Feb 25 (Reuters) - Aerospace startup Salient Motion said on Wednesday it had secured its first production contract, supplying Italian seat-maker Aviointeriors with systems that move high-end business-
Aerospace Startup Salient Motion Wins First Production Deal with Aviointeriors
Salient Motion’s First Production Contract
Feb 25 (Reuters) - Aerospace startup Salient Motion said on Wednesday it had secured its first production contract, supplying Italian seat-maker Aviointeriors with systems that move high-end business-class seats from upright to lie-flat positions.
Founded by former employees of defense contractor Anduril, the Torrance, California-based company aims to shorten the time needed to design, certify and deliver complex parts by reusing software and hardware building blocks across products.
Scope, Seat Counts and Timeline
The contract is modest - covering actuator systems for a few hundred seats to be installed by two airlines on narrowbody Airbus and Boeing jets from late 2026 or early 2027, Chief Executive Vishaal Mali told Reuters in an interview.
Strategy: Path to Major OEM Programs
But it marks a start toward the company's goal of becoming a major supplier on the next new aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, he said.
Seat Actuators as Supply-Chain Entry
Salient Motion identified seat actuators as an entry point into the supply chain, Mali said. The systems are complex, dominated by a small group of suppliers, and increasingly important as airlines rely on higher-revenue premium seating.
Eight Million Seats, $52B Over 10 Years
Aircraft Seat Market Outlook
Airlines are expected to need more than eight million seats over the next decade, a business worth $52 billion over 10 years, according to a study by Tronos Aviation Consultancy and AeroDynamic Advisory.
Boeing Ventures Collaboration
Investors: Cantos, Andreessen Horowitz
Funding and Partnerships
Salient Motion has raised $16 million from investors including Cantos Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. It also began collaborating with Boeing Ventures, the aerospace giant's investment arm, last year.
Anduril Trade-Secret Dispute and Resolution
In 2023, Salient Motion was sued by Anduril, which accused its founders of stealing trade secrets. The two companies reached a settlement in 2024.
Defense Pipeline: Components on Drones
Alongside the Aviointeriors contract, Salient Motion also has components on military drones in development, Mali said.
(Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle. Editing by Mark Potter)
