Scaling indigenous defense robotics for emerging markets

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

While competing internationally, the university robotics team behind DuboTech Digital Limited faced severe hardware sourcing barriers.

Despite these hurdles, they secured a runner-up finish at RoboSub 2023. This success drove them to commercialize their research into autonomous systems.

😟 Problem

Commercial diving remains one of the world’s highest-risk occupations according to the International Labour Organization. Navies and port operators still rely on manual inspections or expensive imported robotic systems. Countries like Bangladesh face increasing demand for underwater infrastructure maintenance.

💡 Solution

The startup develops autonomous underwater robots and AI software for commercial and defense applications. The platform offers several systems:

• Octopus 3.0, a portable suitcase-sized underwater drone designed for rapid deployment without specialized equipment.
• Dubo OS and Inspectra, software integrating AI navigation with automated inspection reporting.
• Mission-specific autonomous ground and aerial systems tailored for indigenous defense requirements.

Image credit: DuboTech

📊 Market size

The commercial underwater robotics opportunity exceeds US$6.4 billion globally. This calculation is based on an average lifetime revenue of US$100,000 from roughly 62,000 merchant vessels. Another US$200 million comes from servicing major global container ports.

🤝 Team

• Nayem Saikat. Co-founder and CEO. He leads DuboTech’s vision, product strategy, fundraising, and business development.
• Sayantan Roy. Co-founder and CTO. He leads technology and engineering, specializing in autonomous robotics, embedded systems, and AI-powered platforms.
• Mahfujul Haque. Co-founder and COO. He leads corporate strategy, finance, operations, fundraising, and strategic partnerships.

🚀 Traction

• Secured government-funded research and development projects with the Bangladesh Navy.
• Established partnerships with over 10 organizations across the defense, maritime, and research sectors.
• Received the National SME Entrepreneur Award 2025.

🏆 Competition

Commercial competitors include VideoRay and Deep Trekker, while defense alternatives involve Anduril and Teledyne Marine. The startup differentiates itself by engineering affordable, mission-specific systems designed for emerging markets. They also provide localized support and customized hardware deployments.

💰 Financials

DuboTech generates revenue from system sales, software licensing, support contracts, and defense development projects. The startup has raised over US$400,000, including a US$350,000 round led by Agile Minds Solutions Limited.

🚩 Risks