Supporting deep tech companies: ONERA at the heart of the BLAST programme
Starburst, ONERA, and SATT Paris-Saclay and Polytechnique are joining forces with BLAST: the first French incubation programme dedicated to deep tech companies in our sector.
At the end of 2020, the members of this consortium pooled their respective skills and ecosystems to offer the first French incubation programme for breakthrough technology companies (Deeptech startups) in the ASD industry. This innovative programme, a first in France, is scheduled to be launched this month.
Dedicated support to help a new generation of French start-ups to emerge.
Named BLAST (Boost and Leverage AeroSpace and Defence Technologies), this programme aims to develop and support around twenty start-ups per year. It will also bring together all the stakeholders in the ASD ecosystem, from major industrial contractors to investment funds. The objective is to consolidate a pool of deep tech startups capable of participating in future major aerospace and defence programmes - at national and European level - and to respond to the momentum around the aeronautical industry’s support plan presented in June 2020 by the French government.
The following major themes could be addressed by the BLAST programme:
- Zero-carbon aviation: electric, hybrid, hydrogen engines
- New urban and regional air mobility platforms
- Autonomy (sensors, data fusion, etc.)
- Artificial intelligence
- Secure cloud communication
- And space in the broad sense
Seed fundraising of 2 to 3 million euros
The BLAST programme will allow a relevant positioning of the supported projects in relation to ASD industry needs and sustainability through commercial contracts, partnerships with industrial or corporate customers, as well as the raising of 2 to 3 million euros of seed funds.
The complementary expertise of the consortium’s four members will support the selected projects.
ONERA will be a major source of innovative projects and will provide technical support to the projects selected, providing testing resources and the technical expertise of its research laboratories.
Nicolas Guérineau, Development Director at ONERA:
« Aeronautics, space, and defence research is our core business and transferring the results of our research to the industry is a major national issue. BLAST is a new opportunity for us to promote our expertise and accelerate our innovations through a winning strategy of supporting deep tech startups. »