Pelico Partners with AE Ventures for A&D Manufacturing Growth

Pelico, a specialist in AI-driven manufacturing orchestration, has secured a strategic investment from AE Ventures, the venture capital arm of AE Industrial Partners. This infusion of capital and strategic partnership is designed to significantly accelerate Pelico's expansion within the demanding aerospace and defense (A&D) sector, particularly across North America. The announcement, made at the Farnborough International Airshow, signals a concerted effort to address critical execution challenges in a market grappling with substantial order backlogs and intricate supply chains.

The collaboration extends beyond mere financial backing. By integrating Pelico directly into the A&D ecosystem through AE Ventures' extensive network of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, and operators—including AE Industrial Partners' own portfolio companies—the partnership aims to provide Pelico with unparalleled market access. This strategic alignment is crucial for a sector where operational efficiency directly impacts national security and global readiness. The A&D industry, valued at over $1.5 trillion globally, is experiencing unprecedented demand, making advanced manufacturing solutions like Pelico's increasingly vital.

Pelico's platform offers a unified operational view for factory teams, enabling them to proactively identify potential disruptions, prioritize critical tasks, and execute responses in hours rather than weeks. This capability is particularly impactful in the A&D industry, where precision and timeliness are paramount. Early adopters, including industry giants like Boeing, Safran, and Daikin, have reportedly seen substantial improvements after deploying Pelico. These benefits include an average 40% reduction in parts shortages, a 15% uplift in on-time delivery rates, and a 40% decrease in production cycle times, metrics that underscore the platform's tangible impact on factory floor performance.

The application of Pelico's technology is also proving instrumental in the complex realm of aerospace sustainment. Boeing Global Services, for instance, is leveraging Pelico to synchronize planning, supply chain, and execution teams. This integration creates a shared operational picture essential for managing intricate maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations, directly contributing to fleet readiness. The MRO market within aerospace is projected to grow significantly, driven by an aging global aircraft fleet, further highlighting the strategic importance of Pelico's solutions.

Tarik Benabdallah, CEO and co-founder of Pelico, emphasized the critical nature of factory floor execution in the aerospace ramp-up. He stated, "Partnering with AE Ventures plugs Pelico into the heart of the aerospace and defense ecosystem and gives us the reach to scale across North America. From production to sustainment—including work already underway with Boeing Global Services—this is a partnership to help the industry deliver." This sentiment was echoed by Tyler Rowe, Partner at AE Ventures, who noted, "The bottleneck in aerospace today is execution—turning order books into deliveries. Pelico has proven with the industry’s most demanding manufacturers that orchestration moves the needle where it counts. We’re backing the team and partnering to bring the platform across our network."

AE Industrial Partners, with approximately $9.0 billion in assets under management, brings deep sector expertise and a robust network to this collaboration. Their focus on national security, aerospace, and industrial services aligns perfectly with Pelico's target market. This strategic investment from AE Ventures is poised to enhance Pelico's ability to serve the highly specialized needs of A&D manufacturers, driving greater efficiency and resilience in a sector critical to global infrastructure and defense.