Our research into the ancient history of life on Earth has helped create a new technology company using artificial intelligence to support decisions about what lies beneath the Earth’s surface.
StratoBayes, a new Durham University spin-out, has launched with £280,000 in innovation funding, commercialisation support and Venture Capital.
The company is already working with industry on its first commercial pilots and in the process of securing UK patent protection for its core technology.
The research began with a question about the origins of animal life.
Durham palaeontologist Professor Martin Smith wanted to establish when the Cambrian Explosion took place (a period around half a billion years ago when most major animal groups first appeared).
Because fossils from this period are found in different parts of the world, building a reliable timeline is challenging.
The researchers developed a new way of comparing evidence from different locations and estimating the most likely ages of fossils. They later developed the approach into software.
The research, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, was published in Geochronology in 2025.
The team then discovered that the same approach could help solve challenges far beyond palaeontology.
StratoBayes uses AI to help experts make sense of complex information about the Earth’s subsurface.
Importantly, it also shows how certain or uncertain the results are, helping users understand the evidence behind a decision.
The technology could support work in areas including carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy, critical minerals, mining, energy security and major infrastructure.
Market research through Innovate UK’s ICURe programme identified demand from industries including energy, drilling and storage, leading to the recommendation that the research should become a spin-out company.
StratoBayes has since received support through Durham University’s Technology Transfer Office, Northern Accelerator and Northern Net Zero Accelerator.
It was established as a Durham University spin-out in June 2026, with Dr Kilian Eichenseer as Chief Executive, and experienced software founder Ed Bartlett joining as Chair through the Executives into Business programme.
The company is already putting its technology to the test with firms in the UK and US, including through a commercial pilot with Hotspur Helium to explore how AI could support helium exploration.
An early release of the software is in use by more than 20 geoscientists across eight countries.
Dr Eichenseer said: “Our goal is to provide scientists and engineers with AI that speeds up interpretation and shows how confident they can be in the result, enabling better-informed decisions in high-stakes subsurface work.”
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