- Applied Computing, a London startup developing physics-based AI for energy operators, has raised $20 million in a Series A round led by KBR. Databricks Ventures also joined as a new investor.
- This funding round builds on an existing partnership. KBR invested in Applied Computing in March 2026 and now uses the Orbital model in its INSITE 3.0 product.
- Applied Computing says that using Orbital in 55 refineries worldwide could cut global emissions by more than the UK’s total share. However, this claim has not been independently verified.
One of the world’s largest oil refineries is already using AI from Applied Computing, a London startup founded less than three years ago. The company recently raised $20 million in a Series A round led by KBR, with Databricks Ventures joining as a new investor. The valuation for this round was not disclosed.
The new funding will help Applied Computing roll out its Orbital model to more refineries, LNG terminals, and petrochemical plants worldwide.
“It’s our mission to provide operators with a foundation model that unlocks advantage at scale while delivering pathways to production that are safer, more efficient and far less carbon intensive,” says Callum Adamson, CEO and co-founder of Applied Computing.
Applied Computing is part of the fast-growing climate technology sector, often referred to as industrial AI. For instance, Gigaton, a spinout from UCL and Cambridge, raised $26 million in June 2026 to use similar AI to control emissions at cement, steel, and glass plants.
The global market for simulation and industrial AI software was valued at $19.95 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $36.22 billion by 2030, growing at a 10.4% CAGR. Energy operators face pressure to cut costs and emissions, but most AI tools made for consumers or businesses do not work well with older refinery systems.
Founders with strong ties to Imperial College
Adamson and chief AI officer Dr Samyakh “Sam” Tukra, an Imperial College London graduate, founded Applied Computing in London in 2023. Tukra leads the development of Orbital. Many early AI team members also came from Imperial. The company is based in London, has an operational hub in Bengaluru, and recently opened a new office in Houston, Texas, as part of this funding round.
The company combines physics-based modelling, chemical engineering, time-series forecasting, and language models into one foundation model for energy operations. The goal is to provide real-time optimisation for refineries, petrochemical plants, LNG, wind, and hydro sites, where operators need to trust and understand the system’s advice. Orbital is already in use at one of the world’s largest oil refineries.
Applied Computing works in the fast-changing field of physics-based AI for heavy industry. PhysicsX, another London company, has raised about $155 million and focuses on engineering simulation for aerospace, automotive, and semiconductor design. Cognite, a Norwegian industrial AI platform, is building time-series foundation models for detecting problems in oil and gas.
While these competitors focus on design and monitoring, Applied Computing aims at live operational decision-making, which it sees as a tougher and more defensible area.
KBR started as a customer before investing
KBR’s partnership with Applied Computing began before this funding round. KBR made a strategic investment, took a seat on the board, and entered into a multi-year development agreement. This partnership led to the launch of the INSITE 3.0 digital delivery platform in March 2026, which runs on Orbital. Databricks also started as a collaborator before investing in this round.
Applied Computing says that if Orbital were used in just 55 refineries worldwide, the emissions reduction would exceed the UK’s entire share of global emissions, 1.1% compared to the UK’s 0.8%,
“This investment strengthens KBR’s position at the forefront of applied AI and enables us to scale innovations across our full range of licensed technologies, with the potential to create a new paradigm for OpEx analytics and NextGen CapEx delivery. Together, we’re redefining how AI powers the critical systems that drive global economic growth,” says Greg Conlon, KBR’s chief digital and development officer.
Julien Debard, Databricks’ director of energy and utilities, said the investment reflects direct experience with Orbital’s performance: “We’ve seen the calibre of the technology and the strength of the team behind it, and how quickly operators can now move from experimentation to real operational value on the platform. That conviction is why we’re proud to now join Applied Computing’s funding round as an investor and deepen our partnership as they scale.”
The $20 million Series A follows a £9 million (about $10.7 million) seed round in May 2025, led by Stride.VC with Repeat.vc. Tech Funding News covered that round at the time as one of the largest UK AI seed rounds ever recorded. Applied Computing says the new capital will fund international expansion, deepen its AI research team under Tukra, and accelerate commercial deployment with global energy operators.
KBR and Applied Computing have also signed a multi-year agreement to deliver exclusive AI products for the energy sector. Applied Computing plans to announce a partnership with a European oil major soon.
Applied Computing’s emissions calculations should be examined closely. The real test will be whether Orbital can reach the scale it hopes for in an industry that remains cautious about AI claims.
