UK geospatial intelligence sweeps US cruise lines

The new contract will see the start-up’s bespoke global maritime operations portal used by cruise operator Carnival Corporation & plc as part of an initial six-month service trial.

The company’s geospatial intelligence service, which provides an overview of the security threats to vessels and passengers both at sea and alongside, will then be rolled out across all nine of the corporation’s cruise lines in 2020, bringing the projected value of the deal to £1.4 million by the end of 2021.

Last month, the company also secured four new deals in Zambia, Finland, Indonesia and Greece, the total value of which is projected to reach £6.7 million in the next five years.

Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss MP said:

It is forward-thinking British companies like Geollect that are driving the rapid growth of the UK tech industry and giving the UK economy a well-deserved boost.

Now is the time for other UK businesses to tap into the international opportunities and showcase British tech and expertise on the global stage.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has been supporting Geollect on its export journey and prior to the new deal provided the company with a Tradeshow Access Programme grant which enabled the business to attend the Esri GIS Conference in Washington and get in front of potential US customers.

Geollect specialises in automated location intelligence by providing a blend of cutting-edge data feeds and proven advanced geospatial analysis. Using the latest satellite and New Space technology, the business creates dynamic algorithms within user-friendly software to deliver a new form of timely and actionable intelligence.

Richard Gwilliam, Co-founder at Geollect said:

Breaking into the United States market with this new deal is a really exciting step for a young company like Geollect.

This is our first big step in exporting, it’s a new experience for the team and I genuinely believe the potential for growth in our global exports is huge.

I would very much encourage other SMEs to consider exploring international markets. In our experience there is a real appetite for UK PLC products.

The company was founded in 2017 by Cate Gwilliam, a former Geospatial Intelligence Officer with National Geospatial Agency in the US and Richard Gwilliam, a former Royal Navy Intelligence Officer.

Geollect’s current turnover is £500,000 and the company employs eight full-time staff at its HQ in Bristol. Given the international significance of its services, the business is looking to expand into new markets with strong maritime industries and military requirements including Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.