Aptima, Inc.
Aptima, Inc. is a privately held U.S. defense technology contractor that fuses AI, machine learning, modeling and simulation, and behavioral science to deliver readiness, decision-advantage, cognitive warfare, and operational health solutions to all branches of the U.S. military, DARPA, NASA, and MDA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersWoburn, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Aptima, Inc. does
Aptima, Inc. is a privately held U.S. defense technology contractor founded in 1995 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, with additional offices in Orlando, Florida; Fairborn (Dayton), Ohio; and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The company employs 101–250 people distributed across 22 states and operates under the leadership of co-founder and Executive Chairman Daniel Serfaty and CEO Michael J. Garrity, PhD. Aptima specializes in "human-AI engineering," fusing artificial intelligence, machine learning, modeling and simulation, data analytics, cognitive science, and human-performance research to build solutions for U.S. national security customers.
The company's portfolio spans five operational domains — Readiness, Decision Advantage, Modeling & Simulation, Cognitive Warfare, and Operational Health & Safety — and includes proprietary products such as the Sidekick Training Accelerator and NAUTICAL (generative AI for training development), PROPEL and White Cell In A Box (performance assessment and After Action Review), PALADIN and SANDMAN (AI-driven forecasting and geospatial analysis), DSSWA (submarine watchstander augmentation), MARCIMS (civil information management), SemaFor (synthetic media detection), BRIES and EMHAT (compound AI systems using autonomous agents and human digital twins), and physiological/neurocognitive monitoring systems (MITHRIL, fORE, MAVERIC, CSMS, FitForce, AERO-PI, EXOJUMP). Customers span every major U.S. military branch — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, U.S. Cyber Command, and U.S. Special Operations Command — plus DARPA, the Missile Defense Agency, and NASA.
Aptima generates revenue exclusively through U.S. federal government contracts (professional services, R&D, and integrated hardware/software solutions) procured via multiple government-wide acquisition vehicles including GSA SBIR Phase III IDIQ, SeaPort-NxG, OASIS+, GSA MAS SIN 541715, and the $151B-ceiling MDA SHIELD IDIQ (awarded June 2026). The company holds CMMC Level 2 and CMMI Level III certifications, has been recognized as a three-time recipient of DCSA's Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award, and is a recipient of the SBA SBIR Tibbetts Award. It remains founder-controlled with no disclosed institutional equity backing.
Aptima, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aptima, Inc.
- Legal name
- Aptima, Inc.
- Website
- https://aptima.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Aptima, Inc. is a privately held U.S. defense technology contractor that fuses AI, machine learning, modeling and simulation, and behavioral science to deliver readiness, decision-advantage, cognitive warfare, and operational health solutions to all branches of the U.S. military, DARPA, NASA, and MDA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aptima, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Defense Technology & Human-AI Engineering
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), National Security (928110), Space Research and Technology (927110)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF), AI Observability, Monitoring & Evaluation Platforms (Drift, Quality, Safety) (HDAEANAF), Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)
Keywords
Where Aptima, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woburn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Aptima, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Defense Contracts: Aptima generates revenue primarily through defense contracts with U.S. government agencies including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and DARPA. Revenue is earned through various contract vehicles including IDIQ, T&M, FFP, and CPFF arrangements.
- Research and Development Services: The company provides advanced R&D capabilities including engineering research, technology development, feasibility analysis, scientific studies, and experimentation under GSA Multiple Award Schedule SIN 541715 and SBIR programs.
- Wearable Technology Hardware and Software Systems: Aptima develops and delivers hardware/software integrated solutions such as MITHRIL (heat monitoring wearable), fORE/fNIRS sensors, and CSMS monitoring systems, suggesting potential hardware sales alongside software licensing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Government contracting through approved vehicles — pricing managed via task orders under GSA SBIR Phase III, SeaPort-NxG, OASIS+, and SHIELD IDIQ contracts. |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Aptima, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aptima develops and delivers AI-enabled defense technology solutions across five domains: Readiness, Decision Advantage, Modeling & Simulation, Cognitive Warfare, and Operational Health & Safety. Its offerings include AI-driven training accelerators, predictive forecasting tools, human-AI teaming platforms, synthetic media detection systems, wearable physiological and neurocognitive monitoring devices, and multi-domain simulation environments for U.S. military and federal defense customers.
Product overview
Aptima, Inc. is a defense technology company offering a comprehensive suite of AI-enabled solutions across five key domains: Readiness, Decision Advantage, Modeling & Simulation, Cognitive Warfare, and Operational Health & Safety. The portfolio includes specialized products like Sidekick Training Accelerator and NAUTICAL for AI-powered training development; PROPEL and White Cell In A Box for performance assessment; PALADIN and SANDMAN for AI-driven forecasting and geospatial analysis; DSSWA and MARCIMS for mission-specific intelligence support; BRIES and EMHAT compound-AI systems for human-digital twin simulations; SemaFor for synthetic media detection; and health monitoring solutions including fORE, MITHRIL, CSMS, FitForce, and MAVERIC for physiological and cognitive monitoring. These products operate across U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and DARPA customer segments, supported by contract vehicles including GSA SBIR Phase III IDIQ, SeaPort-NxG, OASIS+, and the recent $151B SHIELD IDIQ contract.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sidekick Training Accelerator AI-enabled training development tool for Instruction System Design (ISD) that uses generative AI, Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and Chain-of-Thought prompting to accelerate training analysis and content generation while keeping humans in control. For U.S. defense training organizations.
- PROPEL Tactical Action Officer Precision Learning system that ingests training data from simulators and instructors to generate actionable performance scores and personalized learning recommendations using adaptive algorithms. For Navy tactical training.
- White Cell In A Box Portable data-driven assessment and After Action Review (AAR) training solution that captures objective performance data, unifies mission playback across multiple systems, and digitizes observer and team evaluations. For Air Force and joint training environments.
- Proficiency-Based Training (PBT) Data-agnostic and scientifically grounded approach that uses operator inputs and performance data to deliver individualized, scalable training across diverse mission sets. For Air Force and joint force training.
- NAUTICAL Training development solution using advanced generative AI, RAG, and Chain-of-Thought prompting to shorten training development timelines, reduce cost, and improve instructional precision integrated into ISD workflows. For Navy training commands.
- SPOTLITE Instructor-ready evaluation tools that simplify observation, standardize assessment, and generate precise, actionable insights for After Action Reviews. For military training instructors.
- DSSWA (Digital Sidekick for Submarine Watchstander Augmentation) Intelligent support system for submarine watchstanding that integrates adaptive haptic alerting and intelligent data fusion to help crews operate more efficiently and maintain safer, more effective control. For Navy submarine operations.
- MARCIMS (Marine Civil Information Management System) Cloud-based platform and mobile app that enables Marine Corps Civil Affairs teams to collect, analyze, and share civil data in real time, transforming it into actionable intelligence. For Marine Corps Civil Affairs teams.
- PALADIN AI-driven forecasting tool that transforms multimodal threat data into predictions of adversary actions using probabilistic modeling, deep-generative techniques, and knowledge graphs. For defense intelligence analysts and planners.
- SANDMAN Generative-AI system that transforms complex movement and geospatial data into structured insights and readable narratives using graph neural networks and anomaly detection. For Air Force battlespace awareness.
- BioSage AI-powered cross-domain knowledge discovery and synthesis platform that sharpens decision advantage by breaking down information stovepipes and delivering faster understanding for intel analysts in biosecurity and biomedical intelligence missions. For defense intelligence analysts.
- DR WATSON Intelligent information retrieval system that prioritizes relevant technical information from siloed systems using metadata cues like recency, frequency, and provenance. For defense analysts needing faster technical data access.
- AMOC Training Software Simulation-enhanced proficiency training for maintenance officers built on modern game-engine technology with immersive simulation experiences and data-informed performance measurement. For Air Force logistics and maintenance training.
- SPIDERSENSE AI-enabled planning and team-optimization testbed that transforms team behavioral and mission data into machine-readable plans and intelligent recommendations for improved coordination. For defense mission planning teams.
- SemaFor Test and evaluation environment for detecting and characterizing manipulated and synthetic media, enabling users to assess analytic performance across diverse threat types and conditions. For DARPA and intelligence community analysts.
- EMHAT Human-agent modeling and evaluation platform that enables simulated experimentation with human and agent attributes to achieve optimal human-agent team performance. For DARPA human-machine teaming research.
- BRIES (Behavioral and Resilience Insights for Influence) Compound-AI system using autonomous agents and validated human digital twins of individuals, communities and populations to test counterfactual scenarios and strategic messaging pre-deployment. For DARPA and influence operations researchers.
- CSMS (Confined Spaces Monitoring System) Wearable technology that continuously monitors worker physiological data including heart rate, respiration, and environmental conditions like oxygen and toxic gases, transmitting data to remote safety attendants. For Navy and Air Force maintenance personnel.
- fORE (fNIRS Operational Readiness Estimation) Neurocognitive monitoring system using miniaturized fNIRS wearable sensor to track brain activity, physiological responses, and cognitive workload for pilots and aircrew. For Air Force aviation readiness.
- MITHRIL Intelligent wearable device powered by VigiLife SafeGuard and Shield technologies for monitoring real-time physiological indicators to prevent heat injury in Warfighters. For Marine Corps and Army Warfighters in extreme environments.
- FitForce Advanced fitness planning and tracking application that helps Marine Corps plan, track, and monitor workouts with unit training schedules, workout videos, and biometric data integration. For Marine Corps personnel fitness programs.
- MAVERIC Slim, ruggedized fNIRS sensor worn under flight helmets or head-mounted gear that unobtrusively collects neural data and key physiological and cognitive measures. For Air Force and aviation Warfighters.
- CrewCare-HHS (Helmet-Integrated Health and Safety) Helmet-integrated multimodal sensor system that continuously monitors physiological and cognitive states to support pilot health, performance, and safety. For Air Force and aviation pilots.
- AERO-PI Advanced system using wearable sensors and analytics to track biomechanics during airborne operations, enabling training teams to understand risks and improve parachute landing safety. For Army airborne forces.
- EXOJUMP AI-powered biomechanics monitoring system that predicts landing risks and delivers targeted feedback for airborne Soldiers to reduce injury rates. For Army airborne operations training.
- Guardian Talent Management AI-enabled skill estimation and assignment-matching algorithms built on the Guardian Skills and Capability Framework for US Space Force career development. For U.S. Space Force personnel management.
- MSIL (Modeling and Simulation Integration Lab) Multi-fidelity, multi-domain, human-in-the-loop simulation environment for testing and evaluation that improves interoperability and accelerates technology transition. For Air Force and joint force simulation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced training development timelines through AI-enabled tools like Sidekick Training Accelerator and NAUTICAL.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Aptima, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aptima, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability14 records
Feature18 records
Aptima, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NASAcoreAptima leads the NASA-sponsored Routine Autonomous Multi-Aircraft Operations (RAM-AO) Working Group under a NASA award. The group advances efforts to integrate autonomous multi-drone fleet operations into the national airspace, addressing technical, regulatory, and safety challenges. Aptima facilitates stakeholder meetings and is actively recruiting new members from industry, academia, and government.
- Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems DivisioncorePartnering with Aptima on the Sidekick Training Accelerator, using generative AI and RAG to accelerate training development within the ISD framework.
- Surface Combat Systems Training Command (SCSTC)corePartnering with Aptima on PROPEL (Tactical Action Officer Precision Learning), which ingests training data from simulators and instructors to generate performance scores and personalized learning recommendations for SCSTC AEGIS Training and Readiness Center (ATRC) at Dahlgren and SCSTC Hampton Roads.
- 805th Squadron Operations Center at Nellis Air Force BasecorePartnering with Aptima on White Cell In A Box, a portable data-driven assessment and AAR training solution deployed at Nellis AFB.
- Distributed Training Center (DTC) / Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC)corePartnering with Aptima on Proficiency-Based Training (PBT), providing data-agnostic, scientifically grounded individualized and scalable training across diverse mission sets.
- Air Force Research Labs (AFRL)corePartnering on multiple initiatives including AFRL Training & Readiness Weeks (TRWs) and various sites within the Air National Guard (ANG) for PBT implementation.
- Office of Naval ResearchcorePartnering with Aptima on DSSWA (Digital Sidekick for Submarine Watchstander Augmentation), integrating adaptive haptic alerting and intelligent data fusion for submarine crews.
- Marine Corps Systems CommandcorePartnering on MARCIMS (Marine Civil Information Management System), a cloud-based platform enabling Marine Corps Civil Affairs teams to collect, analyze, and share civil data in real time.
- DARPA Information Innovation OfficecorePartnering with DARPA I20 and Commercial Strategy Office on SemaFor — a test and evaluation environment for detecting and characterizing manipulated and synthetic media.
- Portsmouth Naval ShipyardcorePartnering with Aptima on CSMS (Confined Spaces Monitoring System), continuously monitoring worker physiological data alongside environmental conditions for Navy maintainers.
- Warner Robins Air Logistics ComplexcorePartnering on CSMS deployment at Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex for confined spaces monitoring.
- Air Force Research LaboratorycorePartnering on CSMS deployment and neurocognitive monitoring research including fORE and MAVERIC sensor development.
- Defense Health AgencycorePartnering with Aptima on fORE (fNIRS Operational Readiness Estimation) for neurocognitive monitoring of pilots and aircrew.
- U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicinecorePartnering with Aptima on MITHRIL — an intelligent wearable device for real-time physiological monitoring to prevent heat injury, powered by VigiLife SafeGuard and Shield technologies.
- Marine Corps Training and Education Command (TECOM)corePartnering on FitForce — an advanced app that elevates Marine fitness, in collaboration with TECOM's Human Performance Branch (HPB), Sports Medicine Injury Prevention (SMIP), and Martial Arts and Fitness Center of Excellence (MAFCE).
- Air Force Logistics Officer School (AFLOS) / Sheppard AFBcorePartnering with Aptima on AMOC Training Software — simulation-enhanced proficiency training for maintenance officers, built on modern game-engine technology. Also partnered with Gaming Research Integration for Learning Lab.
- Arizona State UniversityminorPartnered with Aptima on Phoenix Challenge 2026 panel addressing information operations risk and AI in national security.
- CACIminorParticipated alongside Aptima on the Phoenix Challenge 2026 panel 'Determining Acceptable Risk for IO.'
- American Foreign Policy CouncilminorParticipated alongside Aptima on the Phoenix Challenge 2026 panel addressing AI and information operations risk.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aptima, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Palantir Technologies: Publicly traded defense and enterprise AI platform with deep DoD and intelligence community adoption. Overlaps with Aptima on decision-advantage, cognitive warfare, and AI-driven analytics programs, though at much larger scale and broader scope.
- Leidos Holdings: Large publicly traded defense and IT services prime with deep DoD relationships across training, simulation, and AI. Competes directly with Aptima on SHIELD and other IDIQ task orders and offers overlapping modeling & simulation and human-performance capabilities at much larger scale.
- SAIC: Major defense IT integrator with extensive Army, Navy, and Air Force training/simulation work. Overlaps with Aptima's readiness and decision-advantage product portfolio and competes for SHIELD and OASIS+ task orders. Josh Jackson, Aptima's new board member, was previously SAIC Army Business Group EVP.
- Booz Allen Hamilton: Consulting and defense IT incumbent with a major AI practice and deep DoD training, human-performance, and cognitive warfare work. Direct competitor for SHIELD and other AI/ML services task orders, particularly those involving human-machine teaming and decision-support analytics.
- Parsons Corporation: Defense and critical infrastructure solutions provider with a growing AI and training portfolio. Competes with Aptima for DoD simulation, training, and human-performance work, particularly Air Force and intelligence community programs.
- Peraton: Mid-sized defense and intelligence contractor with strong DoD simulation and human-systems work. Overlaps with Aptima on training analytics, decision-support tools, and modeling & simulation across multiple IDIQ vehicles.
Emerging players
- Anduril Industries: Leading venture-backed defense technology company building AI-enabled autonomy, command-and-control, and human-machine teaming software for DoD. Anduril competes with Aptima in adjacent DoD AI task orders (e.g., SHIELD-related, decision advantage) and represents the same emerging defense-AI category, though with much greater scale and capital.
- Shield AI: AI-focused defense company building autonomous UAS (V-BAT) and pilot-AI teaming software. Overlaps with Aptima on human-AI teaming research, autonomous mission management, and DoD AI autonomy tasking, particularly within DARPA and Air Force programs.
Others
- CACI International: Large defense IT services and intelligence contractor that co-partnered with Aptima on Phoenix Challenge IO risk panels. Competes for overlapping SHIELD and SeaPort-NxG work in modeling, simulation, and human-machine teaming for DoD.
Direct peers
- Systems & Technology Research (STR): Mid-sized defense research and analytics firm co-founded and led by Aptima board member Mark Luettgen. Directly comparable on DARPA-style AI, modeling & simulation, and human-machine teaming work, and a natural peer for SHIELD and intelligence community tasking.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aptima, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceAptima, Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Aptima, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aptima, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Aptima, Inc. subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Aptima, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aptima, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aptima, Inc.
What does Aptima, Inc. do?
Aptima develops and delivers AI-enabled defense technology solutions across five domains: Readiness, Decision Advantage, Modeling & Simulation, Cognitive Warfare, and Operational Health & Safety. Its offerings include AI-driven training accelerators, predictive forecasting tools, human-AI teaming platforms, synthetic media detection systems, wearable physiological and neurocognitive monitoring devices, and multi-domain simulation environments for U.S. military and federal defense customers.
Is Aptima, Inc. a public or private company?
Aptima, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aptima, Inc. founded?
Aptima, Inc. was founded in 1995. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Aptima, Inc. based?
Aptima, Inc. is headquartered in Woburn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aptima, Inc. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Defense Contracts are the primary driver. The others are research and Development Services and wearable Technology Hardware and Software Systems.
Who are Aptima, Inc.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Palantir Technologies, Leidos Holdings, SAIC, Booz Allen Hamilton, Parsons Corporation and Peraton. Emerging players are Anduril Industries and Shield AI. CACI International is listed as an others. Systems & Technology Research (STR) is listed as a direct peer.
Does Aptima, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aptima, Inc..
What industry is Aptima, Inc. in?
Aptima, Inc.'s product category is Defense Technology & Human-AI Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEANAJ, AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs), with a secondary code of BPAEAHAF, AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7373.