Applied Computing, a London-based AI company developing foundation model technology for the energy sector, has raised €17.4M ($20M) in a funding round led by KBR, with Databricks Ventures joining as a new investor.
Founded in 2023 by Callum Adamson and Dr Sam Tukra, the company also announced the opening of a new office in Houston, Texas, marking its formal expansion into the United States. The round follows a €10.7M seed raise completed in May 2025.
Addressing The Market Opportunity
The energy industry operates some of the world’s most complex and consequential infrastructure, spanning upstream, downstream, and petrochemical operations where efficiency, safety, and emissions performance all carry significant commercial and regulatory weight. General-purpose AI tools were not built for this environment, where engineering knowledge, time-series data, and operational decision-making are deeply intertwined.
Applied Computing was founded on the premise that the energy sector requires a foundation model built specifically for its conditions, rather than an adaptation of tools designed for other industries.
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How The Technology Works
Applied Computing’s platform, Orbital, is designed as the first AI foundation model built specifically for energy operations. It combines engineering domain knowledge, time-series forecasting, and language AI into a single system that can support operators across the full range of energy industry workflows.
Orbital is built to help energy operators improve efficiency, reduce emissions, increase reliability, and make better operational decisions in real-world production environments. The platform’s foundation model approach is designed to deliver advantages at scale, providing pathways to production that the company describes as safer, more efficient, and less carbon-intensive than existing methods.
Growth And Market Traction
Founded in 2023, Applied Computing has moved from seed stage to a funded expansion into the US market within two years. The entry of KBR as lead investor brings with it decades of energy industry data, domain expertise, and global operational reach, giving Applied Computing a direct channel to accelerate deployment of Orbital across the sector. Databricks Ventures’ participation reflects growing interest from data infrastructure players in energy-specific AI applications.
Expansion Plans
The new funding will support the rollout of Orbital across the energy sector and the buildout of Applied Computing’s Houston office, positioning the company closer to the heart of the global energy industry. The company is focused on scaling deployment across upstream, downstream, and petrochemical customers as it establishes its US presence.
Looking Ahead
Callum Adamson, CEO and co-founder of Applied Computing, described the strategic logic behind the KBR partnership: “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. KBR is a natural partner for that mission. Their decades of data, industry domain knowledge and global reach mean we can now accelerate deployment of Orbital across the sector.”
Greg Conlon, Chief Digital and Development Officer at KBR, outlined the firm’s expectations for the technology: “We’re very excited about what this technology could unlock across the full lifecycle for multiple industries. 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.”
About Applied Computing
Applied Computing is a London-based AI company founded in 2023 by Callum Adamson and Dr Sam Tukra. The company develops Orbital, an AI foundation model built specifically for the energy industry that combines engineering knowledge, time-series forecasting, and language AI to support operational decision-making across upstream, downstream, and petrochemical environments. With offices in London and Houston, Applied Computing is expanding globally following its €17.4M funding round.
