Vizgard, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software company, has secured £1.5 million in an oversubscribed funding round led by Sure Valley Ventures, with participation from Midwich Ignite and Focal.
Vizgard’s FortifAI software platform harnesses low-power, commercially available processors to enhance a broad range of systems, including security cameras, counter-drone technologies, and unmanned vehicles. It provides precise, real-time threat identification and automatic camera control, significantly reducing operator workload. The funding will accelerate Vizgard’s ambition to bridge critical gaps in camera-based Defence and Public Safety systems.
By combining field-proven traditional computer vision with cutting-edge Deep Learning models, FortifAI ensures robust performance in real-world scenarios. The platform also includes Vizgard’s proprietary Behaviour Risk Index algorithm, which calculates a human-explainable danger probability score while automatically blurring faces to protect privacy. This innovation enables automatic alerts for previously unaddressed complex safety events, such as identifying and responding to vulnerable individuals who are being attacked or at risk of self-harm.
Founded in early 2021 by former Royal Navy submariner Alex Kehoe, Vizgard responds to a growing need for reliable AI-powered automation in the Defence sector, where operational demands continue to outpace existing capabilities. A recently published report from the House of Commons Defence Committee highlighted a significant disconnect between the UK’s strategic vision for defence AI and its practical implementation – a gap that Vizgard is determined to help close.
Vizgard has secured notable contracts from the Ministry of Defence, HMGCC Co-Creation, several leading defence technology companies and a major UK transport organisation. Vizgard’s customers include Sesanti, a leading British camera manufacturer, and multiple national-remit police departments. The company is also part of a £12 million Innovate UK consortium, led by Altitude Angel, developing a 165-mile drone superhighway. The UK Home Office also recently awarded Vizgard a significant contract to develop a portable knife-detection solution powered by its proprietary solution, FortifAI.
