Qantas and Airbus tip $15 million into VC Climate Tech Partners for aviation emissions reduction startups

Qantas and European plane manufacturer Airbus have jointly committed to invest AUD$15 million into local VC Climate Tech Partners (CTP), in the hope it will accelerate the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other aviation decarbonisation solutions.

Qantas is using the Airbus A350-1000 for its “Project Sunrise”, with plans to launch non-stop flights to London and New York from Sydney in mid-2026, amid a fleet upgrade that include the Airbus A321XLR arriving within months.

The duo set up a US$200 million partnership in 2022 to help accelerate SAF production and will invest from that fund.

Airbus Chief Sustainability Office Julie Kitcher and Qantas Chief Sustainability Officer Fiona Messent said they chose CTP because it works closely with corporate partners to identify and support technology solutions for aviation.

They hope the initiative will help bridge a gap the aviation giants identified between early-stage climate technologies and at-scale commercial production in Australia.

“Decarbonising aviation at speed and scale requires bold action and collaboration across sectors – from airlines, manufacturers and airports to regulators, governments and investors,” Kitcher said.

“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.”

Climate Tech Partners cofounders Tom Kline and Patrick Sieb.

The investment focus will be on technologies for SAF production, feedstock development and other value-chain innovations and will sit alongside Climate Tech Partner’s main fund.

CTP has 12 partners – leaders in sectors ranging from energy generation to infrastructure – to provide mentorship and strategic guidance to enable further collaboration.

CTP will invest on behalf of Qantas and Airbus into leading local and global startups focused on SAF and other innovative technologies. The airline and plane builder will also have the option to explore further follow-on and direct investments to support the deployment of those startup solutions in real-world Australian projects.

Fiona Messent from Qantas said sustainable aviation fuel is the most effective tool they have to decarbonise aviation.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

CTP invests globally, primarily at the Series A stage, across the energy & power, transport & logistics, and industrials & resources.The BESEN Family Office is an investor in both Climate Tech Partners and CTP main fund.

Cofounder Patrick Sieb said: “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.”