- AUD$15M Joint Investment: Airbus and Qantas are investing in Climate Tech Partners to accelerate aviation decarbonisation, particularly Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
- Commercialisation Focus: The initiative targets early-stage climate technologies to bridge the gap to large-scale implementation in Australia.
- Strategic Collaboration: CTP will work closely with aviation stakeholders to develop SAF production, feedstocks, and broader climate innovations.
Airbus and Qantas have committed AUD$15 million to Climate Tech Partners (CTP)—a climate-focused venture capital fund—to drive innovation in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other aviation decarbonisation technologies. The announcement, made in Sydney, marks a critical step in the aviation industry’s push toward net-zero emissions.
“Decarbonising aviation at speed and scale requires bold action and collaboration across sectors – from airlines, manufacturers and airports to regulators, governments and investors,” said Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus.
“This partnership with CTP and Qantas highlights that the scaling of Sustainable Aviation Fuel needs innovative solutions for a nascent technology that will drive innovation, attract investment and create new jobs in Australia, which I believe is well positioned to be a leader in low carbon fuels.”
The new investment vehicle—designed to sit alongside CTP’s primary fund—will target technologies across SAF production, feedstock development, and value-chain innovations, particularly within the Australian market. It will be backed by a cross-industry group of 12 partners, spanning energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors, offering start-ups mentorship and strategic support.
CTP’s hands-on approach allows for deeper integration with corporates, driving smarter capital allocation and stronger collaboration in high-impact climate innovations.
“Sustainable aviation fuel is the most effective tool we have to decarbonise aviation and, with Airbus, we’re investing significantly in ways to make it more available and accessible,” said Fiona Messent, Chief Sustainability Officer at Qantas Group.
“As well as funding, this partnership will help provide a vote of confidence in new technologies so they can be developed, scaled and integrated in the SAF supply chain, while also providing companies with access to Qantas and Airbus as they develop and test their solutions.”
The capital will be deployed from the US$200 million Qantas-Airbus SAF partnership fund, established in 2022, and will support Series A-stage climate-tech start-ups both locally and globally. As these solutions evolve, Qantas and Airbus may pursue follow-on or direct investments, enabling real-world applications across Australian aviation.
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“For Australia, an onshore SAF industry will mean improved national fuel security, more jobs and economic benefit, so it’s fantastic to be collaborating across industries to help accelerate local production,” Messent added.
Patrick Sieb, Co-Founder of Climate Tech Partners, underscored the value of this alignment: “Working with global leading aviation and aerospace companies allows us to not only make more deeply informed investment decisions in this complex area but attract and support the best companies by helping them accelerate through industry engagement.”
CTP’s core focus spans Energy & Power, Transport & Logistics, and Industrials & Resources, with an emphasis on globally scalable solutions. It counts the BESEN Family Office among its investors and aims to facilitate stronger ties between capital, corporates, and climate tech innovators.
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