BA and Iberia parent IAG has named 29 start-ups as part of its largest ever annual cohort for its accelerator programme.

The IAGi Accelerator, which was launched in 2016 as Hangar 51, supports early stage companies with the potential to make a difference in the aviation sector.

The programme focuses on six areas including artificial intelligence (AI), automation and robotics, sustainability and mobility, experiential platforms, connectivity and next generation computing.

This year it has split the entrants into two distinct groups reflecting their readiness to deploy their solutions.

Fourteen firms are in the Deploy track, considered ready to work with IAG’s six brands, and 15 are the Discover track that focuses on : sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), carbon removals and fuel efficiency. The 29 firms are based in 11 countries.

This in the Deploy track will work on a 12-week proof-of-concept to test their solutions in operational conditions.

This year, almost all participating start-ups are developing AI technologies, ranging from computer vision for baggage tracking to AI models for optimising network planning.

IAG said the Discover cohort are “deep-tech start-ups” that will “participate in tailored sessions delivered by IAG and external experts over a six-month period, gaining valuable insights for commercialising their technologies”.

Ignacio Tovar, IAG director of innovation, said “We’re welcoming the largest-ever cohort of start-ups to the IAGi Accelerator, drawing on exceptional talent from across the world.

“We offer a unique opportunity for founders to work directly with our airlines to demonstrate the potential of their solutions.

“At its core, the accelerator exists to help scale the most impactful technologies for our industry, both today and into the future.”

Over 75% of this year’s start-ups are at pre-seed or seed stage. Previous accelerator members have gone on to extended trials or commercial contracts with our airlines, and in some cases, investment from IAG’s corporate VC, IAGi Ventures.

Since its launch in 2016, the IAGi Accelerator has supported over 120 companies. Past alumni have gone on to scale their technologies across IAG and the wider aviation industry, including Assaia, which specialises in optimising airport and airline operations using computer vision and AI, and Twelve, which has pioneered technology to turn captured CO₂ and hydrogen into sustainable aviation fuel.

The 2025 IAGi Accelerator cohort

Deploy

AISmartPlan (Australia) – Automates maintenance planning

Anyformat (Spain) – Enables the extraction and validation of data from any document via a no-code platform

Bonafide AI (US) – Enables businesses to adapt to generative and agentic commerce

Cosmofoil (Sweden) – Optimises airline network planning and routes using AI and natural language processing

DAITY (Canada) – Leverages AI to synthesise insights from fragmented and proxy data sources for risk management

Evolinq (Israel) – Supports procurement through AI agents for supplier communication and collaboration

INPUTSOFT (US) – Optimises crew rostering for airport ground operations

Journey Robotics (US) – Enables baggage loading using a robotic arm

PixoAnalytics (Germany) – Improves baggage traceability using machine vision

Pzartech (Israel) – Streamlines parts management during maintenance and overhaul operations

Responsibly (Denmark) – Improves environmental, social and governance due diligence using AI

Signapse (UK) – Provides live AI-powered Sign Language translation at scale

Transreport (UK) – Enhances transport accessibility through smart passenger assistance solutions

VegaSpark (France) – Identifies airport slot swap opportunities

Discover

Aether Fuels (US) – Converts waste carbon into drop‑in liquid fuels using electrified reactors and novel catalysts

Airhive (UK) – Deploys modular, fluidisation‑based direct air capture systems to remove CO₂

Ampaire (US) – Develops hybrid-electric technologies for an electric aviation future

CERT Systems (Canada) – Converts CO₂ to ethylene, which can be converted to sustainable aviation fuel

Circularity Fuels (US) – Converts biogas from waste streams into sustainable aviation fuel using electrified reactors

Feynman Dynamics (China) – Transforms CO₂ into sustainable aviation fuels using electrochemistry

Kairos Carbon (UK) – Converts low‑quality organic waste into durable carbon removal with environmental co-benefits

Ki Hydrogen (UK) – Generates green hydrogen and biogenic CO₂ from biomass using energy‑efficient biomass electrolysers

Liquid Sun (Finland) – Produces power‑to‑liquid sustainable aviation fuels using renewable energy

Lydian (US) – Converts CO₂ into sustainable aviation fuel using electrified reactors compatible with intermittent renewable energy

Mission Zero Technologies (UK) – Removes CO₂ via electrochemical direct air capture

Neela Biotech (UK) – Produces fuel from waste using AI and synthetic biology, leveraging existing biogas and HEFA refinery infrastructure

neo‑fossil (UK) – Engineers microbial cells to capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide

Oleo (US) – Converts waste biomass to HEFA feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuel production

Sora Fuel (US) – Combines carbon capture and utilisation into a single process, reducing the energy required to produce sustainable aviation fuel