-competitive research funding at TRL 2–4), and Aviation Collaboration Forum (cross-disciplinary convenings). Its objective is to accelerate technology breakthroughs that decarbonize aviation by roughly 10 years.
Is Aviation Climate Taskforce a public or private company?
Aviation Climate Taskforce is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Aviation Climate Taskforce founded?
Aviation Climate Taskforce was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Aviation Climate Taskforce based?
Aviation Climate Taskforce is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aviation Climate Taskforce make money?
One revenue line is on record: member Contributions and Dues.
Who are Aviation Climate Taskforce's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Clean Skies for Tomorrow (World Economic Forum), Mission Possible Partnership, SkyNRG and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Alliance. Carbon Engineering is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute). Others are IATA (International Air Transport Association) and MIT Energy Initiative. Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is listed as a regional player.
Does Aviation Climate Taskforce have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aviation Climate Taskforce.
What industry is Aviation Climate Taskforce in?
Aviation Climate Taskforce's product category is Aviation Decarbonization Coalition. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABANAA, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) & Alternative Fuels (e-fuels, biofuels, hydrogen), with a secondary code of THABANAD, Carbon Management (GHG accounting/MRV, targets, internal carbon pricing). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8600.