Bubble Robotics emerges from stealth with $5M to scale autonomous ocean robotics

Bubble Robotics has
secured a $5 million pre-seed
funding round, led by Episode1 Ventures, Asterion Ventures,
and Norrsken Evolve, following
its launch out of Entrepreneurs First.

The ocean plays a central role in global energy systems, trade, data
infrastructure, and climate resilience. However, offshore operations have seen
limited innovation, even as the industry faces increasing demand and a
projected workforce shortage of hundreds of thousands of professionals in the
coming years.

Bubble Robotics is building what it describes as an autonomous offshore
workforce. Instead of episodic, vessel-based missions, the company deploys
resident robotic systems capable of operating continuously, enabling persistent
inspection, monitoring, and data collection.

Founded in 2025 by former robotics engineers from NASA and ETH Zürich,
Bubble Robotics is developing a fleet of intelligent robotic systems designed
to operate continuously at sea for extended periods without human intervention.
The company’s approach addresses longstanding inefficiencies in offshore
operations, which still rely heavily on vessels, crews, and equipment that can
cost up to $100,000 per day.

Jean Crosetti, CEO and co-founder of Bubble Robotics, said that vessels and
crews account for roughly 80 to 90 per cent of offshore inspection costs.

By removing that dependency, we unlock a step
change in cost, safety, and operational frequency. What used to be episodic
becomes continuous.

Recent advances in robotics, edge AI, and satellite connectivity now enable
autonomous systems to operate at sea with minimal human oversight. Bubble
Robotics applies these technologies across offshore operations, including
infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, and maritime security.

The company operates under a robotics-as-a-service model, allowing operators
to reduce costs, address workforce shortages, and increase inspection frequency
without upfront capital investment.

Inspired by satellite constellations, Bubble Robotics is building a
distributed network of autonomous systems to collect high-frequency underwater
data and support more efficient ocean management.

The newly raised funding will support the company’s continued technology
development and initial deployments, as it works to establish a new model for
autonomous offshore operations.