Elixir Aircraft raises €45m as it eyes US expansion
This funding will enable the French OEM to accelerate its expansion internationally, particularly in the US, and to launch Equinox, a programme for an all-new aircraft.
Elixir Aircraft has raised €45m ($51.5m) in a funding round led by Bpifrance’s SPI (Sociétés de Projets Industriels) Fund, managed on behalf of the French Government.
The French administration has made the investment as part of the France 2030 investment plan, other investors include Odyssée Venture and long-standing shareholder Innovacom (Turenne Group).
Arthur Léopold-Léger, co-founder and president of Elixir Aircraft said: “This funding round marks a new milestone in Elixir Aircraft’s development. We are staying the course we set for ourselves, and the results achieved demonstrate the relevance of our strategy, at a time when the global need to renew training fleets is increasingly clear. I would like to warmly thank all our teams and financial partners — both those who have supported us since the very beginning of the adventure and those joining us today — for their trust and commitment alongside us.”
This funding will enable the French OEM to accelerate its expansion internationally, particularly in the US, and to launch Equinox, a programme for an all-new aircraft.
Having produced 16 aircraft in the first half of 2026, the manufacturer has already built more aircraft than it did during the whole of 2025. Today, 60 Elixir aircraft are flying across Europe—in France, the UK, Spain, Portugal and Greece—and the first Elixir flight in the US took place in June. Its goal is to reach an industrial capacity of five aircraft per month.
While its current industrial operations are spread across Périgny, where the wings are manufactured, Aytré, where the factory opened in 2024 produces composite parts (fuselages and flight control surfaces) and the final assembly line at La Rochelle Airport, the company’s existing production footprint is approaching full capacity. Therefore Elixir Aircraft is preparing to consolidate its manufacturing operations into a single production site.
Since the 2024 funding round, nearly 100 new employees have joined the company, bringing its total workforce to almost 250. Elixir Aircraft continues to recruit to support its next phase of growth, particularly for production roles at its La Rochelle facilities and to expand its support team in Sarasota, Florida, USA.
The funding round will also accelerate international commercial development. Priority is being given to the US market, where the Sarasota site is starting operations with an initial spare parts inventory and a support team. The company also intends to strengthen its presence in Asia, particularly in the Indian market.
The funding will also enable the launch of a new aircraft programme. Named Equinox, it represents the natural next step in the Elixir product line. Larger and designed to meet the needs of flight training organisations, it will build on the same technological foundations as the current Elixir. More details about this new aircraft will be announced in the coming months.
Jean-Philippe Richard, deputy director of Bpifrance’s SPI Fund said: “We are delighted to support Elixir Aircraft in this new phase of its development. This transaction reflects the SPI Fund’s mission: to support the industrial scaling of high-potential innovative companies that strengthen the sovereignty and competitiveness of the French aerospace industry. With its industrial momentum already well underway and a growing base of recognised customers across Europe, Elixir Aircraft has strong assets to establish itself as a leading player in the professional pilot training market and contribute to the renewal of training fleets worldwide.”