South Korean autonomous ship navigation AI solutions company Seadronix has successfully raised approximately $11.2 million (KRW 15 billion) in its Series B funding round. The round saw participation from new investors LB Investment, KB Investment, and KDB, while existing investors Wonik Investment Partners and Lighthouse Combined Investment also contributed with follow-up investments.

Since its founding in 2015, Seadronix has leveraged its exceptional research team and extensive real-world navigation data to develop AI-powered situational awareness technology—once considered unattainable in the maritime industry.

The company has demonstrated its technological leadership on a global scale, winning the CES 2024 Innovation Award, securing the world’s first classification society type approval, and receiving new technology and innovative product certifications from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. It is also actively contributing to the advancement of national future technologies and industrial competitiveness by collaborating with national research institutions. This includes its participation in a government-led autonomous ship technology development project valued at approximately $119 million (KRW 160 billion).

With this latest funding, Seadronix plans to further enhance its ship AI and robotics technologies while accelerating its global expansion, building on recent contracts with overseas clients in Singapore and the Netherlands.

Seadronix offers three key AI solutions: NAVISS, an AI-powered navigation support and monitoring system for smart operations; Rec-SEA, an AI software that seamlessly upgrades existing ship cameras; and AVISS, an AI-based port management and monitoring system that supports integrated port operations.

These solutions have been deployed and are actively operating in real-world maritime environments, marking an industry first. By shifting ship navigation from a system traditionally reliant on human intuition and experience to an AI-driven approach, Seadronix is revolutionizing maritime safety and operational efficiency while establishing itself as a key enabler of autonomous navigation.

Oh Sung-in, Principal at LB Investment, the lead investor in this Series B round, remarked, “Seadronix is proving that a market similar to ADAS in the automotive sector exists in the maritime industry as well. As one of the few deep-tech startups to generate overseas revenue in this highly conservative market, we expect to see strong growth in the global shipping and defense sectors.”

Lee Jun-seok, Investment Manager at KB Investment, added, “Seadronix is setting the benchmark for the autonomous navigation solutions market, and its progress is shaping industry trends. We look forward to seeing it lead the establishment of international standards for autonomous navigation while collaborating with major players in the global shipping industry.”

Byeolteo Park, CEO of Seadronix, commented, “This investment reflects confidence in our AI technology, which is specifically designed for maritime environments, as well as our business achievements and our vision for the future of autonomous navigation. With a strong sense of responsibility, we will focus on delivering practical AI solutions to the global market and accelerating the adoption of autonomous navigation.”