Farnborough, UK – 12/11/2026 – Positiv Cohort, a UK defence and security engineering specialist, and New Zealand-based software company, Company-X, have announced a strategic partnership to help organisations develop, integrate and deploy complex capabilities more effectively.
The agreement brings together Positiv Cohort’s expertise in systems engineering, integration, cyber security and assurance with Company-X’s specialist capabilities in bespoke software development, digital twins and immersive simulation training.
Under the reciprocal agreement, both companies will represent complementary services and solutions from each other’s portfolios, expanding the capabilities available to their respective clients across defence and critical infrastructure.
The partnership comes at a time when defence organisations face increasing pressure to introduce new technologies, adapt existing capabilities and prepare personnel for rapidly evolving operational requirements. Centralised training models built around equipment expected to remain in service for decades are struggling to keep pace with technologies and tactics that can now change within days.
Accelerating the Evolution of Defence Training
An initial area of collaboration will be virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulation training, where the companies see significant opportunities to improve the speed, flexibility and accessibility of specialist training.
As equipment, systems and operational tactics evolve, training needs to adapt alongside them. Immersive simulation offers realistic training scenarios as new iterations emerge, reducing dependence on physical equipment and centralised training facilities, and accelerating skills development where personnel operate, with less time away from their duties.
Company-X brings established experience in this field, including the development of immersive simulation training for the Royal New Zealand Navy. Positiv Cohort adds the defence engineering, integration, assurance and programme delivery expertise needed to help UK organisations adopt these solutions at pace. Its combination of engineering consultancy, specialist tools and delivery experience can help clients overcome the practical challenges of introducing new technology, integrating it with existing systems and getting it into operational use.
Stephen Jefferies, Head of Business Development at Positiv Cohort, said:
“The pace of change in defence is accelerating. Equipment and operational concepts can evolve in weeks, yet much of the infrastructure used to train personnel was designed around programmes lasting years or even decades.
“Our partnership with Company-X is about helping to close that gap. By combining their proven software and simulation expertise with our engineering, integration and assurance capabilities, we can help clients get adaptable training into use faster. The aim is to bring practical VR/AR simulation training to personnel where they operate, whether on a ship, in the field or at a remote location, reducing time away from operational duties and keeping key staff available.
“Importantly, this is a partnership that extends well beyond simulation. It brings together complementary capabilities that can help our clients tackle complex engineering and technology challenges across the entire delivery lifecycle.”
David Hallett, Co-founder and Director at Company-X, said:
“With increased pressures on supply chains and margins, organisations are being asked to efficiently modernise their capabilities without compromising the engineering, security and assurance standards that sit behind them. That’s where this partnership makes sense.
By combining Positiv Cohort’s specialist engineering expertise with Company-X’s experience in simulation, training and software development supporting frontier technology, we can help clients move from training and operations challenges to practical, adopted and deployable solutions.”
Complementary Capabilities for Complex Programmes
Beyond immersive training, the partnership creates opportunities to support customers across a broader range of engineering and digital transformation requirements. Positiv Cohort’s engineering consultancy, specialist solutions and programme delivery expertise can help organisations accelerate the adoption of new capabilities where internal teams need additional expertise or capacity.
These include software development, digital twins, AI-enabled solutions, systems integration, cyber security, verification and validation, and programme delivery.
The collaboration aligns with the UK Defence Investment Plan’s emphasis on operational readiness, modernisation and the faster adoption of emerging technologies.
Together, Positiv Cohort and Company-X aim to help defence and infrastructure organisations bridge the gap between technological innovation and dependable operational delivery.
For further information, visit positivcohort.com or companyx.com.
About Positiv Cohort
Positiv Cohort is a UK-based specialist defence and security engineering consultancy supporting the delivery of complex, high-integrity capabilities. The company provides expertise in systems engineering, integration, verification and validation, cyber security, AI and machine learning, and programme delivery.
Its multidisciplinary teams combine specialist engineering experience with secure delivery capabilities and proprietary tools to help customers deliver complex programmes at pace.
About Company-X
Company-X is a New Zealand-based software, simulation and training development company providing bespoke technology solutions for the private and public sectors. Its capabilities include software development, digital transformation, digital twins, team insourcing and immersive simulation training.
The company supports organisations across defence, infrastructure and other complex industries, applying software and simulation technologies to improve operational effectiveness, safety and training.
