Australian ocean robotics company Hullbot has raised USD $10.6 million (AUD $16 million) to accelerate the global rollout of its autonomous ship-cleaning systems.
Hullbot is an innovative dual purpose defence and civilian subsurface capability that deploys an unmanned robotic cleaning system to automate hull maintenance. Designed for military use, it provides a reliable, time-saving, and safety-enhancing tool, aligned with the operational demands and precision requirements of naval forces.
The capability also tackles one of the maritime industry’s most costly problems, where even a thin layer of biofouling on a ship’s hull can drive fuel overconsumption by more than 20 percent.
Since its founding, Hullbot has completed over 1000 cleans globally and has established operations in the US, Mexico, Europe, Singapore and local markets.
“We’re proud to have built this technology here in Australia, designed, manufactured, and operated by an Australian team that’s already servicing a global market,” said Tom Loefler, Hullbot CEO and co-founder.
“Our mission is simple but urgent: to help shipping companies cut costs, emissions, and ocean impacts all at once. We’ve proven it can be done, and now we’re scaling it to a global level.”
A UNSW spin-out, Hullbot participated in the Defence 10x Accelerator and Defence Trailblazer’s Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence (EFD) program, a selective program for industry partners that gives innovators the tools they need to gain defence, commercial and technological readiness.
The Series A funding round was led by Regeneration.VC, with further investment from Katapult Ocean, Climate Tech Partners, Folklore, Trinity Ventures, Rypples, Newsouth Innovations and Bandera Capital.
The proceeds of this financing will grow production capacity to service surging demand, evolve larger robotic systems better-suited to larger vessel classes, and establish more international service hubs.
Main image: Hullbot H6 autonomous ship-cleaner at work.
