Applied Computing wants to give oil and gas operators an AI model for the entire plant

Applied Computing, a startup based in London, is aiming to build a broad AI foundation model for the oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors—and investors are backing that ambition. The company has secured $20 million in Series A funding, with engineering firm KBR leading the round and Databricks Ventures also participating.

Launched in 2023, the company is focused on some of the most complex industrial environments in operation today. A single oil, gas, refining, or petrochemical site can generate enormous volumes of data through thousands of sensors tracking variables such as temperature, pressure, flow velocity, and viscosity. Applied Computing wants its AI system, called Orbital, to make sense of that data at plant-wide scale.

Building an AI layer for industrial operations

Applied Computing’s pitch centers on speed and decision support. According to the company, Orbital is designed to identify unusual operating behavior, trace likely causes, and evaluate whether a proposed fix could trigger unintended effects elsewhere in the facility—all within minutes.

CEO Adamson says that kind of capability can dramatically reduce the time required for operational investigations. Tasks that once took days or even weeks, he argues, can be compressed into seconds. The intended result is not just faster troubleshooting, but also improved plant efficiency, lower energy consumption, and steadier production output.

Early momentum and industry adoption

The startup says that message is already resonating with customers. In less than 18 months, Applied Computing claims it has moved from stealth mode to generating annual recurring revenue in the double-digit millions.

Adamson said Orbital is already being used by several large publicly listed companies across upstream oil and gas, downstream refining, and petrochemicals, though he did not disclose the customer count.

The company has also begun forming industry partnerships. Among them is Wipro, the Indian technology and energy services company. KBR, meanwhile, has integrated Orbital into its INSITE 3.0 digital platform for energy projects and is already applying the technology in ammonia production.

Applied Computing says additional commercial relationships are on the way. Adamson noted that the startup is currently working with a major U.S. upstream operator and expects to reveal a partnership with a European oil major soon.

Entering a crowded industrial software market

Applied Computing is not entering an empty field. Industrial operators already rely on established software vendors as well as newer AI-focused companies.

• AspenTech provides simulation and AI-driven modeling tools for upstream, refining, and chemicals operations.

• AVEVA offers process simulation, optimization, and scenario analysis for industrial plants.

• Cognite and Seeq focus more heavily on the data layer, helping industrial customers organize operational data and apply analytics and AI workflows.

Adamson’s argument is that Applied Computing’s edge does not primarily come from possessing industrial data or deep process expertise alone. Instead, he frames the challenge as one of advanced AI research and execution.

“It’s an AI problem. It’s not a data problem, and it’s not an energy problem,” Adamson said, arguing that attracting top-tier AI researchers is a key differentiator.

He also pointed to the importance of real-world deployment data. Operational information from refineries and energy facilities is rarely public, and simulated datasets, he said, cannot fully capture the behavior of a live plant. That means each deployment can strengthen the product in ways that are difficult to replicate from outside the industry.

The KBR relationship could further reinforce that position. According to Adamson, the partnership gives Applied Computing access not only to operational data and industry know-how, but also to introductions across KBR’s customer network.

What the new funding will support

Applied Computing plans to use the new capital to expand beyond its current footprint, grow its research and engineering teams, and deepen deployments with energy customers.

The company has also opened an office in Houston, adding to its London headquarters and operational hub in Bengaluru. Adamson said the Houston presence places the startup closer to two existing North American customers. He also indicated that expansion into the Middle East is being prepared.

With fresh funding, strategic backing from KBR, and early traction among large industrial operators, Applied Computing is positioning Orbital as a plant-wide AI system for one of the world’s most data-intensive and operationally demanding industries.