其合作伙伴包括印度能源公司 Wipro 和 KBR，后者已将 Orbital 集成到其用于能源项目的 INSITE 3.0 数字平台中，并将该产品用于氨生产。Adamson 表示，该初创公司还正在与“美国一大型上游运营商”合作，并计划在未来几周宣布与一家欧洲石油巨头的合作关系。
尽管如此，Applied Computing 正进入一个已有稳固工业软件供应商以及更专注 AI 初创公司的市场。AspenTech：https://www.aspentech.com/en/products/engineering/aspen-hysys 销售上游、炼油和化学操作的仿真及 AI 支持建模软件，而 AVEVA：https://www.aveva.com/en/products/#cf-coveo_solution=Engineering 提供工业工厂的基于物理的工艺仿真、优化和“假设”建模。Cognite：https://www.cognite.com/en/product/cognite_data_fusion_industrial_dataops_platform 和 Seeq：https://www.seeq.com/ 主要关注数据层，帮助工厂分析工业数据，并应用 AI 来设计工作流程。
亚当森认为，这家公司的护城河不是获取工业数据或工艺知识，而是聚集 AI 研究人员来构建一个能够与 Orbital 竞争的模型。“这是一个 AI 问题。不是数据问题，也不是能源问题，”他说。“如果你是一流的 AI 研究员，你会去哪里工作？……我不认为壳牌在名单上。”
亚当森还指出了 Orbital 通过其部署所获得的数据。他说，炼油厂和其他能源设施的运营数据通常不会公开，而模拟数据无法完全再现工作工厂内部发生的情况。
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Applied Computing：https://appliedcomputing.com/, a London-based startup that’s building a foundation AI model for the oil, gas, and petrochemical industry, has raised a $20 million Series A led by engineering giant KBR, with Databricks Ventures participating.
Essentially, Applied Computing is pitching speed: It claims Orbital can flag anomalies, investigate what caused them, and model whether a proposed fix could create problems elsewhere in the facility, all within minutes. Adamson claims the product can compress investigations that previously took days or weeks into seconds, helping operators reduce energy use and maintain output.
That promise of speed seems to have found believers. The startup says it has gone from stealth to double-digit millions in annual recurring revenue in under 18 months. Adamson said Orbital is in use at some “large, publicly listed” upstream oil and gas, downstream refining and petrochemicals companies, although he declined to mention how many customers it has.
Its partners include Indian energy company Wipro, and KBR, which has integrated Orbital into its INSITE 3.0 digital platform for energy projects, and is using the product for ammonia production. Adamson said the startup is also working with a “major U.S. upstream operator” and plans to announce a partnership with a European oil major in the coming weeks.
Still, Applied Computing is entering a market that has entrenched industrial software suppliers, as well as more focused AI startups. AspenTech：https://www.aspentech.com/en/products/engineering/aspen-hysys sells simulation and AI-powered modeling software for upstream, refining, and chemical operations, while AVEVA：https://www.aveva.com/en/products/#cf-coveo_solution=Engineering offers physics-based process simulation, optimization, and “what-if” modeling for industrial plants. Cognite：https://www.cognite.com/en/product/cognite_data_fusion_industrial_dataops_platform and Seeq：https://www.seeq.com/ target the data layer, helping facilities analyze industrial data, and apply AI to design workflows.
Adamson argues that the company’s moat is not access to industrial data or process knowledge, but rather assembling AI researchers to build a model that can compete with Orbital. “It’s an AI problem. It’s not a data problem, and it’s not an energy problem,” he said. “If you’re a tier-one AI researcher, where are you going to work? … I don’t think Shell’s on that list.”
Adamson also pointed to the data Orbital receives through its deployments. Operational data from refineries and other energy facilities is generally not available publicly, he said, while simulated data cannot fully reproduce what happens inside a working plant.
The KBR partnership may help the company, too. Adamson said the partnership gives Applied Computing access to operational data and industry expertise, as well as introductions to more potential customers.
Applied Computing plans to use the $20 million to expand internationally, hire for research and engineering roles, and explore deployments with energy clients.
The company on Thursday said it’s also opened an office in Houston, adding to its headquarters in London and operational hub in Bengaluru. Adamson said the U.S. base puts the startup closer to two existing customers in North America, and an expansion into the Middle East is also in the works.
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Ram is a financial and tech reporter and editor. He covered North American and European M&A, equity, regulatory news and debt markets at Reuters and Acuris Global, and has also written about travel, tourism, entertainment and books.
You can contact or verify outreach from Ram by emailing ram.iyer@techcrunch.com：mailto:ram.iyer@techcrunch.com.
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情报判断
Aioga 编辑摘要
Aioga 编辑摘要：Applied Computing wants to give oil and gas operators an AI model for the entire plant。 Aioga 将其归入「AI资讯」方向，重点关注它对真实使用和行业竞争的影响。
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