Vicon acquires Move AI out of administration in markerless capture deal

Oxford Metrics subsidiary Vicon Motion Systems has acquired Move AI Limited, a British startup that developed markerless AI-powered motion capture technology, following Move AI's entry into administration. The transaction completed on 30 September 2026, with Opus Restructuring and Insolvency acting as joint administrators and Gordon Brothers managing the competitive sales process.

Move AI had built a system capable of capturing human movement and translating it into digital animation without the traditional markers or suits used in conventional motion capture workflows. The technology had attracted interest from the games and entertainment industries, and the company had previously worked with Electronic Arts. However, Move AI was unable to secure the follow-on funding needed to sustain independent operations despite having only recently begun to commercialise its products.

The deal

All eight Move AI employees transfer to Vicon under the terms of the acquisition, alongside a number of specialist contractors. Existing customer relationships are also maintained. No financial terms were disclosed by either party.

Allister Manson, partner at Opus and joint administrator of Move AI, said: "Securing a buyer with the expertise, resources and established market position to take that technology forward was therefore particularly important." He noted that the administration team worked to close the deal within a tight timeframe to preserve employment and provide continuity for creditors and customers alike.

Gary Bullard, chairman and interim chief executive of Oxford Metrics, said Move AI's markerless capture capability complements Vicon's existing portfolio and that the combined business would look to develop new solutions for customers. Oxford Metrics is listed on AIM.

Market context

Vicon is a well-established name in professional motion capture, with more than 40 years of history serving the games, film, life sciences and engineering sectors. The acquisition brings it a younger, AI-native capability at a point when the industry is shifting away from marker-based workflows toward computer-vision approaches that require no specialist hardware on the performer.

The broader markerless motion capture segment has attracted significant venture interest over the past three years, with a number of well-funded startups pursuing similar video-based approaches for games production, sports analytics and virtual production pipelines. Move AI's failure to convert R&D investment into sustainable revenue before its runway ran out is a pattern repeated across several AI-native tools companies that emerged from the 2021-2023 funding cycle.

For Oxford Metrics, the deal fits a strategy of bolt-on acquisitions in adjacent capture technologies. The company already serves game studios, film productions and sports science facilities through Vicon, giving the combined entity established distribution channels into the markets Move AI was targeting independently.

The insolvency route means Oxford Metrics acquired the intellectual property and staff without assuming the liabilities of the predecessor entity, a structure that typically allows an acquirer to move quickly and at a lower headline cost than a conventional trade sale. Whether the markerless technology is integrated into Vicon's existing product lines or developed as a standalone offering will be a key question for the year ahead.