Blue Water Autonomy, a Boston-based technology and shipbuilding company, has raised an impressive $50 million in Series A funding led by GV, with strong participation from existing investors Eclipse, Riot, and Impatient Ventures. This new investment brings the company’s total capital to $64 million.
With this funding, Blue Water Autonomy is poised to build and launch its first long-range, fully autonomous ship within the following year. The company’s growth has been rapid—since its seed round, the team has quadrupled in size, completed on-water engineering tests, and secured key materials from a network of over 50 suppliers.
Blue Water Autonomy emerges at a critical moment. China currently leads global shipbuilding, outpacing U.S. capacity by over 200 times and rapidly expanding its naval fleet, while U.S. ship production lags behind. In response, Pentagon leaders are accelerating investments in autonomous surface vessels, supported by $2.1 billion in new Congressional funding. Blue Water Autonomy’s ships are designed as affordable, scalable platforms capable of delivering various payloads and supporting advanced naval operations.
Beyond military applications, the company sees vast potential for its autonomous ships to transform commercial maritime industries, tackling repetitive, dangerous, and demanding tasks at sea. Blue Water Autonomy’s team includes seasoned Navy veterans and shipbuilding experts who have delivered over 30 ships for the U.S. Navy and contributed to cutting-edge DARPA projects.
With a new office in Washington, D.C. and a unique blend of robotics and maritime expertise, Blue Water Autonomy is set to deliver critical innovation for American maritime security and logistics.
New board member: GV’s Managing Partner Dave Munichiello will join the Blue Water Autonomy Board of Directors.
KEY QUOTES:
“There is an urgent need for autonomous ships designed specifically for maritime security and logistics. This funding gives our team the resources to build long-range autonomous ships from the keel up that will operate on the open ocean for months at a time. Blue Water Autonomy is laser-focused on perfecting a single platform class. This intentional strategy ensures unmatched quality, speed to market, and reliability from day one.”
CEO Rylan Hamilton
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Rylan for nearly two decades, from our time at Kiva Systems through Shopify’s acquisition of his robotics company. As a former military officer myself, I’ve seen how great leaders are forged through experience, and Rylan exemplifies that—pairing vision with disciplined execution. At Blue Water, he’s assembled a world-class team to autonomize maritime defense, addressing a mission as urgent as it is consequential.”
Dave Munichiello, Managing Partner at GV
