Qantas and Airbus have announced a joint investment of AUD 15 million (USD 9 million) in Climate Tech Partners (CTP), a climate-focused venture capital fund, aimed at advancing the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and related decarbonisation technologies.
The announcement was made in Sydney by Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus, and Fiona Messent, Chief Sustainability Officer at Qantas.
The investment will fund a dedicated vehicle within CTP to focus on early-stage technologies across the SAF value chain, including fuel production, feedstock innovation, and associated infrastructure. The initiative is designed to support the scaling of low-carbon aviation solutions, particularly within Australia.
Kitcher said: “Decarbonising aviation at speed and scale requires bold action and collaboration across sectors – from airlines, manufacturers and airports to regulators, governments and investors. 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.”
The funding is part of the US$200 million Qantas–Airbus partnership established in 2022 to accelerate SAF production. CTP will invest on behalf of the two companies into both local and international start-ups, with the option for Qantas and Airbus to pursue direct follow-on investments as technologies mature.
Messent said: “Sustainable aviation fuel is the most effective tool we have to decarbonise aviation and, with Airbus, we’re investing significantly in ways to make it more available and accessible.”
“As well as funding, 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.”
She added that building a domestic SAF industry would also bring broader benefits: “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.”
Patrick Sieb, Co-Founder of Climate Tech Partners, said the collaboration would enhance CTP’s ability to assess and support SAF start-ups. “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.”
Climate Tech Partners focuses on scalable Series A investments across energy, transport and industrial sectors. Its model emphasises active collaboration with corporate partners to guide investment decisions and provide support to portfolio companies. The new SAF-focused vehicle will operate alongside CTP’s existing main fund.
