ScrubMarine completes funding round led by PXN Ventures and SFC Capital
A young entrepreneur developing robot technology to clean ships’ hulls has raised more than $1m in pre-seed funding. Robotics engineer Rohith Devanathan co-founded ScrubMarine when he was 21 to develop technology to tackle ‘biofouling’.
Ships’ hulls can accumulate molluscs, crustaceans and slime as they travel, making them less efficient. ScrubMarine, led by co-founders Mr Devanathan and Clyne Albertelli, says that problem can increase fuel consumption by up to 40%, increasing emissions and costing global shipping more than $100bn annually.
Now the Cumbrian business has completed a funding round led by PXN Ventures and SFC Capital that will help it to develop its autonomous system to clean and inspect ship hulls. The funding will help it complete a prototype, grow its engineering team in Whitehaven and Edinburgh, and push towards pilot deployments with ship operators.
The funding round was led by venture capital firm PXN Ventures with investment made via NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. It is also supported by SFC Capital. Other investors include Graham Westgarth, former president of the UK Chamber of Shipping, and former Apple regional chief executive Colin Greene.
The ScrubMarine system is based around a robot called the Turtle that can remove fouling and capture inspection data. That can be controlled through an autonomous surface platform, the Whale, that means the robots can be deployed and recovered without the use of divers or port infrastructure.
Mr Devanathan said: “With fuel costs rising and emissions regulations tightening, hull maintenance has become a critical issue for operators worldwide. Being based in Whitehaven gives us access to strong engineering capability while building technology that can be deployed globally.”
He added: “This investment allows us to accelerate development and move towards the first pilots with major operators. Our goal is to make underwater maintenance safer, more efficient and fully data-driven.”
Jess Jackson, PraeSeed lead at PXN Ventures, said: “ScrubMarine is a strong example of the kind of innovative, globally scalable business emerging from the North. With Northern Powerhouse backing, the team is well placed to build advanced robotics capability in Cumbria while serving international markets.”
Ed Stevenson, principal at SFC Capital, added: “ScrubMarine is building a smart, scalable solution to a costly problem that affects almost every vessel in operation. Rohith and the ScrubMarine team combine strong engineering talent with a clear understanding of the operational realities of global shipping. We’re happy to be backing them at this early stage of the journey.”
Sue Barnard, senior investment manager at British Business Bank, said: “It’s great to support such an ambitious Northern business as it prepares for commercial pilots. ScrubMarine is applying innovative technology to tackle a real-world global challenge, and this NPIF II funding will support the team to develop their product, create skilled jobs and take the next steps in their growth journey.”
