AIIR Innovations acquired by Pratt & Whitney: from UvA research project to international exit

US engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (part of RTX) acquired AIIR Innovations. With this move, the engine giant is bringing in AI expertise to enable smarter maintenance and more efficient use of assets. 

SHIFT invest was the first investor of AIIR Innovations (invested trough Mainport Innovation Fund II). This exit makes a textbook example of how the Dutch innovation ecosystem can work. 

For Pratt & Whitney, part of Raytheon’s Technologies (RTX, one of the world’s largest aerospace groups), the deal is part of the digitalisation race in aircraft maintenance. AIIR’s smart software uses AI to analyse inspection camera images (borescope) of aircraft engines and automatically detects cracks or wear and tear. This drastically speeds up inspections and reduces downtime from many hours to a fraction of that, delivering significant time savings to customers alongside improved inspection quality.  

Textbook example of how the Dutch ecosystem creates innovation  
AIIR Innovations was founded in 2016 by five AI students from the University of Amsterdam, who built a proof-of-concept for automated engine inspection during a study project at KLM's maintenance division. KLM was closely involved as launching customer from the very start, providing the data and test environment needed to develop the product. The first institutional investment came in 2019 from Mainport Innovation Fund II, one of the second-edition funds managed by SHIFT Invest, which helped AIIR scale with both capital and business expertise. It is a clear example of innovation grown from within the ecosystem: university, corporate, government, and venture capital working together to create business success and industrial innovation. 

From start-up to international player 
In the years that followed, AIIR won international customers — from airlines and leasing companies to engine manufacturers and maintenance providers. In 2023, investors Borski Fund (NL) and Hearst Ventures (US) joined with €2.1 million in additional growth capital to help further professionalize the company and accelerate sales. 

Scaling smarter aircraft maintenance globally 
Under Pratt & Whitney's wings, AIIR can roll out its software far more widely across the global aviation market — and potentially in other sectors beyond it. AIIR will remain on Dutch soil, strengthening Pratt & Whitney's Dutch footprint, which already includes a European Technology & Innovation Center in Houten. Combining Pratt & Whitney's deep domain expertise with AIIR's AI-driven inspection tools promises faster, more efficient engine maintenance worldwide.