Tikehau Capital has completed the sale of its stake in Preligens, a global artificial intelligence (AI) firm specializing in the aerospace and defense sector, to Safran for an enterprise value of €220 million. Following an exclusive negotiation process that began in June 2024, Tikehau Capital is divesting its stake in Preligens to Safran.
According to the asset manager, Preligens, founded in 2016 by two French engineers, offers field-tested AI analysis solutions for high-end imagery, full-motion video, and acoustic signals. “Tikehau Capital’s investment in November 2020 has been pivotal in accelerating Preligens’ growth, which has seen its revenues increase tenfold (from €3 million to nearly €30 million), expanded its operations in the U.S. and Asia, and now employs around 250 people, including 140 R&D engineers,” they noted.
This sale marks the first divestment of Brienne III, the Group’s first private equity fund dedicated to cybersecurity. According to the asset manager, this strategy has raised nearly €4001 million across its two funds and has now invested €150 million in 16 companies, including Trustpair, Chapsvision, and Egerie in France, and VMRay in Germany.