Boston Startup Blue Water Autonomy Emerges with Plans for Autonomous Naval Vessels

April 12, 2025

BOSTON — A new player in the maritime technology sector has made waves this week as Boston-based Blue Water Autonomy emerged from stealth mode, announcing $14 million in seed funding to develop fully autonomous naval vessels.

The startup, founded in 2024 by veterans of Amazon Robotics, iRobot, and the U.S. Navy, is developing unmanned ships capable of operating independently on the open ocean. The company announced its seed funding from Eclipse, Riot, and Impatient Ventures on Thursday, marking its public debut after developing in stealth mode.

According to company representatives, Blue Water Autonomy has already developed a full-stack autonomy suite and concept ship designs in under a year. The company is currently conducting salt-water testing of a 100-ton autonomous test vessel just outside of Boston.

The startup's ambitious goal involves building an autonomous ship capable of carrying approximately 100 tons—equivalent to about 50 cars—representing part of a broader trend of companies working to develop uncrewed vessels for maritime applications.

"Sea power has been the bedrock of America's security and prosperity for centuries," said Rylan Hamilton, co-founder and CEO of Blue Water Autonomy. "We believe the entire maritime economy is in need of transformation — it starts with supporting the U.S. Navy which needs dynamic industrial partners to bring top technology to its sailors, including ocean-going, fully autonomous ships."

The company's leadership includes several notable figures in robotics and naval operations. Hamilton started his career as a U.S. Navy engineering and surface warfare officer before moving into robotics after Harvard Business School, including work at Amazon Robotics deploying industrial robots. The team also includes Austin Gray, another Navy veteran, and Scott Miller, an investor and former vice president of engineering at iRobot.

Blue Water Autonomy's approach focuses on ship-level autonomy, integrating advanced robotics with modular payload capabilities to adapt to various missions such as surveillance, logistics, and combat support. While initially targeting military applications, the company envisions eventually expanding its autonomous ship technology into commercial markets including cargo transport, offshore energy operations, fishing, and luxury transportation.

"The U.S. military needs more than incremental improvements to meet the moment and maintain its status on the global stage," said Seth Winterroth, partner at Eclipse, one of the company's investors. "Autonomous ships are critical to enable the Navy to continue securing deterrence given the threat of China and Russia and the importance of shipping lanes in the Pacific."

Blue Water Autonomy is part of a growing sector of defense-focused startups developing autonomous maritime technologies. In recent months, companies including Saronic Technologies, Saildrone, Vatn Systems, and Anduril have attracted significant venture capital for similar marine autonomy projects, with billions reportedly invested in the sector over the past year.

With its new funding, Blue Water Autonomy plans to expand its engineering team, accelerate ship testing, and integrate different payloads onto its platform. The company is also exploring whether to build its own shipyard or partner with existing facilities that currently produce vessels like ferries and tugboats.

Industry observers note that the emergence of companies like Blue Water Autonomy comes at a pivotal time for naval operations globally, as tensions in regions like the Pacific and challenges to shipping lanes have increased demand for innovative maritime technologies.

Sources

1. TechCrunch. (2025, April 11). Blue Water Autonomy comes out of stealth promising autonomous naval ships. https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/11/blue-water-autonomy-comes-out-of-stealth-promising-autonomous-naval-ships/

2. Boston Globe. (2025, April 11). Blue Water Autonomy is building captainless ships. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/11/business/blue-water-autonomy-captainless-ships/

3. Naval News. (2025, April 11). Blue Water Autonomy Emerges From Stealth to Usher in New Era of Autonomous Ships. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/04/blue-water-autonomy-emerges-from-stealth-to-usher-in-new-era-of-autonomous-ships/

4. Blue Water Autonomy. (2025). Autonomous Ships For the Open Ocean. https://www.blw.ai/

5. Bloomberg. (2025, April 11). Defense Tech Startups' Next Target: Captainless, AI-Powered Navy Ships. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-11/anduril-saronic-saildrone-aim-to-bring-drones-to-the-ocean

6. PR Newswire. (2025, April 11). Blue Water Autonomy Emerges From Stealth to Usher in New Era of Autonomous Ships and Modernize the Maritime Economy. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-water-autonomy-emerges-from-stealth-to-usher-in-new-era-of-autonomous-ships-and-modernize-the-maritime-economy-302426198.html

7. Defense Daily. (2025, April 11). Blue Water Autonomy, With Plans For Autonomous Oceangoing Navy Ships, Raises $14 Million. https://www.defensedaily.com/blue-water-autonomy-with-plans-for-autonomous-oceangoing-navy-ships-raises-14-million/advanced-transformational-technology/