Smarter and greener aviation supported by ESA BIC UK

(Credit: Photobank gallery/Shutterstock)

Satavia makes aviation ‘smarter’ and greener by providing environmental data and analytics that can be used by aircraft operators, manufacturers and maintenance companies to reduce damage to aircraft engines and components. Its DecisionX platform enables operators to modify flight plans to extend engine lifetimes and manufacturers to optimise engine performance and maintenance operations, saving millions of pounds per engine and reducing carbon emissions.

The challenge

Satavia was founded in 2013 by Adam Durant, who had recognised a business opportunity in providing avionics companies with data on aircraft exposure to damaging contaminants in the atmosphere, including dust, corrosive pollution, ice, sea salt, and volcanic ash. Satavia successfully bid for European Space Agency ARTES funding, and the team was keen to gain more external input to move the business forward and identified that the ESA BIC programme could provide that, both in terms of funding and business expertise.

The business mentoring support from the ESA BIC UK, and having access to the Harwell network and its space ecosystem, was invaluable - it really is very good for start-ups. And a lot of opportunities come from the activities of the ESA BIC UK’s Operations Manager, even after you’ve left the programme as an alumnus.

Adam Durant, Founder, Satavia

The solution

Business mentoring by the ESA BIC UK team
Connection to the Satellite Applications Catapult, including marketing support
Networking opportunities across Harwell Campus, in particular through the Harwell Space Cluster
Funding of €50,000

The benefits

Since graduating from the ESA BIC UK, Satavia has grown its team from 3 to 18 people across its original Cambridge site, and at a new office in Paris as part of Microsoft’s AI Factory. There it has developed a significant relationship with one of the major companies Satavia originally connected with at Harwell while at the ESA BIC UK. In November 2019, it launched an 18-month, €1.9 million demonstration project backed by ESA and the UK Space Agency, and it has recently received a £1 million equity investment. The business now has three blue chip customers and one patent, with six more in progress. Its continuing success has led to Satavia being a finalist and highly commended in numerous competitions and awards.

Satavia case study (PDF, 167 KB)

Last updated: 07 September 2020