The investment round was co-led by Xista Science Ventures and Faber from its Ocean / Climate Tech fund, with participation from esteemed investor Saber GmbH. The influx of capital will enable Subdron to accelerate the development of its technology, poised to transform the way underwater structures are inspected for biofouling and structural integrity.
Subdron GmbH is a startup specializing in autonomous underwater navigation and data processing for advanced underwater inspections. The startup's solution enhances Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) with vanguard technology and artificial intelligence to autonomously sense and inspect underwater infrastructure such as port facilities and ship hulls. By leveraging advanced sensor systems and innovative algorithms, these vehicles enable faster, more accurate, and cost-effective inspections, maximizing operational efficiency. The technology has the potential to significantly decarbonize the shipping industry and revolutionize the maintenance and monitoring of critical underwater assets, reducing up to 50 per cent of the costs and improving safety for a wide range of industries.
This investment allows the opening of a subsidiary in Porto (Portugal). Having part of the team and facilities in a coastal city with access to a relevant port like Leixões will be strategic for the company to establish collaborations with local marine robotics research centres, networking with maritime transportation companies and initial commercialization of its services.
"We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our pre-seed funding round," said Thomas Vonach, Founder and CEO of Subdron GmbH. "This substantial investment will fuel our mission to revolutionize the underwater inspection industry, bringing about transformative changes that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the overall sustainability of underwater infrastructure management".