Safran has completed the $243 million purchase of artificial intelligence (AI) French-firm Preligens following a negotiation process that began in June 2024.
As part of the agreement, Preligens will be renamed Safran.AI and will become part of Safran Electronics & Defense.
Announcing the multi-million-dollar deal on September 2, 2024, Safran said the new “alliance will enable Safran Electronics & Defense to accelerate the development of AI in its products and services”.
According to Safran, Preligens “provides AI analytics solutions for high-resolution imagery, full motion video and acoustic signals” and “develops complex algorithms and software to analyze and automatically detect and identify objects of military interest notably using commercial and government satellite imagery”.
“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,” Jean-Yves Courtois, CEO of Preligens, said.
The CEO of Safran Electronics & Defense, Franck Saudo, said that he was “delighted” to welcome Preligens to the company.
“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,” Saudo added.