Clear Robotics, an Indian maritime technology company, has announced the closure of a $1.75 million USD Pre-Series A funding round. The investment aims to scale its commercially proven fleet of AI-enabled autonomous vessels globally. The round was led by Shipsfocus Ventures, a maritime-focused investor, and includes follow-on investments from Katapult Ocean, SGInnovate, M7 Holdings, MGS Ventures, and other strategic partners.
Fleet and Technology
The company currently operates a fleet of 26 all-electric, AI-optimized unmanned surface vessels (USVs). These vessels address critical maritime infrastructure challenges by utilizing artificial intelligence for autonomous navigation and data analytics. This ensures high operational efficiency without the need for manual intervention.
Expansion Plans
The capital injection will accelerate Clear Robotics' strategic expansion into Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East. Funds will be used to develop larger unmanned vessels, advance research and development for automated port surveying, and scale proprietary commercial retrofit technology. These efforts are aimed at preparing for open-ocean operations.
Achievements and Milestones
Clear Robotics has established a strong track record in the sector. The company won the Pier71 Smart Port Challenge in 2024 and the Captain's Table in 2022. Over the past year, it has expanded into key markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In the Philippines, President Marcos recently launched their pilot vessels during a major waterfront inauguration.
Executive Comments
Sidhant Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of Clear Robotics, stated: "This funding is a critical catalyst, accelerating our path toward becoming a comprehensive solution for operations and creating the world's largest fleet of unmanned ships."
Utkarsh Goel, Co-Founder and CTO, added: "This new capital allows us to expand our engineering team, accelerate our R&D into automated port surveying, and build the next generation of larger vessel classes."
Chye Poh Chua, Managing Partner at Shipsfocus Ventures, commented: "Clear Robotics is building a reliable, scalable operating system for the essential middle of the maritime sector. Sidhant and his team prioritize practical deployment over lab demos, iterating in real-world conditions. Execution is their true moat, and we led this round because they are building the infrastructure for the next era of maritime work."
About Clear Robotics
Founded in 2020 by Sidhant Gupta and Utkarsh Goel, Clear Robotics is an Indian maritime technology company pioneering integrated, all-electric unmanned vessel technology and autonomous retrofit solutions. The company provides autonomous, zero-emission solutions for critical infrastructure needs, such as pollution recovery and marine surveillance, with advanced AI-driven surveying in development. Their goal is to make autonomous shipping safe, sustainable, and commercially viable.
Contact: Samyuktha Sriram, contact@clearbot.org, +852 5703 3106.
