After an exclusive negotiation process that began in June, Preligens - a leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for aerospace and defense - has joined Safran. The acquisition of Preligens was finalized for an enterprise value of €220 million. The company will be renamed Safran.AI and will become part of Safran Electronics & Defense.

Founded in 2016, Preligens provides field-proven AI analytics solutions for high-resolution imagery, full motion video and acoustic signals. The company develops complex algorithms and software to analyze and automatically detect and identify objects of military interest notably using commercial and government satellite imagery. Its unique AI Factory allows the development, production and integration of state-of-the-art AI algorithms trained on massive amounts of data from multiple sources and sensors with end-to-end security and traceability.

With this alliance, Safran Electronics & Defense, a recognized expert in optronics, space communications and inertial navigation, further demonstrates its commitment to AI.

Thanks to Preligens’ solutions, this alliance will enable Safran Electronics & Defense to accelerate the development of AI in its products and services. For surveillance and identification in defense and space, for example, AI will provide reliable information and decision support for operators. With its international presence, Safran will also support Preligens’ development worldwide, especially in the US market.

This alliance will also enable Safran to accelerate its digital transformation roadmap, notably by diversifying Preligens’ AI solutions to apply them to Industry 4.0. For example, automated AI-powered image analytics can assist quality controllers in charge of inspecting critical parts by using digital imagery to help identify anomalies.

Jean-Yves Courtois, CEO of Preligens, commented: “Joining Safran marks a new stage in Preligens’ development. We’re proud to be helping create a world-class AI center of expertise for one of the flagships of French industry. The many synergies with Safran will enable us to develop new AI product lines and accelerate our international expansion, which is excellent news for our business and our people.”

Franck Saudo, CEO of Safran Electronics & Defense, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Preligens to the Group. We recognize how far their teams have already come, and we’re proud to now be working with them to help further develop their AI solutions. By combining our strengths, we’re determined not only to support the development of Preligens’ AI solutions, but also to jointly open up entirely new areas of AI application in aviation, defense and space.”

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 92 000 employees and sales of 23.2 billion euros in 2023, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.

Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers on-board intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, to reduce mental load and to guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.

Preligens was founded in 2016 by two French engineers, Arnaud Guérin and Renaud Allioux, on the belief that without the contribution of artificial intelligence, intelligence professionals would no longer be able to cope with the exponential flow of defense and intelligence data, especially those made available by the significant investments made each year in sensors. Preligens is now a global leader in artificial intelligence for geospatial data in aerospace, defense, and government applications.

Based in Paris, Rennes, and Washington D.C. (USA), Preligens counts over 220 employees, forming the largest AI team on high-end vision and acoustics in the Western world. The performance and precision of Preligens’ solutions are internationally recognized and field-proven, enabling users to apprehend and understand complex operational situations at the speed of need.