Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has signed strategic agreements with France’s Ascendence and Italy’s Manta Aircraft on setting up operations in Abu Dhabi, in a further boost to the emirate’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster.
The agreements mark the latest milestone in Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a global capital for advanced urban mobility. This strategic partnership between ADIO and Ascendance will also explore how to leverage Abu Dhabi’s existing industrial ecosystem as part of the upcoming industrial setup and in-service partners of ATEA.
Centered in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s fully integrated SAVI cluster provides state-of-the-art facilities, services, and regulatory framework to enable the design, testing, and manufacturing of applications for transportation and mobility on air, land, and sea, as well as to service other sectors such as logistics.
Mr. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, said that, “Attracting innovators from across the world, Abu Dhabi’s SAVI cluster is ready to expand the frontiers of air mobility. ADIO looks forward to welcoming Ascendence and Manta Aircraft to Abu Dhabi, further strengthening the Emirate’s position as a global center for urban mobility innovation.”
According to the statement, “Manta Aircraft intends to relocate its operations to the SAVI cluster and establish a facility to manufacture three aircraft models derived from a common platform on eV/STOL technology offering long-range capabilities at high speeds and independence from ground infrastructure.”
The company is also in discussion with Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) to co-develop a hybrid propulsion system for integration into its products and for sale to other businesses.
Mr. Jean-Christophe Lambert, Ascendance’s CEO, said that “this strategic partnership shows Ascendance’s ambition at an international scale. We were very impressed by the strong willingness of the UAE and the SAVI cluster to be at the forefront of new, and more sustainable aerial mobility. We are thrilled to be part of this initiative. ADIO and Ascendance share a common vision about making efficient, quiet, and more sustainable regional connections thanks to ATEA performance.”
