Corpora.ai backs Convert Technologies in UK defence

Corpora.ai has invested in UK defence technology company Convert Technologies, in a deal that also gives Convert access to Corpora.ai's research platform.

Convert develops tracking and asset-intelligence systems for mission-critical environments, with customers including BAE Systems and Babcock. Its technology is already deployed across complex defence settings where conventional GPS and GNSS coverage can be limited or unavailable.

The partnership brings together Convert's tracking and sensing work with Corpora.ai's research and discovery platform. The companies say it is intended to support Convert's research and development as it builds new products for sovereign defence and other operational sectors.

Convert's systems use radio-based positioning and a range of sensors, including vibration, humidity and temperature monitoring, to collect data on the location, condition and health of assets. Operators use that information to build a clearer picture of equipment status and movement through different stages of its lifecycle.

Convert has focused on the challenge of maintaining visibility over assets once they leave controlled environments. In defence and critical infrastructure operations, that can affect maintenance planning, operational decision-making and readiness.

Platform access

Under the agreement, Convert will use Corpora.ai's platform to support work beyond its core engineering base. The system can be used for prior-art and intellectual property analysis, as well as to identify gaps in the market and technical areas for further development, according to the companies.

Corpora.ai describes its platform as a tool for accessing, verifying and applying knowledge across scientific, technological and strategic fields. Its underlying architecture combines graph, vector, temporal and geospatial intelligence in a single system.

The investment therefore provides not only funding but also access to research infrastructure. For Convert, the arrangement is intended to widen the information base available to its engineers and leadership as the business develops further defence applications.

Mel Morris, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Corpora, said: "Convert is tackling a challenge that has existed across defence and critical infrastructure for decades - maintaining visibility once assets leave controlled environments. They have built genuinely differentiated technology and a deep understanding of the operational realities their customers face. Our role is to help exceptional companies move further and faster, uncovering new opportunities and support the development of technologies which strengthen UK sovereign capability."

Defence focus

Convert positions itself as a sovereign UK defence asset-intelligence company. Its work centres on sensing, localisation and data systems that track the identity, location, condition, history and readiness of mission-critical assets.

The emphasis on sovereign defence reflects broader UK efforts to strengthen domestic technology supply chains and reduce reliance on external systems for sensitive operational functions. Tracking and monitoring tools are one part of that landscape, particularly in environments where standard satellite navigation tools may not offer consistent coverage.

BAE Systems and Babcock are among the organisations already working with Convert. Those relationships have supported defence programmes seeking to improve lifecycle management and operational decision-making, the company said.

The new funding is intended to support Convert's next phase of growth. That includes continued development of what it describes as intelligence technologies designed to improve operational awareness for defence customers.

Martin Boddy, Managing Director of Convert Technologies, said: "Corpora gives us access to a breadth of intelligence and expertise that would be impossible to build alone. It helps us think beyond our immediate domain, challenge assumptions and accelerate innovation so we can continue developing new capabilities for defence and other mission-critical sectors."