Midwich Group has announced its investment in Vizgard, a dual-use Artificial Intelligence (AI) company specialising in edge-based software that provides AI-powered insights and precision camera automation for Defence and Public Safety applications.
The funding is part of an oversubscribed seed funding round led by Sure Valley Ventures. This investment will support Vizgard’s goal to address critical gaps in camera-based systems used in Defence and Public Safety through its distributed visual AI platform, FortifAI.
FortifAI leverages low-power, commercially available processors to improve a wide array of systems, including security cameras, counter-drone technologies, and unmanned vehicles. The platform enables precise, real-time threat identification and automatic camera control, reducing the workload of operators. By combining traditional computer vision with advanced Deep Learning models, FortifAI delivers reliable performance in complex, real-world environments.
Will Fenby, Investment Manager at Midwich Ignite, commented, “We are excited to co-invest in Vizgard alongside Sure Valley Ventures and Focal SPV. We believe FortifAI has the potential to transform public safety, especially with the UK government’s new AI Opportunities Action Plan. With our expertise in the UK security market, we look forward to supporting Vizgard’s growth and contributing to innovation in AI for this sector.”
Alex Kehoe, CEO & Founder of Vizgard, added, “Midwich has already been an invaluable partner, helping us connect with potential new security equipment distributors and offering fresh market entry strategies. I look forward to continuing this collaboration and exploring further opportunities with their portfolio companies.”
Founded in 2021 by former Royal Navy submariner Alex Kehoe, Vizgard is part of a £12 million Innovate UK consortium led by Altitude Angel, working on a 165-mile drone superhighway. The company was also recently awarded a contract by the UK Home Office to develop a portable knife-detection solution powered by its FortifAI platform.
