Toulouse, April 3, 2026 – Ascendance, a French developer of hybrid-electric propulsion, received €12.2 million in funding through the France 2030 – First Factory program. The grant supports establishment of serial production capacity for its STERNA hybrid-electric system, including batteries, and eventual aircraft assembly.
The four-year funding enables scaling to industrial production at facilities in Muret L’Herm aerodrome. Ascendance plans to equip initial civil aircraft and defense drones, with a new factory targeted for higher volumes using automation and robotics.
STERNA, developed over four years with full-scale testing and patents, pairs a new-generation battery with proprietary Hybrid Operating System software to cut fuel use and CO2 emissions. It powers the ATEA vertical take-off and landing aircraft, now in final integration, for regional transport including passengers, cargo, medical and security missions.
The funding aligns with efforts to build domestic production for decarbonized civil aviation and defense needs. “The aviation of tomorrow cannot simply be declared: it must be built, industrialized, and it must happen here, in Europe. With the support of France 2030, we are reaching a major milestone. This funding allows us to move from prototype to production,” said Jean-Christophe Lambert, CEO of Ascendance.
Founded in 2018 and based in Toulouse, Ascendance targets dual civil and defense markets with STERNA-equipped solutions.