Bristol-based specialist tech firm Geollect has secured a deal with an American cruise line that is projected to be worth £5.5m within five years.
Under the contract, Geollect – which specialises in innovative geospatial intelligence – will provide its bespoke global maritime operations portal as part of an initial six-month service trial with Miami-based cruise operator Carnival Corporation & plc. 
Geollect’s service provides an overview of the security threats to vessels and passengers at sea and in port. It will then be rolled out across all nine of Carnival’s cruise lines next year, taking the deal’s projected value to £1.4m by the end of 2021.
It follows hot on the heels of four deals secured by Geollect in Zambia, Finland, Indonesia and Greece with a total value likely to reach £6.7m by 2024.
The company was founded in 2017 by Cate Gwilliam, a former geospatial intelligence officer with the US National Geospatial Agency and Richard Gwilliam, a former Royal Navy intelligence officer.
It specialises in automated location intelligence by providing a blend of cutting-edge data feeds and proven advanced geospatial analysis.
Using the latest satellite and ‘new space’ technology, the business creates dynamic algorithms within user-friendly software to deliver a new form of timely and actionable intelligence.
Geollect, which turns over £500,000, employs eight full-time staff at its head office near Cribbs Causeway. With the international significance of its services, it is looking to expand into new markets with strong maritime industries and military requirements including Asia, the Middle East, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The firm has earned praise from International Trade Secretary Liz Truss following its attendance at a tradeshow in the US supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT).
She said: “It is forward-thinking British companies like Geollect that are driving the rapid growth of the UK tech industry and giving the UK economy a well-deserved boost.
“Now is the time for other UK businesses to tap into the international opportunities and showcase British tech and expertise on the global stage.”
The DIT has been supporting Geollect and., prior to the Carnival deal, provided it with a Tradeshow Access Programme grant enabling it to go to the Esri GIS Conference in Washington and meet potential US customers.
Co-founder Richard Gwilliam said: “Breaking into the United States market with this new deal is a really exciting step for a young company like Geollect.
“This is our first big step in exporting, it’s a new experience for the team and I genuinely believe the potential for growth in our global exports is huge.
“I would very much encourage other SMEs to consider exploring international markets. In our experience there is a real appetite for UK PLC products.”
