UK-based maritime defence startup Online Oceans has raised £4 million in funding to scale its autonomous vessel technology and fleet management platform.
The round was led by Seraphim Space, with participation from investors including Peter Rive, Frank Thieser, Florian Seibel, and Koro Capital.
Building Always-On Ocean Monitoring Systems
Founded in 2025 by George Morton and Alistair Douglas, Online Oceans is developing autonomous maritime systems designed to deliver continuous ocean surveillance.
Its solution combines Scout, a solar-powered autonomous surface vessel, with Tether, a cloud-based control platform. Together, they enable operators to deploy, coordinate, and manage fleets in real time while collecting and analysing mission data.
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A Shift Toward Scalable Autonomous Fleets
The company is targeting a range of high-demand use cases, including anti-submarine operations, protection of subsea infrastructure, border surveillance, and counter-narcotics missions.
By replacing or complementing traditional crewed vessels, Online Oceans aims to offer a more scalable and cost-efficient alternative for maritime monitoring.
Scaling Production And Global Deployment
The newly raised capital will be used to expand manufacturing capabilities, support real-world deployments, and increase the company’s capacity to meet growing demand across defence and commercial markets.
While headquartered in Europe, the firm is positioning itself for global operations, addressing increasing needs for persistent maritime awareness and infrastructure security.
“We built Online Oceans to offer a more scalable and practical approach to monitoring critical waters,” said Morton. “Our goal is to help governments and operators maintain continuous visibility while protecting vital infrastructure over long durations.”
About Online Oceans
Online Oceans is a UK-based defence technology startup developing autonomous maritime systems for continuous ocean monitoring. Its platform combines solar-powered vessels with cloud-based fleet management software, enabling scalable, real-time maritime surveillance across defence and commercial applications.
