HelmX’s AI Helmet Transforms Industrial Data Capture, Gets a Winner spot at TechChill Founders Battle 2026

• One of TechChill Founders Battle’s winners, HelmX showcased AI-powered industrial helmet innovation
• The startup originated from offshore challenges in digital twin data collection inefficiencies
• Its product enables continuous, real-time site data capture, improving both safety and operations
• HelmX prepares for global expansion, certification, funding, and upcoming industrial pilot projects

This March, Riga’s Hanzas Perons welcomed over 2,300 founders, investors, talent, and tech enthusiasts at TechChill Riga 2026. Arguably the biggest attraction was the Founders Battle which awarded four standout teams with cash/investment prizes. Among them was the Latvian-British HelmX with its AI-powered industrial safety helmet with automatic data capture, received a 150K investment prize from the Buildit 5G Fund.

From Offshore Challenges to Startup Idea

The idea for HelmX emerged from Reinis Tocelovskis and his team’s extensive experience of our founding team at 3D Engineering where they have been delivering digital twin solutions for the oil and gas industry for many years. While working on offshore rigs, they realized that traditional laser scanning campaigns required sending specialized teams to remote locations for four to five weeks, resulting in digital twins getting updated only once a year. A simple question arose: what if data could be captured continuously instead of periodically?

This insight led the team to the concept of integrating cameras and intelligent sensors into a standard construction safety helmet, enabling daily data capture directly from the workforce. They presented this idea to British Petroleum whose positive feedback validated the concept and encouraged further development. The team’s in-depth expertise in industrial environments, digital twins, and advanced data capture positioned them uniquely to execute this solution, while early support from the Latvian Energy and Transport Competence Centre (ETKC) provided the foundation to begin turning this vision into reality.

A Smart Helmet for Digital Twins

What the HelmX team came up with is a smart safety helmet with built-in cameras and AI that creates digital copies of industrial sites and daily operations. It works similarly to Google Street View for factories, refineries, and construction sites, allowing companies to see what is happening on-site without being physically present. The helmet captures 360-degree visual data and documents how work is performed, helping organizations monitor progress, verify that tasks are completed correctly, and improve safety and operational efficiency. By enabling continuous digital twin updates, HelmX improves decision-making, predictive maintenance, and workforce productivity.

‘While several smart helmets already exist on the market, most are primarily focused on safety features such as communication, gas detection, or worker protection. HelmX goes significantly further by transforming the helmet into a data acquisition platform for digital twins and operational intelligence. The convergence of several factors made HelmX possible only recently: advances in AI, the miniaturization of high-quality cameras, improved battery performance, and the growing demand for real-time industrial data. Additionally, deep domain expertise in digital twin implementation—combined with direct access to large industrial clients—was essential to recognizing and executing this opportunity. Without this unique combination, such a solution was unlikely to emerge earlier,’ Mr Tocelovskis explains.

Market Potential, Product Roadmap, and Industry Impact

‘The digital twin market is growing at an estimated 20–30% CAGR, and in asset-heavy industries such as oil and gas, unplanned downtime can cost hundreds of thousands per day. At that, HelmX’ value proposition is highly compelling and promises significant efficiency gains. Traditional 3D scanning workflows can take up to 4 months, while HelmX aims to deliver digital twin outputs within 24 hours, representing a potential >10x reduction in processing time. Beyond oil and gas, the construction sector alone involves up to 400 million helmets used annually, indicating strong potential for horizontal expansion across multiple industrial verticals if the product achieves market validation’ BuildIt’s partner Matiss Neimanis states.

The HelmX team will invest its TechChill Founders Battle prize in preparing their product for industrial certification and accelerating its commercial launch. This includes finalizing the helmet’s design for compliance with safety and ATEX certification requirements, as well as supporting initial production and early sales activities. These steps will enable HelmX to reach the market as soon as within this year.

According to Mr Tocelovskis, a handful of additional milestones are also underway:

• The startup is currently closing a EUR 2M investment round to scale product development and market expansion.
• HelmX was incorporated in the US to support global growth
• Recently, the team received confirmation of their first patent, strengthening the IP portfolio.
• Finally, HelmX is preparing to launch a pilot project in Libya in May, demonstrating the technology in a real industrial environment.

‘One of our favourites from the TechChill Founders Battle is ProfyMarket. Their platform connects construction companies with suppliers, streamlining procurement and improving supply chain efficiency. Given HelmX’s focus on construction and industrial environments, we see strong potential for collaboration, particularly in integrating digital site data with procurement and project management workflows,’ Mr Tocelovskis shares.

HelmX exemplifies how industrial innovation is evolving through the integration of AI, real-time data, and digital twin technologies, addressing long-standing inefficiencies in asset-heavy sectors. Its recognition at TechChill Founders Battle underscores both the strength of the team’s vision and the growing demand for scalable, data-driven solutions in global industries. As HelmX moves toward certification and market entry, this milestone positions the company as a promising player in shaping the future of industrial operations.