Open Ocean Robotics secures funding to enhance ocean monitoring
Open Ocean Robotics (OOR), a maritime robotics and AI company transforming ocean monitoring, has announced the close of a CA$2.8M investment round that will drive product and technological advancements, support geographic expansion into south-east Asia, and scale up the manufacturing of its uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs). This funding marks a significant step in OOR’s mission to enhance ocean monitoring with sustainable and scalable solutions.
The round was co-led by Antares Ventures, a Singapore-based deep-tech venture fund addressing sustainability challenges in south-east Asia, and Spring Impact Capital, a Canadian impact venture fund. Additional participants included Katapult Ocean, Alacrity Canada, DTN Ventures, individual investors and PacifiCan.
To facilitate its geographic expansion, OOR is participating in the PIER71 Smart Port Challenge, an initiative by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the National University of Singapore. This initiative will help the company bring its innovative solutions to south-east Asian markets.
Julie Angus, CEO and co-founder of OOR, expressed her excitement about the investment: “This investment from leading global impact investors underscores their confidence in our company and our vision for sustainable, cost-effective and scalable ocean monitoring. With this funding, we will expand our ability to help maritime companies and agencies achieve safe and secure ocean monitoring through real-time data provided by our USVs and AI systems.”
Personal connection
Angus’ personal connection to the oceans runs deep. As the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland, her understanding of the marine environment has been instrumental in OOR’s success. The company’s USVs are used to safeguard marine protected areas against illegal fishing, protect endangered whale populations, and contribute to maritime biodiversity restoration.
Traditionally, ocean monitoring relied on fixed shore-based assets, satellites, crewed ships or aircraft, all of which were costly, labour-intensive and environmentally harmful. OOR’s USVs provide a safer, more affordable and sustainable solution. Solar-powered and equipped with a suite of sensors, these USVs can remain at sea for months without producing greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution or the risk of oil spills.
Michael Gryseels, founder and managing partner of Antares Ventures, remarked: “We are excited to support Julie’s mission to revolutionize and decarbonize ocean monitoring through advanced technology.” He added that OOR empowers private and public organizations with a safer, more affordable way to collect maritime data, contributing to marine resource preservation.
Keith Ippel, Spring Impact Capital’s managing partner, shared similar enthusiasm: “Spring has been supporting Open Ocean Robotics since 2019, when we first saw how Julie Angus was delivering on a compelling vision for the future of ocean data and its impact on marine and land life. We’re excited to help her scale the company with measurable success and impact.”
