Safran Explore
Flying Experience
Unleashing the Futureof Flight
New initiative for global innovators crafting solutions to enhance the passenger experience.
Safran Explore Program Content
Safran Explore Flying Experience is a unique program that will boost the technological maturity of your project and prepare your access to future business with one of the major leader from the industry!
Secure a collaboration agreement with Safran and unlock the technical support of their experts and a direct access to a regular support with challenge leader point of contact. Participate in Safran’s strategic roadmaps for the Group’s aircraft interior activities!
This program is also a unique opportunity to be identified by Safran Corporate Ventures and to be part of their innovation roadmap.
Moreover, through business acceleration, you'll gain access to personalized office hours to expedite development and iterations, targeted lectures to enhance your skills, dedicated support from experienced mentors, exclusive pitch sessions, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Seize this chance to propel your startup to new heights by applying to our program now!
FOCUS CHALLENGES
Challenge 01
Sustainable materials & Eco-Design Tools for the aircraft cabin
Innovative materials to replace existing honeycomb sandwich panels in aircraft interiors meeting aerospace certification requirements. This new material can be raw material or semi-finite product, adaptable to many use-cases, and should have some key characteristics:
- REACH compliant materials and/or PFAS alternatives
- Light, with a high strength-to-weight ratio to enable excellent mechanical performance
- Recyclable, to be repurposed at product end-of-life
- Opportunities for minimised production times and production automation
Innovative tools to design new products in a sustainable way from sourcing to industrialisation. This tool should have some key characteristics:
- Support designers and engineers to make informed decisions for the lowest environmental impact of the final design
- Easily integrated with relevant internal (e.g. ERP) and external (e.g. LCI) databases
- Quick onboarding of teams
Challenge 02
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SMART SENSORS FOR AIRCRAFT CABIN & SEAT APPLICATIONS
Enabling predictive maintenance in the aircraft cabin and seats, thanks to autonomous and wireless innovative smart sensors. They can be applied to many use-cases (temperature, pressure, humidity, positioning etc.) in the cabin and located in hard-to-reach places. Solutions sought after should fall in one of the following categories, ideally combining all three:
1. Energy Harvester: thanks to its operating environment such as electromagnetic vibration, RFID, and others
2. Low energy data transmission: thanks to Bluetooth mesh network; one that can turn off and turn on when needed and that utilizes each smart sensor as a node
3. Packaging: solution to integrate energy harvester, sensors, and data transmission in an innovative way (e.g. MEMS)
Challenge 03
HOW TO TRANSFORM IOT DATA FROM AIRCRAFT CABINS & SEATS INTO ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS THANKS TO AI?
Generate insights and fact-based improvement decisions transforming data collected from the aircraft systems and equipment within the cabin for the different use-cases:
1. Off-board: data lakes available in a cloud infrastructure on the ground
- Implement AI algorithms to analyze system and equipment IoT data in regard to:
- system/equipment behaviour introducing predictive maintenance forecasts and system/equipment behaviour evolution;
- passengers behaviors/catering processes introducing forecasted process improvements (time of service, time of rest) improving the passenger & crew flight experience.
2. Embedded AI: data collected, processed and executed in-flight
- Introduce AI-based occupant monitoring and gesture control for passenger and crew introducing a complete touchless flight experience improving passenger health, well-being and experiences;
- Explore further AI technologies/applications to improve the cabin crew / passenger experience during flight and during turn-around/aircraft preparation/after flight checks.
Challenge 04
HOW TO IMPROVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES & DETECT DEFECTS DURING THE AIRCRAFT INTERIORS’ PART MANUFACTURING THANKS TO AI?
Improve manufacturing processes along the assembly line of aircraft interiors equipment (e.g. galleys, lavatories, etc.), up until the pre-delivery shipment of the parts to aircraft OEMs, thanks to innovative AI-enabled hardware tools (e.g. camera-based software).
This tool/system should ensure consistency in defect identification & characterisation and/or other manufacturing operations improvements.
Open application
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OPEN APPLICATION
You have developed a great technology that could support the future of the aircraft cabin or seat but does not fit with the challenges described? Take your chance!
Please note that applications from consulting or design firms will not be considered.
Who are we
looking for?
International startups and innovative SMEs with a dedicated team
Matured technology with a TRL 6+ and ready to engage a Proof of Concept
Clearly identified use cases to partner with Safran
Our mentors
You have developed a great technology that could shape the future ofpassenger experience but does not completely fit with the challenges described?
Timeline
2024
Safran Explore Flying Experience Webinar (watch the replay)
Application period closes
Pre-selection of the applications
Hybrid Jury event
Accelerator program begins
QUOTES
Calogy Solutions is proud to collaborate with Safran to improve the thermal management of zero-emission propulsion systems for future aircraft. This technologically successful collaboration also serves as a showcase for our startup in the European aerospace market. In addition to benefiting from solid technical expertise, this program gives us access to training and management tools that strengthen our processes.
The Safran H2 explore program allowed our startup to take a giant leap – most importantly, we were able to get into a close relationship with Safran. Resulting into a pilot project and the clear plan to extend collaboration, this manifests a strong pillar for the future of our company. Secondly, such program gave us opportunity to participate in several events invited by Safran and gave us access to relevant knowledge on business, legals etc.
BEHIND THE PROGRAM
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets.
Its core purpose isto contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a globalpresence, with 92 000 employees and sales of 23.2 billion euros in 2023, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its coremarkets. Safran undertakes research and development programs to maintain the environmental priorities of its R&T and innovation roadmap.
Founded in 2012, Starburst Aerospace is an innovation catalyst in the global Aerospace and Defense industry.
Combining three complementary activities—accelerators, consulting, & ventures—they help stakeholders innovate, navigate and invest in the dynamic ecosystem. With offices in Los Angeles, Paris, Munich, Singapore, Seoul, Tel Aviv, Madrid, and Washington, DC, the team has built a robust community with 60+ partners and a portfolio of 140+ startups while identifying all sources of innovation that will impact the aerospace value chain. Starburst’s leading Flagship Accelerator program helps startups scale their business in aviation, space, and defense with access to one of the largest groups of corporate representatives, government stakeholders, and private venture investors in the world.
Questions?
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us:
flyingexperience@starburst.aero