Gaist Holdings

What Gaist Holdings does

Gaist Holdings is a UK-based roadscape intelligence company that combines AI-powered computer vision on 360-degree HD imagery with connected vehicle data analytics to deliver road network condition surveys, asset identification, and lifecycle modelling for highways authorities. The platform integrates four named products — AssetStream for asset visualisation, SafetyView for desktop safety inspections, HighwayView for high-definition imagery used in fibre rollout planning, and RoadTrace (powered by AISIN) for connected vehicle insights — alongside a Strategic Lifecycle Model for deterioration forecasting and the Gaist Hub client portal that consolidates delivery, user management, and integrations. The company also owns an underlying data layer that captures surface condition, roadside infrastructure inventory, and live vehicle sensor signals, with methodology approved under PAS 2161 and aligned to the emerging DfT data standard.

The business serves four primary verticals: UK local authorities (the largest segment, accessed via the RAMS Framework procurement route established by Blackpool Council), national and regional government bodies (Department for Transport, Welsh Government, DfI Northern Ireland, Scottish Local Authorities), infrastructure management organisations, and telecommunications companies. Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring annual condition surveys, subscription-based imagery and data licensing, professional services for scheme identification and lifecycle modelling, and data monetisation from connected vehicle insights. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales with channel partnerships through Confirm by Brightly, TRL (iRAP), AISIN RoadTrace, Safecote, and the Smart Mobility Living Lab.

Founded around 2009 and headquartered in Skipton/Lancaster with 11-50 employees, Gaist has raised approximately £6.7M across three funding rounds led by BGF and Lancashire Rosebud Finance, with the most recent £2.1M BGF investment in July 2021 earmarked for connected vehicle capabilities and international expansion into Australia, Japan, and Africa. The 2017 acquisition of Optimint Solution broadened its software capability base, and its flagship customers include Blackpool Council (a decade-long partnership reducing compensation claims from £1.5M annually to £719), City of Edinburgh Council, DfI Northern Ireland, and all 32 Scottish councils under the 2024 National Survey of Scotland.

Name

Gaist Holdings

Legal name

Gaist

Website

https://gaist.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gaist Holdings is a UK-based roadscape intelligence company using AI-powered 360-degree imagery and connected vehicle data to deliver road condition surveys, asset inventories, and lifecycle modelling for local authorities, government, and infrastructure clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Highway Asset Management Software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Toll Plaza / Lane Equipment & Field Systems (Gantry, Sensors, Cameras, AVC) (TLAJABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Video Telematics, ADAS & AI Dashcams (TLAEAFAG), Data Integration, APIs & Telematics Data Platforms (TLABAJAM)

Keywords

• Road condition surveys
• Highway asset management
• Roadscape intelligence
• Connected vehicle data
• Infrastructure imagery

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Condition Surveys: Annual or periodic road condition surveys provided to local authorities, including carriageway, footway, and cycleway condition assessment using 5-grade systems and 5-metre segmentation.
2. Asset Management Services: Asset identification, inventory management, and lifecycle modelling services for highway authorities to support maintenance planning and investment decisions.
3. HighwayView: High-definition imagery data licensing for infrastructure planning applications such as fibre rollout projects, provided as a platform solution.
4. Connected Vehicle Data: Real-time road surface information (RSI) and connected vehicle insights including friction readings, harsh braking hotspots, and road roughness data.
5. Strategic Lifecycle Modelling: Long-term maintenance strategy analysis using deterioration modelling to predict costs and outcomes of different maintenance approaches over asset lifecycle.
6. Safety Inspections: Desktop-based safety inspection services using 360-degree imagery, providing alternatives to traditional physical inspections with expert inspector triage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gaist provides AI-powered roadscape intelligence services for highway authorities, capturing 360-degree HD imagery of road networks at traffic speeds and processing it with computer vision to deliver carriageway and footway condition surveys, roadside asset inventories, safety inspections, and connected vehicle data analytics. The company sells a recurring "Roads as a Service" (RaaS) offering combining data collection, AI analysis, lifecycle modelling, and platform delivery through tools such as AssetStream, SafetyView, HighwayView, RoadTrace and the Gaist Hub client portal.

Product overview

Gaist offers a unified roadscape intelligence platform combining data collection, analysis, and delivery services. The core offering centers on comprehensive condition surveys (carriageway, footway, safety inspections) using 360-degree HD imagery and AI-powered analysis. Key platform components include AssetStream for asset visualization, SafetyView for safety inspections, HighwayView for imagery, and the Gaist Hub client portal. Connected vehicle data services like RoadTrace complement traditional surveys. Professional services include scheme identification, lifecycle modeling, and consultancy. All data integrates with Confirm by Brightly, GIS platforms, and pavement management systems. The company operates a 'Roads as a Service' model providing recurring annual surveys to local authorities across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafetyView: 360-degree camera technology for safety inspections capturing high-definition images of inspection routes.
• Gaist Hub
• Roadscape Intelligence
• AssetStream
• HighwayView 2.0

Products and services

• Asset Identification Identification and location of roadside assets including signs, lines, barriers and infrastructure with condition assessment, providing a complete asset inventory for highway network management. Sold to local authorities and infrastructure managers.
• Carriageway Condition Surveys Detailed road condition analysis using a 5-grade system with 5-metre segmentation, identifying defect types, surface materials, damage areas and treatment recommendations for road maintenance planning. Sold to local authorities and highways bodies.
• Footway Condition Surveys Condition assessment of pedestrian pathways and cycleways using the same grading methodology as carriageway surveys, supporting active travel infrastructure management for local authorities.
• SafetyView 360-degree camera technology capturing high-definition images of inspection routes combined with expert inspector triage to identify hazardous areas, reducing the need for physical safety inspections. Sold to local authorities.
• HighwayView 2.0 Panoramic 360-degree imagery platform with coordinate pinpointing capabilities for fibre rollout planning, enabling infrastructure siting decisions from desktop without physical surveys. Sold to telecommunications companies and infrastructure planners.
• AssetStream Cloud-based asset management platform enabling visualisation of road condition data, asset information and survey imagery for highway network management and decision-making. Sold to local authorities and infrastructure managers.
• RoadTrace Connected vehicle data service, powered through AISIN's RoadTrace technology, that detects unusual driving patterns and harsh braking hotspots to identify road safety risks and infrastructure issues. Sold to local authorities.
• Gaist Hub Central client portal providing access to all Gaist applications, data integrations, delivery tracking, user management and service oversight in a single interface. Sold to local authorities and other customers.
• Connected Vehicle Data Integration of data from connected vehicles including vehicle sensor (CAN bus) data, GPS signals and driving behaviour analytics to complement road condition surveys with real-world performance insights. Sold to local authorities and highways bodies.
• Imagery Collection (4K 360°) High-definition 360-degree panoramic imagery capture at traffic speeds providing comprehensive visual documentation of road networks for desktop inspection and analysis. Sold to local authorities, telecommunications companies and infrastructure managers.
• Scheme Identification Analysis and prioritisation of maintenance schemes using condition data, proprietary algorithms and local criteria to identify optimal treatment locations and cost-effective intervention strategies. Sold to local authorities.
• Strategic Lifecycle Model (SLM) Long-term maintenance planning tool that models network deterioration using applied machine learning, compares different maintenance approaches and provides funding projections for sustainable asset management. Sold to local authorities.
• Active Travel Surveys Comprehensive condition assessment of footways, cycleways and active travel infrastructure tailored to local authority requirements for planning and funding applications. Sold to local authorities.
• Telecommunications Infrastructure Planning Detailed highway and roadside data used for fibre and network infrastructure planning, cabinet siting, project cost estimation and disruption minimisation. Sold to telecommunications companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Blackpool reduced road user compensation claims from £1.5 million annually to £719 through early intervention enabled by Gaist condition surveys
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and flagship.

• TRL (Transport Research Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaist and TRL work together to solve global roads challenges. Partnership integrates Gaist's visual condition surveys with TRL's iRAP Star Rating methodology for proactive road safety risk assessment. Joint webinars and product offerings combine TRL's road safety expertise with Gaist's comprehensive imagery and condition data.
• Smart Mobility Living Lab (SMLL)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaist provides Roads as a Service (RaaS) to the Smart Mobility Living Lab in East London, supplying detailed carriageway and footway condition surveys, full roadscape asset inventory, HighwayView imagery, and London-wide dynamic road condition data covering 14,000km. SMLL is used for connected and automated mobility technology trials.
• AISINcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with AISIN (part of Toyota Group) combines RoadTrace connected vehicle data with Gaist's high-definition imagery. RoadTrace AI detects unusual driving patterns (harsh braking) indicating road surface deterioration, signage, lining and road geometry issues. Gaist provides visual imagery and scheme design capabilities to deliver road safety tools to local authorities.
• SafecotekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Safecote (winter service specialists) makes dynamic road condition data accessible through Safecote's BM Roads System. Combines road friction, atmospheric readings, and roughness indicators from connected vehicles to provide unprecedented detail for winter maintenance decision-making.
• Confirm by BrightlycoreTechnology or IntegrationGaist's detailed high-definition road and roadside infrastructure data is made available through the Confirm platform, a leading asset management software platform widely used by public and private sector organizations. Partnership supports local authority asset management for highways with around £239 billion in LA fixed assets.
• Blackpool CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlackpool Council established the RAMS Framework and appointed Gaist as preferred supplier for over 10 years. Gaist has been reappointed as single preferred supplier for roads data and intelligence. Blackpool used Gaist data to transform their road network through Project Amber, reducing compensation claims from £1.5 million annually to £719.
• City of Edinburgh CouncilkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh partnered with Gaist in 2020 to take road network intelligence to the next level. Gaist provides full network surveys with high-definition imagery enabling desktop-based network review, scheme design, and asset management integrated with Confirm. Partnership supports Edinburgh's investment strategies and World Heritage Site maintenance.
• DfI Northern IrelandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Ireland Department for Infrastructure awarded Gaist a landmark contract to deliver the UK's and Ireland's first national AI-powered road network survey. This represents a significant national-level deployment of Gaist's technology capabilities.
• Scottish Local AuthoritieskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaist is undertaking a National Survey of Scotland's road network in 2024 covering all 32 Scottish councils. Survey provides road condition, footway condition, asset inventory, TRO digitisation, road/footway widths, and 360-degree imagery through Roads as a Service initiative.
• Welsh GovernmentkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaist provided national surveys to 19 of 22 Welsh authorities to underpin the default reduction of speed limits to 20mph. Partnership demonstrates Gaist's capability to deliver large-scale national survey programmes.
• Department for TransportkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaist has provided national surveys to the DfT for strategic road network assessment, demonstrating ability to deliver at national government level.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RoadBotics: US-based provider of AI-powered road condition assessment using smartphone and dash-cam imagery. Direct competitor to Gaist in automated road defect detection and condition grading for highway authorities.
• Vialytics: German provider of AI-based road inspection software for municipalities using smartphone-mounted cameras. Closely comparable to Gaist in combining mobile imagery capture, AI defect detection, and a web platform for municipal asset management.
• Causeway (formerly Yotta): UK highways asset management software provider with deep local authority relationships. Directly comparable as both a road condition data and asset management platform sold to the same UK council customer base as Gaist.
• Cyclomedia: Provider of systematic street-level 360° imagery and LiDAR data for government and infrastructure clients. Closely comparable to Gaist's HighwayView/SafetyView 360° imagery capture and asset identification offering.
• ARRB (Australian Road Research Board): Australian road research and intelligent transport systems provider offering road condition surveys, asset management, and pavement data to government clients. Comparable national-scale road surveying capability and government customer profile.
• Mandli Communications: US provider of road and infrastructure data collection services including pavement condition, asset inventory, and 3-D imaging. Directly comparable technology and customer base to Gaist's road data collection services.

Broad incumbents

• Iteris: US-based intelligent transportation systems and infrastructure analytics provider. Comparable as a broader transportation intelligence incumbent serving DOTs and municipalities with road condition and traffic analytics.
• HERE Technologies: Global mapping and location data platform with road attribute and infrastructure data products. Comparable as a broader incumbent providing road network intelligence to government and enterprise customers.
• TomTom: Global mapmaker and location technology provider offering road data, traffic intelligence, and HD map products. Comparable as a broad incumbent in road network data monetisation and connected vehicle insights.

Emerging players

• StreetLight Data: Provider of transportation analytics using connected vehicle and mobile device data. Comparable to Gaist's connected vehicle data offering in transforming large-scale vehicle sensor data into actionable road and traffic intelligence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gaist-limited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Gaist Holdings