DIEM Analytics Ltd

DIEM Consulting was founded in 2002 as a niche strategy consultancy and in 2011 spun-out DIEM Analytics to focus on decision aids and creating augmented intelligence for complex situations. DIEM Analytics’ clients were increasingly asking it to be trained on the use of their combined stakeholder-engagement with modelling and simulation approach. Participating in Digital Catapult’s innovation activities created £300k new business for DIEM Analytics in a new area from a standing start.

DIEM Analytics was a successful scaleup that was looking to grow

By 2017 DIEM Analytics had identified a niche in the market for developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) based decision aid tools in environments where there is very little good quality quantitative data. As an example, if you are trying to protect ships from missiles there is very little data available to conduct an analysis because missiles have only been fired at suitably capable ships around 12 times in 30 years.

DIEM Analytics wanted greater access to senior stakeholders in the MoD and leading defence contractors to help refine its offering and generate new business leads.

During the last 18 months DIEM Analytics participated in four Digital Catapult innovation activities

Operational effectiveness of front line emergency services

Having heard about Digital Catapult via a networking event, DIEM Analytics applied to Digital Catapult’s open call in collaboration with Boeing focused on using digital technologies to help improve the operational effectiveness of front line emergency services in the UK. It was successfully selected to discuss the challenges with senior stakeholders from Staffordshire Police and Boeing and pitch its ideas, giving DIEM Analytics the opportunity to engage with peers doing similar work across a range of industries. This involvement subsequently led to an innovative idea that has received £100k of phase 1 funding from the Defence and Security Accelerator.

AI in decision support modelling

DIEM Analytics applied to and was successfully accepted for the AI in decision support modelling Pit Stop which was run by Digital Catapult in collaboration with Dstl. This gave it the opportunity to get completely immersed in the sponsor’s business challenges by participating in a simulation to understand the context and discuss real-life problems in detail with senior decision makers and technology experts. It was then able to work up ideas for its technologies and receive input and verification from the client on one of its ideas, which would ultimately serve as the basis of a proposal submission to the tender process.

Intelligent Ships

Subsequently DIEM Analytics applied to, and was accepted for, an open call run with Dstl exploring how AI and automation could assist the Royal Navy in achieving mission success. Following this event DIEM Analytics submitted two proposals; one which it led (pulling in two other small businesses) and one with Montvieux, another participating company. This resulted in seven months of development work at a value of £90k for DIEM Analytics and contracts totally £100k to develop proof of concepts in separate partnerships with Montvieux, decisionLab and Thales.

Thales Maritime Pioneers Day

DIEM Analytics participated in the Thales Maritime Pioneers day that explored using AI in building a strategic decision-making tool. This event gave DIEM Analytics the chance to demo its current product capabilities and discuss its approach if the product was applied to Thales and its partners’ needs around maritime autonomy.

Although Thales was an existing client for DIEM Analytics, it had previously only been able to convert small pieces of consultancy work. The conversations with Thales and Dstl during this session ultimately led to a £12k contract to create a demonstration of DIEM Analytics’ concept to help Thales evaluate the business case for the solution.

Participating in four Digital Catapult innovation activities resulted in £300k new business for DIEM Analytics

Investing the time and energy in applying to and participating in Digital Catapult’s innovation activities has directly resulted in new leads and £300k new business for DIEM Analytics.

“The main benefit is that the revenue will allow us to develop this technology for application to the problems that commercial firms are facing, but who don’t have the money to develop the solutions themselves, like social media companies that are facing challenges like bots, automated fraud, and AI-driven competitive offers,” says Darrell Jaya-Ratnam, Managing Director, DIEM Analytics

Working with Digital Catapult and getting exposure to senior stakeholders across its target market has contributed to DIEM Analytics growing its team from three to 11 in the last 18 months.

The innovation activities and Thales’ Pioneer’s Day proved to be a very useful environment for DIEM Analytics’ staff to engage with senior prospective clients in an open environment, exchanging ideas and gaining a greater understanding of business, industry and technology challenges.

Engaging with Digital Catapult has also helped DIEM Analytics to build its network of technology peers creating opportunities for partnerships, including the Montvieux and decisionLab relationships which have already been commercially realised through the joint Intelligent Ships project.