SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                              ____________________


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


         Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) July 28, 2003




                               CONVERA CORPORATION
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                                                                                             


                    Delaware                                000-31989                          54-1987541
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)       (Commission File No.)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)





                          1921 GALLOWS ROAD, SUITE 200
                             VIENNA, VIRGINIA 221826
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              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (703) 761-3700



Item 5.  Other Events

     On July 28, 2003, Convera Corporation,  a Delaware corporation ("Convera"),
announced  it  accepted  subscriptions  for the  sale of a  total  of  4,714,111
newly-issued  shares  of  common  stock  in a  private  placement  to a group of
institutional  investors.  The shares were priced at $3.60 per share on July 23,
2003.  The  transaction  closed on July 29 and 30,  2003 and  resulted  in gross
proceeds of  approximately  $17 million.  Allen & Company LLC acted as placement
agent for the private placement.

     Convera intends to use the proceeds from this private placement for general
corporate  purposes,  including  potential  acquisitions.   A copy of Convera's
press  release  announcing  the  acceptance  of  subscriptions  for the  private
placement is attached as Exhibit 99 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

  The  press  release  filed  as an  exhibit  to  this  report  announcing  the
transaction includes "safe harbor" language,  pursuant to the Private Securities
Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995,  indicating  that  certain  statements  about
Convera's  business  and the  acquisition  contained  in the press  release  are
"forward-looking" rather than "historic."


Item 7.  Exhibits

99          Press Release of Convera Corporation dated July 28, 2003








                                    SIGNATURE



     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

                                            CONVERA CORPORATION



                                            By:      /s/  Christopher M. Mann
                                                     Christopher M. Mann
                                                     Chief Financial Officer



Date:  July 30, 2003