Applied Computing raised $20 million in Series A funding led by engineering giant KBR, with Databricks Ventures participating, to build a foundation AI model for oil, gas and petrochemical facilities.

The London-based startup, founded in 2023, targets industrial facilities where thousands of sensors measure temperature, pressure, velocity and viscosity. Operators currently use less than 8% of available data when making decisions, according to co-founder and CEO Callum Adamson.

Applied Computing's foundation model, Orbital, combines time series, physics-based and language models to predict facility states. Unlike large language models that predict the next word, Orbital analyzes sensor readings while incorporating physics, chemistry and equipment constraints.

The system allows technicians to run simulations showing how changes in one facility area could affect overall operations. Adamson claims Orbital can flag anomalies, investigate causes and model proposed fixes within minutes — compressing investigations that previously took days or weeks.

Commercial traction accelerates

The startup reports reaching double-digit millions in annual recurring revenue within 18 months of emerging from stealth. Orbital is deployed at "large, publicly listed" upstream oil and gas, refining and petrochemical companies, though Adamson declined to specify customer numbers.

KBR has integrated Orbital into its INSITE 3.0 digital platform and uses the product for ammonia production. Applied Computing also works with Indian consulting firm Wipro and plans to announce a European oil major partnership soon.

The company faces competition from established players including AspenTech, which sells simulation software for energy operations, and AVEVA, which offers physics-based process modeling. Cognite and Seeq focus on industrial data analysis.

Adamson argues Applied Computing's advantage lies in assembling AI researchers rather than accessing industrial data. "It's an AI problem. It's not a data problem, and it's not an energy problem," he said.

Applied Computing will use the funding to expand internationally, hire research and engineering staff, and explore new energy client deployments. The company opened a Houston office Thursday, adding to its London headquarters and Bengaluru operational hub, with Middle East expansion planned.