Kingswood Capital Management enters into a definitive agreement to acquire Safran Passenger Innovations

Kingswood Capital Management, LP announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Safran Passenger Innovations from Safran, an international high-tech company operating in the aviation, defense, and space markets. SPI is a leading global provider of in-flight entertainment and connectivity solutions for airlines and airplane manufacturers worldwide. Matt Smith will continue to serve as SPI’s CEO, and the entire SPI leadership team will remain in place. The transaction is expected to close early next year, subject to customary legal and regulatory requirements.

Headquartered in Brea, California, SPI created and designed an award-winning in-flight entertainment and connectivity platform known as RAVE, recognized for its intuitive design, reliability, and innovative approach. Kingswood’s acquisition of SPI is driven by a shared vision of positioning the company to deliver transformative, next-generation solutions that redefine industry standards while ensuring seamless business continuity and operational stability.

Matt Smith, CEO at Safran Passenger Innovations, said, “Our team has always been the driving force behind RAVE’s success, and this new chapter with Kingswood empowers us to take that success to the next level. Together, we are unlocking opportunities for accelerated growth, expansion, and investing in cutting-edge technologies that will redefine the in-flight experience. This partnership adds significant value to our company, enabling us to strengthen our capabilities while staying true to our company culture. I am confident that with the dedication of our people and the support of our new partners, we will shape a future that benefits our customers, employees, and stakeholders alike.”

Clayton Lechleiter, Principal at Kingswood, said, “We have conviction in Matt’s vision and believe firmly that with RAVE, he and his team have engineered a seamless platform that is the most reliable in market and results in the lowest total cost of ownership for many respected global airline customers. The products and services SPI has developed are key elements of both the passenger experience that travelers expect and the evolving marketing channels airlines are only beginning to monetize.”

Alex Wolf, Managing Partner and Founder of Kingswood, added, “We are elated that SPI and its RAVE platform are joining the growing Kingswood portfolio. This cross-border carve-out acquisition represents our second aerospace and defense investment at Kingswood. We saw this as an opportunity to partner with a great team with an exceptional, globally recognized product in a rapidly growing sector and are looking forward to working with Matt and the entire SPI team to support an exciting new phase of operations as a standalone company.”

Goodwin Procter LLP and Configure Partners advised Kingswood on the investment.