Deep-tech startup, Luffy AI has developed breakthrough AI-driven technology with the potential to deliver significant energy savings and operational efficiencies for manufacturers. The Oxfordshire-based company is preparing to deploy its first commercial solution later this year after benefitting from early-stage support from Culham Innovation Centre.
Luffy AI was founded in 2019 by two employees of UKAEA, Dr Matthew Carr and Dr Alex Meakins. The idea behind the company emerged from the latter’s PhD research in neuroevolution – an advanced AI technique that allows the incorporation of biologically inspired ideas such as neuroplasticity.
Around half of the world’s electric energy is consumed by electric motors. The electric motors that power machines run on old-fashioned algorithms, but by applying Luffy’s AI-driven solutions they can run more efficiently.
John Shaw, Chief Operating Officer at Luffy AI, explained: “AI has a reputation for using lots of power, but we are doing something different to save energy. Our technology is revolutionary. We are building foundational AI technology, which has the potential to change the way industry consumes energy.”
By enabling motors and machines to learn and self‑optimise in real time, the company’s technology offers significant opportunities to reduce energy use across factories, process plants and industrial automation environments.
At the start of its journey, Luffy AI took its first office at Culham Innovation Centre in September 2019, where the team were able to access flexible space and in-house support services to help accelerate growth. Located at the heart of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Culham Campus near Abingdon and operated by Oxford Innovation Space, the Centre has helped over 150 businesses to start and scale since opening in 2001.
“The founders at Luffy AI were already on campus at UKAEA, so they knew the Culham Innovation Centre was the right place to start a business,” said John. “The prestigious location was good for recruitment of staff and the close proximity to the RACE facility was advantageous from a collaboration point of view. Being able to tap into the support from the centre team and rent a meeting room was very helpful when entertaining investors and customers.”
John continued: “Culham Innovation Centre helped our founders get Luffy AI off the ground. The centre team helped take away some of the daily admin tasks as well as signposting to other sources of support and useful contacts. This enabled our founders to concentrate on developing the technology itself and growing the business.”
Following significant growth, the company graduated from the centre into larger premises on the Culham Campus in 2022. Today, the team are in their third building on the site, have expanded to 23 employees, successfully raised £7million over two funding rounds and are about to complete a third. However, they still retain a room in the centre.
Luffy AI has come a long way over the last five years. From the initial PhD research, the team has developed the technology from scratch and are now working with global automation vendors to test it in real-life situations. The company expects its technology to be ready to deploy with the first end customer by the end of the year.
The future is certainly looking bright with expansion into other markets also on the cards. The company is exploring a range of different applications for its technology including drones, robotics and heating processes.
Luffy AI’s success is further testament to the vital role innovation centres play in nurturing science and technology startups, driving local economic growth and supporting the development of potentially world-changing technologies.
Culham Innovation Centre is part of Oxford Innovation Space’s network of over 30 innovation centres across the UK and Ireland. Working closely with universities, local authorities, science parks, developers and investors, Oxford Innovation Space creates dynamic environments for entrepreneurs to innovate, collaborate, and grow their businesses.
For more information on Oxford Innovation Space, please visit www.oxfordinnovationspace.co.uk
For more information on Luffy AI, visit www.luffy.ai