SG maker of self-driving underwater robots nets seed funding

BeeX, a Singapore-based autonomous underwater robotics startup, raised a seven-figure US dollar investment in a seed round.

Cap Vista, the investment arm of Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency led the round. IMC Ventures, Seeds Capital, the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Quest Ventures’ maritime fund, ShipsFocus, also participated in the round.

BeeX’s co-founders: CTO Goh Eng Wei (left) and CEO Grace Chia / Source: BeeX

BeeX will use the fresh funds to expand its software team in a bid to accelerate the development of its autonomous capabilities and plans across diverse environments including ports, vessels, and anchorages. The company is also planning to hire a perception engineer, marine autonomy technician, and senior electrical engineer.

The firm’s hardware team will also commission a larger and more powerful hovering autonomous underwater vehicle (HAUV) suitable for harsher conditions in offshore solar and wind energy projects.

Established in 2018 by NUS researchers Grace Chia and Goh Eng Wei, the robotics maker currently has a HAUV called Aikanbilis which is a portmanteau of the words “autonomous” and “Ikan bilis,” a variety of fish. The firm’s autopilot system relies on data from cameras and underwater acoustics that are processed in real time.

BeeX autonomous robot Aikanbilis / Source: BeeX

Each robot can be programed to complete a particular task and left to complete it while being monitored remotely. The autonomous underwater robot can travel to depths of up to 300 meters. 

The company has two revenue channels: vehicle sales and subscription services for use of its platform and robots.

Currently, two Singapore government agencies use the company’s autonomous underwater robots for the early detection of irregularities and damage to underwater infrastructure.

BeeX’s other clients include clients who own floating solar farms, coastal jetties, and refinery plants. The Singapore-based firm is in the process of shifting toward diverless inspections, which provide faster insights and reduce the risk of diving accidents as well as the wait time for inspection reports.

A BeeX engineer monitoring an autonomous underwater robot / Source: BeeX