Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) developer Seasats has announced the closure of a $10m funding round led by Shield Capital, with contributions from Aero X Ventures, Techstars, and other investors.
This investment will accelerate the global deployment of Seasats’ maritime autonomy solutions, including the Lightfish, an 11ft solar-powered ASV launched in 2023.
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The Lightfish is designed for operation with minimal training and can undertake complex missions that last several months.
Furthermore, it is currently employed in various applications such as subsea mapping, oil spill monitoring, and border protection.
Shield Capital managing partner Philip Bilden said: “Shield is proud to partner with the accomplished team at Seasats as they continue to innovate and redefine the maritime landscape.
“Seasats is well-positioned to capitalise on the massive opportunities of autonomous surface vehicles to address global security challenges by the US military, allies, and commercial customers.”
The Lightfish is gaining recognition for its speed, reliability and cost-effectiveness in both defence and commercial markets, according to the company. It recently completed a more than 7,000-mile journey from San Diego to Japan.
Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan said: “We’re redefining the future of the maritime world, and having top-tier partners onboard has been essential to scaling our impact.
“Industry leaders like L3Harris Technologies and Techstars have helped us tremendously, and this new partnership with Shield marks another major milestone for us.”
In June 2024, L3Harris Technologies and Seasats successfully tested an ASV in the Pacific Ocean.
The surfboard-sized ASV travelled 2,500 miles from San Diego, California, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, completing a ten-week journey.
The test demonstrated the ASV’s reliability and ability to operate continuously in challenging conditions, according to L3Harris.
