Invicta Prospects Group
Harnessing smart tech to save lives
By Jen Waters
For those on the frontline in protecting our national interests, access to timely and accurate information to inform decision making – often in high pressure, complex situations – is crucial.
Leveraging over 20 years combined experience in complex and dangerous military training and operations, ex-Navy clearance divers Daniel Pace and Shane Acorn co-founded Invicta Prospects Group (IPG) with a clear vision: to use artificial intelligence (AI) to protect human life. The technology startup specialises in developing and supporting software solutions to better manage workforce capability, led by a comprehensive and sophisticated family of software known as Buddy Suite.
Buddy Suite matches personnel qualifications, competency and experience with activity planning, capturing and mobilising data to enable AI capability for more informed and efficient decision making. In contrast to traditional paper-based administration, the operational intelligence software provides real-time information and advanced analytics powered by AI and machine learning to deliver tangible outcomes.
Initially designed to support military operations such as diving, shooting, explosives and parachuting, the suite offers a wealth of benefits across the operational, administrative and business domains. Alongside the primary purpose of providing insights to increase safety and save lives, it delivers enhanced productivity, streamlined planning and compliance, automation of risk assessments and audits, and financial decision support.
IPG has come a long way since Pace and Acorn joined the MQ Incubator in early 2020, securing some significant wins over the past 18 months and achieving the startup holy grail of post-revenue status. Early this year, the company conducted a successful paid trial of one of its tactical planning applications within an Australian Defence Force (ADF) unit as proof of concept for wider implementation, and won a lucrative contract to explore AI for improved decision making across the entire ADF.
“This year, we also received a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) grant from the NSW Government to explore ways that our application could be adapted to support high-risk activities in the civilian sector, in industries such as mining, construction and engineering,” Acorn says.
“The problems we are solving aren’t unique to ADF. Over the past 12 months, we have also been engaging with a foreign military unit and several domestic law enforcement agencies towards procurement of our software.”
This growth enabled the founders to expand, adding two full-time employees and a team of casual staff to the support of its impressive board of directors, among them former Army Major General Gus McLachlan AO. Through its ADF engagement, IPG has also forged numerous strategic industry partnerships – including with fellow MQ Incubator resident GLIA Diagnostics, which works to advance clinical understanding of traumatic brain injury and concussion.
Since its 2020 Pitch Final win, IPG has attracted the attention of the media, with Acorn and Pace interviewed for print and television and sharing their journey as guest speakers at the Spark Festival in Sydney. It has also built a steady following of investors with a keen eye on its trajectory, ready to support future development plans as they arise.
According to Acorn, the business is continually innovating with its sights trained on a bright future.
“Our long-term vision is to be the industry leader in applying artificial intelligence at an enterprise level for militaries and law enforcement agencies globally,” he adds.