4colors Research on brink of new AI-enabled supply chain era
Pioneering R&D consulting company 4colors Research’s groundbreaking algorithmic solution has been used to solve a manufacturing supply chain problem – and is winning fans as it does so.
The Cambridge company was founded in 2016 and its approach – applying AI to learn optimal algorithms directly from data – has been adopted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) for defence applications.
Founder/CEO Marcin Kaminski told the Cambridge Independent: “We are delighted that 4colors Research has been selected by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to undertake the development of scalable data analytics algorithms for defence applications. With our significant expertise in algorithms, data, and optimisation, we are well-positioned for this project and eagerly anticipate collaborating with Dstl.
“Dstl is part of the Ministry of Defence and serves as the scientific backbone for the United Kingdom’s defence and security.
“The primary challenge involves designing efficient algorithms for computationally demanding analytics tasks on complex networks with millions of nodes. Our unique approach, which involves applying artificial intelligence to learn optimal algorithms directly from data, aligns well with the requirements of this project.”
The company’s smart solvers for mathematical optimisation problems draw on years of extensive academic and industry experience and is in use with a diverse range of organisations, from start-ups and government agencies to Fortune 500 companies including Airbus and the BMW Group.
In June, 4colors was selected as one of three finalists in the Quantum-Powered Logistics track of the Airbus-BMW Quantum Computing Challenge (ABQCC).
Airbus leads the aerospace sector with its aircraft and defence systems while the BMW Group – encompassing BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad brands – sets the benchmark in automotive manufacturing with sustainable mobility solutions.
The challenge – called The Quantum Mobility Quest – is an international competition organised by Airbus and BMW Group with participation from Amazon Web Services and The Quantum Insider. In total, 15 finalists across five competition tracks have been selected, comprising nine companies and six universities or RTOs. These finalists were chosen from over 400 registered teams worldwide.
Notably, 4colors Research was the sole finalist from the United Kingdom. The winners will be announced in October, followed by an awards ceremony in Silicon Valley in December.
Dr Kaminski notes: “While quantum computing holds immense promise for the future, our approach demonstrates that even today, such large-scale optimisation problems can be efficiently solved.”
He adds: “We look forward to collaborating with experts from Airbus and BMW in the final phase of the competition. This is an exciting opportunity to showcase the practical applications of our technology and its potential to revolutionise the logistics sector.”
