Opteran

About Opteran

Opteran is a company developing "Natural Intelligence" by reverse-engineering insect brains to create algorithms for machine autonomy. The company was spun out of the University of Sheffield in 2019 by Professor James Marshall, Dr. Alex Cope, and David Rajan. The founding research began as a 10-year project backed by grant funding, seeking a more efficient way to model brains by focusing on insects like honeybees rather than complex human brains.

The company's core technology, which it calls "Natural Intelligence," is an alternative to traditional AI that relies on deep learning and massive datasets. Instead, Opteran studies the evolved neural algorithms of insects to enable machines to see, sense, navigate, and make decisions. This approach results in lightweight, low-power solutions that can operate on the edge without needing data centers or extensive training. The technology is designed to be robust and efficient, mimicking how insects operate in the natural world. Opteran's product, the "Opteran Mind," is a general-purpose foundation model for autonomy. The firm has showcased its ability to control a sub-250g drone with onboard autonomy using a low-resolution panoramic camera.

Opteran operates on a business-to-business (B2B) model, licensing its algorithms to companies in the robotics industry. These clients then integrate Opteran's software into their own hardware products. The market for this technology includes autonomous vehicles, drones, and mining robots. Since its incorporation in 2020, the company has raised approximately $15 million in funding. It is headquartered in London, UK, with an R&D lab in Sheffield and a presence in the United States.