Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage and our environment. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked startups developing sustainable airplane fuel solutions.
Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 Top Airplane Fuel Solutions out of 178
The insights of this data-driven analysis are derived from the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 2.093.000+ startups & scaleups globally. The platform gives you an exhaustive overview of emerging technologies & relevant startups within a specific field in just a few clicks.
The Global Startup Heat Map below reveals the distribution of the 178 exemplary startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research. Further, it highlights 5 startups that we hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. You get to explore the solutions of these 5 startups & scaleups in this report. For insights on the other 173 airplane fuel solutions, get in touch.
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SYLPHAERO develops Electric Jet Engines
Primarily stored in batteries, electricity as a fuel is gaining more ground in the transport industry due to its sustainability benefits over fossil fuels. The aviation sector, seeking to decrease the emissions from air transport, adopts electricity as well. Startups develop electric batteries, solar cells, propulsion systems, and electric engines to facilitate the adoption of electricity as an airplane fuel.
French startup SYLPHAERO works on electric jet engines for subsonic and supersonic planes, as well as for helicopters and ships. The startup’s technology efficiently converts electricity into heat, enabling flight at low temperatures. The power-to-weight ratio of the startup’s jet engine makes it a competitive option compared to conventional kerosine engines and hydrogen jet engines.
Hydrogen First works on Hydrogen Storage
The aviation industry has been successfully reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from efficient operations and engines. However, the increase in the air traffic volumes significantly overwhelms the efficiency gains, prompting the industry to seek more sustainable fuels. The high energy density and lower weight of hydrogen fuel cells give hydrogen as an aviation fuel a significant benefit over battery-electric systems. Consequently, researchers, startups, and major companies are working on the application of hydrogen for combustion and fuel cell electrification.
Polish startup Hydrogen First develops flat composite containers for hydrogen storage. Suitable for gaseous, liquified, and supercritical states of hydrogen, the startup’s containers utilize the pressure inside the flat shape to provide hydrogen to power the airplane. The flat structure allows for the installation of the containers in the wings, floor, or fuselage of the plane, ensuring a significant volume of stored hydrogen onboard.
MANTA AIRCRAFT offers Hybrid-Electric Aircrafts
Complete electrification of air travel promises to significantly reduce flight-related emissions. However, current battery technologies require further improvements in capacity and weight to carry out long-distance flights. Therefore, startups work on hybrid propulsion solutions that increase aircrafts’ range and endurance.
Swiss startup MANTA AIRCRAFT develops hybrid-electric aircrafts. The startup’s vertical and short take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircrafts use a generator run by a gas turbine for electricity production. The hybrid system eliminates the need to recharge a battery to fly and increases the aircrafts’ range.
Rocky Mountain GTL converts Natural Gas Liquids into Synthetic Fuels
The decarbonization of the aviation industry through electrification and the application of hydrogen needs the development of new infrastructure. While this is a long-term goal, the industry develops cleaner substitutes to fossil jet fuels as a more immediate solution. Startups work on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), leveraging solutions such as power-to-liquid (PTL) or gas-to-liquid (GTL).
Canadian startup Rocky Mountain GTL converts natural gas liquids into synthetic fuels. The startup designs, constructs, and operates modular Fischer-Tropsch GTL plants. By utilizing the feedstock-flexible Enhanced GTL (EGTL) technology, it converts natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) into diesel, naphtha, and jet fuels.
Tessomo Technologies advances Waste-to-Fuel Solutions
Agricultural and industrial waste streams represent a low-cost source for sustainable fuels. Startups advance waste conversion solutions and continuously integrate new feedstock materials into the SAF supply chain. The utilization of waste for fuel production both introduces new waste management processes and advances the sustainable aviation fuel portfolio.
Irish startup Tessomo Technologies produces sustainable aviation fuels from plastic waste. Leveraging hydrocarbon polymer decomposition technology, the startup converts plastic waste into valuable fuels and other byproducts. Tessomo Technologies implements efficient waste management practices, transforming over 90% of plastic waste into automotive and aviation fuels, cooking gas, naphtha, and electricity.
Discover More Startups
Startups such as the examples highlighted in this report focus on electrification, shared mobility, as well as renewables. While all of these technologies play a major role in advancing sustainability, they only represent the tip of the iceberg. To explore more technologies, simply get in touch to let us look into your areas of interest. For a more general overview, you can download one of our free Industry Innovation Report to save your time and improve strategic decision-making.
