That's all right, ain't it? 'What's this, boss?' Try and guess, Voice. 'A PR email?' Congratulations! 'Yippee! Do I win a Jammie Dodger?' No. No, you don't.
I'm not made of Jammie Dodgers. Besides, I don't eat snacks no more.
Anyway ...
Ascendance Flight Technologies is a Toulouse-based company developing ATEA, a vertical take-off and landing aircraft powered by STERNA, its proprietary hybrid-electric technology stack. It provides the technologies that can empower aircraft manufacturers to reduce the environmental impact of future aircraft generations. Thanks to the unique experience of its former Airbus E-Fan program team who achieved the first electric flight over the Channel, Ascendance Flight Technologies aims to be a leader in designing a new era of sustainable aviation.
Er ... wasn't our Elon supposed to be doing something like this? Never mind. 'How is Elon these days, boss?' I don't know.
Actually, didn't those guys pay a fortune recently to go up in one of his rockets? 'What guys?' Er ... the guys who went up in the rocket. 'I don't know.' Well, I think it cost them a lot more than $500,000, which is supposed to be the future cost of a ticket to Mars. 'Yeah, yeah.'
Anyway ...
Ascendance Flight Technologies has announced it has closed a €10M funding round backed by Habert Dassault Finance, Celeste Management, M Capital, Kima Ventures and IRDI. The round also includes some senior leaders from the industry and international entrepreneurs.
International entrepreneurs? Wow!
Putting the company on the right financial track to certification and commercialization, Ascendance has attracted top tier financial investors. This successful funding round follows the announcement of the high-profile board: former Safran Chairman Jean-Paul Herteman, former Executive Committee member at Renault Jean-Christophe Kugler, and former Head of the Airbus E-Aircraft Program Agnès Plagneux-Bertrand.
Oh. I've never heard of them, ever, but I'm sure they're great guys and a girl. 'Are you sure, boss?' Well ... 'Did they go up in the rocket?' No.
[What's he talking about?]
Anyway ...
With the injection of funds, the company plans to expand its product development capabilities, notably through demonstrators. According to Jean-Christophe Lambert, co-founder and CEO of Ascendance Flight Technologies, "This successful round of funding will allow us to focus on fullscale prototypes and patents in order to accelerate the development and industrialization of our technologies and products. We will also continue to recruit the best talents to shape a team that will impact tomorrow’s clean aviation. So far, we are on schedule in the development of our disruptive hybrid-electric technologies. Recent technological achievements, our endorsement by renowned industrial figures such as our Board members and Robert Lafontan, the signing of a longtime partnership with Capgemini Engineering and successful testing campaigns confirms that the company is on the right track."
Fair enough.
Jean-Christophe took me by surprise there. I wasn't expecting a voice. I like to introduce them a bit, you know? Build up the excitement, as it were. But never mind. 'You should have a Jammie Dodger, to take your mind off it.' What?! I'm feeling okay, Voice. I've got a sandwich for lunch, and a yoghurt. Although I'm wondering if I should switch to Cup a Soups after all.
The start-up, created in 2018, was founded by four former team members of the E-Fan Program, who thanks to this initial and enriching experience in all-battery electric aviation were able to acknowledge at firsthand the limitations of full-battery systems for commercial operations. Confronted with the lack of sustainable solutions in aeronautics, they were convinced electric-hybrid propulsion to be the appropriate response. Their vision became ATEA, a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL), and STERNA, its proprietary hybrid technology stack. The first public flights of the aircraft are scheduled for 2024, using the occasion of the Paris Olympics.
Oh, okay.
Anyway ...
Oh, ENDS.
...
Anything else?
Ha! You would love it if there were something else, wouldn't you, kook(s)?
Jesus.
I can't think of anything else.
'Say something motivational!'
Oh, Christ.
Okay, okay. When you've got a long-term goal that is dragging on for years and years, it's easy to become discouraged, BUT(!) ... rather than give up, the best thing to do is to slow down occasionally. There have been times when I haven't played my guitar much, or I've stopped doing that vocal exercise. That's all right, man.
Lately, I've been working quite hard because of two things: My Mighty Soul song, and my new improved voice. I'm on a higher level now. Reaching a higher level will re-motivate you, you dig?
'Nice one, boss! Especially about me.'
I didn't say anything about you.
Laters.
