Best Aviation IT Companies in California, United States
The 84 best Aviation IT companies in California, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: FLYR.
Ranked: Best Aviation IT companies in California
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FLYR Developer of an AI-powered platform for travel and transportation industries 50Funding top 17%Moat top 41%Market top 43%Tech top 45% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 17% Moattop 41% Markettop 43% Techtop 45% AItop 45% Talentbottom 49% Growthbottom 40% Globalbottom 39% Innovationbottom 32% Patentsbottom 28% Newsbottom 22% Funding: Raised $375M across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 5 yrs (1.2/yr) Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 6/10 · IP moat: 3 patents rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $375M | 22 mo ago | 598 | 2013 | Alex Mans Founder & CEO | WordPressSentryMySQL+32 | 3 patents E‑commerce price‑protection and product conversion verification systems | — |
| 2 | Airspace Offers web-based cargo management solutions for the air logistics industry | $138M | 48 mo ago | 117 | 2016 | Ryan Rusnak Co-Founder & CTO | HubSpot CMS HubSalesforceTwitch Player+21 | 2 patents Supply chain logistics software and medical‑grade surgical drape manufacturing | — |
| 3 | Row44 Aircraft broadband connectivity provider | $103M | 168 mo ago | 25 | 2004 | John Guidon ex-CEO | — | — | — |
| 4 | Portside Cloud-based aircraft management systems 62News top 24%Funding top 25%Growth top 28%Partners top 31% All 11 signals ▾Newstop 24% Fundingtop 25% Growthtop 28% Partnerstop 31% Moattop 39% Techtop 40% Producttop 43% Innovationtop 45% Talenttop 46% Marketbottom 49% Globalbottom 36% News: 6 BI events in 12 mo (of 19 tracked, 4 types) · +100% YoY Funding: Raised $70.0M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 5 yrs (0.4/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $70M | 3 mo ago | 111 | 2017 | Alek Strygin Co-Founder | Apple iCloud MailGoogle WorkspacePython+20 | — | — |
| 5 | Airspace Intelligence Provider of AI-enabled operational data analytics solutions for airlines | $34M | 30 mo ago | 74 | 2018 | Lucas Kukielka Co-Founder & VP Product Engineering | WebflowApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+13 | — | — |
| 6 | Gordian Provides web-based ancillary solutions for airlines & travel agencies | $33M | 47 mo ago | 47 | 2017 | Stephen Grabowski Co-Founder & CEO | WebflowVimeoGSAP+15 | — | — |
| 7 | Surf Air Platform offering providing private arline services 78Tech top 13%Fin. health top 19%Funding top 26%Growth top 27% All 11 signals ▾Techtop 13% Fin. healthtop 19% Fundingtop 26% Growthtop 27% Producttop 29% Innovationtop 33% Talenttop 38% Moatbottom 41% Globalbottom 39% Marketbottom 38% Newsbottom 24% Tech: 85 technologies across 6/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon S3 Fin. health: Revenue ~$119M · Revenue +97% YoY rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 78/100 | $25M | 7 mo ago | 13 | 2012 | Liam Fayed Co-founder & Chief Brand Officer | WordPressApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+43 | — | — |
| 8 | Lumexis Entertainment systems for airplanes | $15M | 198 mo ago | 68 | 2003 | — | — | 36 patents Fiber‑optic serial networking infrastructure for aircraft in‑flight entertainment distribution | — |
| 9 | Farcast Provider of end-to-end cargo management solutions | $12M | 66 mo ago | 18 | 2016 | — | — | 2 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | — |
| 10 | Hamilton Provider of AI-based solutions for private aviation and marketing analytics 42Moat top 29%Patents top 31%Funding top 37%Innovation top 42% All 9 signals ▾Moattop 29% Patentstop 31% Fundingtop 37% Innovationtop 42% AItop 45% Globaltop 49% Talentbottom 49% Techbottom 44% Marketbottom 30% Moat: IP moat: 127 patents · 9 curated direct competitors tracked Patents: 127 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 18 filings since 2022 vs 86 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 42/100 | $10M | 3 mo ago | — | 2024 | Wouter Witvoet Founder & CEO | WebflowApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+16 | 126 patents Automated laboratory pipetting devices and interchangeable tip couplers for liquid handling. | — |
| 11 | Moonware Automated ground operation systems for the aviation industry | $10M | 27 mo ago | 11 | 2020 | Saunon Malekshahi Founder & CTO | — | 5 patents Autonomous electric aircraft for aviation applications | — |
| 12 | SkySelect Provider of an AI-powered platform for aircraft parts procurement and sourcing 50Talent top 28%Funding top 36%AI top 45%News top 46% All 8 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 36% AItop 45% Newstop 46% Moattop 48% Techbottom 46% Globalbottom 43% Marketbottom 38% Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $9.0M across 1 rounds · 1 rounds over 1 yrs (1.0/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $9M | 3 mo ago | 56 | 2011 | Rain Opik Co-Founder | PrismicNode.jsAmazon Web Services+14 | — | 1 job opening · 2 partnerships |
| 13 | Airborne Wireless Network Airborne broadband network using commercial aircraft as mini-satellites | $6M | 104 mo ago | 7 | 2011 | Michael Warren CEO | — | — | — |
| 14 | Thompson Aerospace Aircraft tracking and in-flight infotainment suite | $2M | 187 mo ago | 18 | 2007 | Mark Thompson Founder & CEO | — | — | — |
| 15 | Vessix Virtual Payment Solution for the aviation industry | $1M | 121 mo ago | 10 | 2011 | Chris Bridges CEO & Co-Founder | — | 2 patents Patents concentrated in health & consumer products | — |
| 16 | Enhanced Radar A technology company developing AI-powered solutions to augment air traffic control services | $500K | 15 mo ago | — | 2024 | Eric Button Co-Founder & CEO | — | — | — |
| 17 | Gander Provider of AI-powered customer self-service solution for airlines | $500K | 24 mo ago | — | 2024 | Arjan Guglani Founder | — | — | — |
| 18 | Farel Airline reservation software | $150K | 69 mo ago | 20 | 2020 | — | TurbopackFirebaseSentry+17 | — | — |
| 19 | Savion Online platform for booking on-demand private jets | $150K | 91 mo ago | 3 | 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | JetInsight Online marketplace for on-demand aircraft and fleet management system | $120K | 123 mo ago | 36 | 2015 | Lou Montulli Co-Founder & CTO | SentryZendeskTypeScript+28 | — | — |
Top 12 Aviation IT companies in California
#1
Series B · San Francisco, California · founded 2017 · 111 employees$70Mraised▾
Cloud-based aircraft data, reporting & price analytics solution for aircraft management companies & flight departments. It provides maintenance/scheduling system monthly statements, revenue/expense data, financial/tax reporting, online payments, invoices, budgeting tools, up-to-date aircraft calendar & more.
- Mar 2026Series B—
- May 2024Series B—
- Feb 2023Series B$50M
- May 2021Series A$17M
#2
Seed · Palo Alto, California · founded 2024$9.8Mraised▾
Provider of AI-based solutions for private aviation and marketing analytics. It provides users with a comprehensive solution for private aviation, facilitating end-to-end trip management. It also offers employs advanced Bayesian hierarchical probabilistic models to provide insights into marketing effectiveness, allowing businesses to link marketing investments directly to sales outcomes.
- Mar 2026Seed$7.5M
- Sep 2024Seed$2.3M
#3
Public · Santa Monica, California · founded 2012 · 13 employees$24.8Mraised▾
Platform offering providing private arline services. It offers first-class travel on executive aircraft. It works as a supscription based model where a member can subscribe to unlimited flights.
- Nov 2025Post IPO$100M
- Oct 2022Conventional Debt$450M
- Feb 2018Series B$6M
- Aug 2014Venture Debt$65M
#4
Series A · San Francisco, California · founded 2011 · 56 employees$9Mraised▾
Provider of an AI-powered platform for aircraft parts procurement and sourcing. The platform offers self-service software and full-service options for procurement and order tracking. It provides sourcing and purchase order optimization for cost savings and lead-time reduction. The platform also offers full-service procurement to increase purchasing capacity. It allows supply chain visibility, improves on-time delivery, and scales procurement.
- Mar 2026Series A$9M
#5
Series D · San Francisco, California · founded 2013 · 598 employees$375Mraised▾
Developer of an AI-powered platform for travel and transportation industries. The platform provides offer and order management, shopping cart functionality, and personalized offers. It facilitates cross-airline retailing and seamless servicing. The platform also provides revenue management, customizable reporting, and precision budgeting and forecasting for the hospitality sector.
- Aug 2024Conventional Debt$70M
- Aug 2024Series D$225M
- Sep 2021Series C$150M
- May 2020Series B$12.1M
#6
Series D · Carlsbad, California · founded 2016 · 117 employees$138Mraised▾
Offers web-based cargo management solutions for the air logistics industry. The company offers solutions for managing & tracking cargo shipments. Its features include price quoting, route optimization, GPS tracking, SMS notifications, dispatch path, and many more.
- May 2022Series D$70M
- Jan 2021Series C$38M
- Nov 2018Series B$20M
- Aug 2018Series A$8M
#7
Series B · San Francisco, California · founded 2018 · 74 employees$34Mraised▾
Provider of AI-enabled operational data analytics solutions for airlines. The solution helps operators in decision-making from the operations center to the flight deck. It helps in predicting flight trajectories. It also helps in airline operations control, flight operations, air traffic control, and more.
- Dec 2023Series B$34M
- Series A—
#8
Seed · San Francisco, California · founded 2024$500Kraised▾
A technology company developing AI-powered solutions to augment air traffic control services. It is a technology company developing AI-powered solutions to manage air traffic control, focusing on augmenting controller workforce and expanding control services. The company's sensors and AI systems are designed to detect and prevent human error, promoting safety in air travel.
- Feb 2025Seed$500K
#9
Seed · Los Angeles, California · founded 2020 · 11 employees$9.5Mraised▾
Automated ground operation systems for the aviation industry. It helps in managing turnarounds, block times, flight throughputs, and asset utility. It automates ground operations for various sectors like passenger, cargo, defense, and advanced air mobility. It also helps to minimize delays and improve safety by reducing the risk of accidents due to overcrowding.
- Mar 2024Seed$7M
- Jul 2023Seed$2.5M
#10
Series A · Burlingame, California · founded 2017 · 47 employees$33Mraised▾
Gordian provides web-based ancillary solutions for airlines & travel agencies. Offers a drop-in integration/API that creates a central distribution system enabling agencies to sell baggage, seating, meals, and other ancillary products through multiple channels. The company has partnered with Oman Air, Air Canada, TravelPack, Vueling Airlines, and Transavia, among others.
- Jul 2022Series A$25M
- Mar 2019Seed$150K
#11
Acqui-Hired · Westlake Village, California · founded 2004 · 25 employees$103Mraised▾
Provider of satellite-based broadband services to the airline industry. The company's network enables airlines to connect to orbiting Ku-band satellites and to communicate with existing satellite ground earth stations.
#12
Deadpooled · Hawthorne, California · founded 2016 · 18 employees$12.5Mraised▾
Provider of end-to-end cargo management solutions. The company offers solutions for managing aircraft cargo delivery services. The software helps in mapping delivery routes and provides instructions to pilots. It also provides automated cargo handling systems.
- Dec 2020Seed$8M
- Apr 2020Seed$4.5M
- Jul 2019Seed—
- Nov 2017Seed—
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Aviation IT coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.