Tenyks, a Cambridge-based AI company, is using video analytics to deliver measurable gains for the UK’s retail and hospitality sectors, transforming overlooked CCTV footage into a powerful driver of operational performance and commercial growth.
The platform, developed by AI doctorate graduate Dr Botty Dimanov and his team, taps into existing camera infrastructure to reveal critical insights into service speed, hygiene compliance, shoplifting vulnerabilities and customer engagement—without requiring new hardware.
“Cameras are the richest but most under-used source of operational insight—just one per cent of video data is analysed,” said Dimanov, co-founder of Tenyks. His firm’s technology automatically surfaces inefficiencies and opportunities, providing managers with real-time visibility and fast resolution of on-site issues.
Retailers and restaurants are using Tenyks to monitor order accuracy, optimise store layouts and track customer demographics and mood. These insights help businesses refine their offerings—such as adjusting menus at different times of day—boosting satisfaction and sales.
Founded six years ago, Tenyks has grown rapidly in the post-pandemic era as firms seek smarter ways to do more with fewer resources. With costs of AI falling, Dimanov said adoption is accelerating: “The pandemic led to demand for convenience, making Tenyks very relevant. Now AI’s costs are reducing, our technology has become more accessible and scalable.”
The platform currently processes footage from around 25,000 cameras annually. Early adopters include Burger King, where shaving just one second off service times during peak hours has delivered savings of £22,300 per restaurant each year.
Tenyks offers its service on a subscription model starting at £100 per month, making advanced video analytics affordable for a wide range of businesses. The company has raised nearly £3 million to date and is preparing for a new funding round to support international expansion into markets such as the US, Canada, Brazil and Dubai.
Future plans include extending the technology into healthcare, education and logistics—sectors where visual data could also drive substantial efficiencies.
Dimanov credits Cambridge’s academic and collaborative environment for helping shape the company. He named Tenyks as a reverse nod to “Skynet,” the fictional AI from Terminator, reflecting an ambition to make visual data as integral to decision-making as spreadsheets are today.
By unlocking hidden value from existing CCTV infrastructure, Tenyks is offering bricks-and-mortar businesses a practical route to AI-led innovation—and helping the UK cement its position as a leader in responsible, commercially impactful AI.
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