BigBear.ai

What BigBear.ai does

BigBear.ai is a publicly traded (NYSE: BBAI) AI decision intelligence company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, serving primarily U.S. federal defense, intelligence, and homeland security agencies alongside an emerging international commercial customer base. The company builds proprietary AI platforms spanning seven capability areas: AI orchestration and sensor fusion (ConductorOS), generative AI for classified environments (Ask Sage), computer vision and biometrics (Trueface, veriScan, Pangiam Threat Detection, Arcas), predictive intelligence (Observe, VANE, ORION), modeling and simulation (ProModel, Shipyard AI, FutureFlow Rx, Dominate), and cybersecurity (SpaceCREST, Troy). These platforms are deployed at the tactical edge for defense operations, across 15+ international airports for biometric verification processing 35M+ passengers, and within DoD force management systems serving 300,000+ users.

The company generates revenue primarily through multi-year IDIQ contract vehicles with U.S. federal customers (notably the $900M Air Force IDIQ and $165M Army GFIM-OE production contract), supplemented by commercial software licensing for ProModel simulation products distributed through international resellers, biometric deployment fees, and emerging commercial cargo security solutions. Following the December 2025 acquisition of Ask Sage for $250M, the revenue mix is shifting toward higher-margin recurring GenAI subscriptions (Ask Sage contributes approximately $25M in ARR and lifted Q1 2026 gross margin to 34% from 21.3%). Backlog stood at $281.9M as of Q1 2026, up 14% sequentially. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales targeting federal buyers through GSA OASIS+ and other contract vehicles, event-driven demand generation at defense and AI conferences, channel partners (AWS, Smiths Detection, C Speed), and an expanding international footprint led by the Abu Dhabi regional office and partnerships with AD Ports Group and EDGE Group targeting global customs and defense customers.

Name

BigBear.ai

Legal name

BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc.

Website

https://bigbear.ai

Company type

Public

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

BigBear.ai is a publicly traded AI decision intelligence company that builds proprietary platforms for AI orchestration, biometrics, generative AI, and predictive analytics serving U.S. federal defense, intelligence, and homeland security agencies, with growing international and commercial presence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense AI & Decision Intelligence Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ), Enterprise AI Data & Knowledge Platforms (Vector Databases, Knowledge Graphs) (HDAEANAH), Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), AI Observability, Monitoring & Evaluation Platforms (Drift, Quality, Safety) (HDAEANAF)

Keywords

• Defense AI software
• Decision intelligence platforms
• Facial recognition biometrics
• Discrete event simulation
• Generative AI government

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfax

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Defense & Intelligence Contracts: BigBear.ai generates the majority of its revenue through multi-year IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity) contracts with U.S. federal defense, intelligence, and homeland security agencies. Revenue is project-based on task orders under these contract vehicles, including a $900M 10-year Air Force contract and a $165M Army GFIM-OE contract.
2. AI Software Platforms (GenAI/Platform Products): Following the acquisition of Ask Sage (Dec 2025), BigBear.ai generates revenue from generative AI platforms and products sold to government and regulated commercial customers. Q1 2026 showed gross margin expansion to 34% from 21.3% driven by higher-margin GenAI software offerings. Ask Sage contributes approximately $25M in annual recurring revenue.
3. Biometrics & Travel Technology: Revenue from facial recognition and biometric verification solutions deployed at airports, including veriScan deployed at over 15 international airports processing 35M+ passengers, and deployments at Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Nashville, and Seattle-Tacoma.
4. ProModel Simulation Software: Cloud-based and on-premise discrete event simulation software licensed to enterprises, academic institutions, and government agencies for digital twin and predictive analytics applications. Distributed through direct sales and international resellers.
5. Cargo Security & Trade Solutions: AI-powered cargo security management platform generating commercial revenue through deployments like the Panama Transshipment Group deal. Includes International Shipping Compliance application for supply chain transparency and contraband detection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BigBear.ai develops and sells mission-ready AI software platforms for decision intelligence, spanning AI orchestration (ConductorOS), biometrics and digital identity (Trueface, veriScan), computer vision threat detection (Pangiam, Arcas), cybersecurity (SpaceCREST, Troy), predictive intelligence (Observe, VANE, ORION), and modeling/simulation (ProModel, Shipyard AI, FutureFlow Rx). The company also offers the Ask Sage secure generative AI platform serving over 100,000 government users. These platforms are sold primarily to U.S. federal defense, intelligence, and homeland security agencies and select commercial customers.

Product overview

BigBear.ai operates as a modular AI platform company delivering mission-ready decision intelligence solutions organized across six product domains: AI orchestration (ConductorOS), digital identity/biometrics (Trueface, veriScan), computer vision/threat detection (Pangiam Threat Detection, Arcas), cybersecurity (SpaceCREST, Troy), predictive intelligence (Observe, VANE, ORION), and modeling/simulation (ProModel, Shipyard AI, FutureFlow Rx, Dominate). The portfolio was significantly expanded through acquisitions: Ask Sage (December 2025, $250M) added generative AI and secure AI deployment capabilities with over 100,000 government users; Pangiam (March 2024) added vision AI for facial recognition and threat detection; CargoSeer (January 2026) added AI-powered cargo inspection and trade risk management. A new International Shipping Compliance application was co-developed with Narval for cargo security in Panama's Dry Canal. Solutions serve defense, intelligence, homeland/border security, manufacturing/supply chain, and healthcare/life sciences markets, with a platform-driven architecture enabling vendor-agnostic deployment across edge environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ask Sage: Generative AI platform purpose-built for secure AI deployment and agentic capabilities supporting more than 100,000 users across 16,000 government teams.
• ConductorOS
• Trueface
• veriScan
• Pangiam
• Arcas
• ProModel
• Shipyard AI
• FutureFlow Rx

Products and services

• ConductorOS AI, data, and sensor orchestration platform that integrates disparate data sources, sensors, and AI/ML models across distributed edge devices for real-time AI deployment and autonomous decision-making at the mission's edge. Sold to U.S. defense and intelligence customers.
• Trueface

Quantifiable outcome

• Gross margin expanded to 34.0% in Q1 2026 from 21.3% year-over-year, driven by higher-margin GenAI platforms and products from Ask Sage acquisition.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability11 records

Feature15 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maqta Technologies (AD Ports Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Strategic partnership announced January 28, 2026 at the World Customs Organization Technology Conference in Abu Dhabi. Companies will co-develop and deliver advanced AI-powered customs and border operations solutions to government authorities and port operators worldwide. Seaborne trade accounts for 70% of global commerce by value (~$17 trillion annually). BigBear.ai opened its Abu Dhabi regional office December 8, 2025.
• EDGE GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026MOU signed January 20, 2026 to evaluate business opportunities regarding AI-driven platform solutions to support defense, infrastructure, and national security systems in the UAE.
• Seaspan ShipyardsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026Case study customer optimizing project planning and efficiency under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy using Shipyard AI platform.
• The Kraft Group / International Forest Products LLC (IFP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026Partnership to enhance supply chain transparency for IFP, North America's largest physical trader of forest products commodities. Focus on identifying where AI-enabled insights can improve operational performance and commercial decision-making. Currently in assessment phase.
• New England PatriotsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 January 2026Marketing partnership making BigBear.ai an Official Sponsor of the New England Patriots as part of Kraft Group collaboration. Provides brand visibility and access to Kraft Group ecosystem.
• C Speed LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Strategic partnership to integrate BigBear.ai's ConductorOS AI orchestration platform with C Speed's LightWave Radar (LWR) software-defined surveillance radar system for AI-enabled threat detection, reporting, and response for air defense and counter-UAS applications. C Speed's radars are deployed across DHS, DoD, and international partner missions.
• Vigilix and Easy Lease (International Holding Company)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Partnerships established in the UAE region at the Global AI Show Abu Dhabi 2025, alongside the opening of BigBear.ai's first regional office in Abu Dhabi.
• Narval Holding Corp. / International Shipping Compliance S.A. (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Co-development partnership launching the International Shipping Compliance application — an AI-powered cargo security management solution using biometric verification and advanced analytics for supply chain transparency. First commercial deployment with Panama Transshipment Group in May 2026. Complies with BASC and C-TPAT international security standards.
• DEFCON AIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Collaboration to advance next-generation military readiness through AI-driven analytics. Announced as part of AI in defense logistics market developments in 2025.
• RedwireminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MOU signed for development of advanced cyber resiliency capabilities for future space systems, combining BigBear.ai's SpaceCREST digital twin capabilities with Redwire's space infrastructure.
• SMX (Specialist Military Exercises)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership to enhance maritime domain awareness for U.S. Navy 4th Fleet at UNITAS 2025 exercises, deploying BigBear.ai AI solutions for maritime operations.
• Hardy DynamicsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration to advance AI orchestration for U.S. Army drone swarm operations in Project Linchpin, integrating BigBear.ai's ConductorOS with Hardy Dynamics' advanced AI capabilities for defense drone applications.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights9 records

Direct peers

• Palantir Technologies: Public defense/intelligence AI platform company with Foundry and Gotham serving U.S. federal agencies. Most directly comparable peer to BigBear.ai given overlapping customer base (DoD, IC, CBP), AI orchestration capabilities, and government GenAI positioning (AIP).
• Anduril Industries: Privately held defense technology company building AI-powered autonomous systems (Lattice), counter-UAS, and edge AI for DoD. Competes with BigBear.ai in autonomous-systems AI orchestration and defense edge AI; similarly focused on tier-one defense procurement.
• C3.ai: Enterprise AI platform company offering pre-built AI applications and a development platform across defense, manufacturing, and financial services. Comparable as an enterprise AI platform peer, with overlapping defense and federal applications.

Broad incumbents

• Booz Allen Hamilton: Large federal services and consulting firm with a growing AI practice serving DoD, IC, and civilian agencies. Comparable as a defense/government AI competitor with broader consulting-led business model and deeper federal relationships.
• Leidos Holdings: Major defense and intelligence IT services prime with significant AI capabilities across autonomous systems, decision intelligence, and biometrics. Competes with BigBear.ai for defense and homeland security task orders but operates at significantly larger scale.
• SAIC: Defense and federal IT services company with AI/ML offerings for force management, intelligence analysis, and logistics. Comparable in customer overlap (U.S. Army, Navy, IC) and AI-driven decision support, though much larger and broader in scope.
• CACI International: Defense and intelligence IT services provider with capabilities in signals intelligence, cyber, and AI-enabled analytics. Overlaps with BigBear.ai in defense AI and IC work, and competes for similar task-order vehicles.
• Lockheed Martin: Largest U.S. defense prime with growing investments in AI for autonomy, mission planning, and command & control. Competes with BigBear.ai at the platform/integration layer and absorbs AI specialists via acquisitions; comparable in defense AI customer overlap.
• Northrop Grumman: Major defense prime with AI capabilities in autonomous systems, space, and intelligence processing. Overlaps with BigBear.ai in defense AI, autonomous-systems orchestration (ConductorOS vs. NG's autonomy stack), and space cybersecurity (SpaceCREST vs. NG space systems).

Emerging players

• Maxar Technologies: Space technology and intelligence company combining satellite imagery with AI analytics. Partial overlap with BigBear.ai's space cybersecurity (SpaceCREST) and geospatial intelligence offerings; comparable as a space/defense AI peer with similar customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigbearai
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bigbearai
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bigbearai
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigbear.ai
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigbearai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A5 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BigBear.ai