SAFRAN Corporate Ventures
Corporate venture capital arm of Safran SA, the CAC 40 aerospace group with around EUR 70bn market cap and 80,000 employees, supplying propulsion, landing systems, electronics and connectivity to Airbus, Boeing and Dassault. Launched in 2015 and headquartered in Paris-La Défense, with around EUR 130M of committed capital (an initial EUR 50M fund, a EUR 50M top-up around 2024 and ongoing renewals). The thesis spans aerospace deep-tech, propulsion, electrification, autonomy, cybersecurity, decarbonization and digital sovereignty. Around 24 investments since 2015 as of June 2025, with four exits: Safety Line, sold to SITA in 2021, Diotasoft (MBO, 2022), Cailabs (trade sale, 2023) and Prodways Group (MBO, 2024).
SAFRAN Corporate Ventures is a Paris venture capital firm with €130M AUM, 24 active companies and 5 exits.
- ·4 exits in the last 5 years · consistent DPI cadence.
- ·Average hold across 5 realized deals: 4 years.
Sector breakdown
29 companiesGeography breakdown
6 geographiesKey facts
Recent exits
SAFRAN Corporate Ventures sold Krono-Safe to Safran Electronics & Defense in 2023 after 8 years.
SAFRAN Corporate Ventures sold Diotasoft to Dassault Systemes in 2022 after 6 years.
SAFRAN Corporate Ventures sold OXIS Energy to Johnson Matthey in 2021 after 2 years.
SAFRAN Corporate Ventures sold Safety Line to SITA in 2021 after 4 years.
Coverage notes
1 fund tracked, 29 portfolio companies (24 active · 5 realized). Verified weekly from public filings and deal announcements.
Funds & portfolio
Every fund SAFRAN Corporate Ventures has raised, with its portfolio companies. Hand-checked from public filings.
Safran VenturesVC2015€130M24 assets5 exitsVC2015 · 11yr€130M245
Unrealized
24 held| Company | Entry |
|---|---|
| Aerolux | 2021 |
| Akira France | 2026 |
| Aura Aero Aerospace & Defence · France | 2026 |
| Avnos ClimateTech · US | 2020 |
| BlackShark AI AI/ML · Austria | 2020 |
| Cailabs Deep Tech · France | 2022 |
| Cranfield Aerospace Solutions ClimateTech · UK | 2022 |
| Electra Mobility · United States | 2023 |
| Electric Power Systems ClimateTech · US | 2019 |
| Estuaire ClimateTech · France | 2022 |
| Greenerwave Deep Tech · France | 2023 |
| Ineratec ClimateTech · Germany | 2023 |
| Kalray Deep Tech · France | 2017 |
| Metavonics Aerospace & Defence · France | 2026 |
| mirSense Deep Tech · France | 2025 |
| Numalis Cybersecurity · France | 2022 |
| Outsight Deep Tech · France | 2019 |
| Oxccu ClimateTech · UK | 2025 |
| Prodways Group Industrials · France | 2017 |
| Sintermat Aerospace & Defence · France | 2018 |
| SkyFive Telecom · Germany | 2019 |
| Transvalor Industrials · France | 2023 |
| Turbotech Aerospace & Defence · France | 2018 |
| Vyoma Deep Tech · Germany | 2024 |
Realized
5 exits| Company | Entry | Exit | Type | Buyer | MOIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diotasoft Aerospace & Defence · France | 2016 | 2022 | Trade Sale | Dassault Systemes | – |
| Krono-Safe Deep Tech · France | 2015 | 2023 | Trade Sale | Safran Electronics & Defense | – |
| OXIS Energy ClimateTech · UK | 2019 | 2021 | Trade Sale | Johnson Matthey | – |
| Safety Line SaaS · France | 2017 | 2021 | Trade Sale | SITA | – |
| Tronics Industrials · France | 2015 | 2016 | Trade Sale | TDK (EPCOS) | – |
About SAFRAN Corporate Ventures
SAFRAN Corporate Ventures is a corporate venture capital and strategic investment platform with €130 million of assets under management as of December 2024, operating from Paris. Founded in 2007, the platform deploys balance-sheet capital into industrials, software, healthcare, business services and energy ventures aligned with its parent group's industrial strategy, providing strategic minority and selective majority equity investments alongside operating partnerships.
Investment thesis
The strategy targets technology and growth-stage companies aligned with the parent group's industrial roadmap across industrials, software, healthcare, business services and energy, deploying balance-sheet capital into strategic minority equity positions with selective board representation and operating partnership rights. Investment focus emphasises long-duration partnerships with portfolio teams, with the parent group providing commercial relationships, operating expertise and product development support alongside the financial capital across France and selectively across Europe.
Recent activity
Recent realised exits include Prodways Group (software, 2024), Cailabs (TMT, 2023), Diotasoft (software, 2022) and Safety Line (TMT, 2021). The platform tracks 2 fund vehicles, 17 active portfolio companies and 4 realised exits across the strategy's history.
Frequently asked questions
- What investment strategy does SAFRAN Corporate Ventures focus on?
- SAFRAN Corporate Ventures focuses on VC, Growth strategies in the private equity space.
- How many portfolio companies does SAFRAN Corporate Ventures have?
- SAFRAN Corporate Ventures has 24 active portfolio companies and 5 completed exits and 1 fund tracked on GP Intel.
- Where is SAFRAN Corporate Ventures headquartered?
- SAFRAN Corporate Ventures is headquartered in Paris, France.
- What is SAFRAN Corporate Ventures's assets under management?
- SAFRAN Corporate Ventures manages approximately €130M in assets under management.
- When was SAFRAN Corporate Ventures founded?
- SAFRAN Corporate Ventures was founded in 2015.
- What sectors does SAFRAN Corporate Ventures invest in?
- SAFRAN Corporate Ventures invests across Industrials, TMT, Energy.
- What are SAFRAN Corporate Ventures's recent exits?
- Recent realized exits by SAFRAN Corporate Ventures include: Krono-Safe (2023) to Safran Electronics & Defense; Diotasoft (2022) to Dassault Systemes; OXIS Energy (2021) to Johnson Matthey; Safety Line (2021) to SITA; Tronics (2016) to TDK (EPCOS).
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