Caudal Energy, a UK-based renewable energy startup developing biomimetic tidal power systems, has raised £4.3 million in funding led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Empirical Ventures, with participation from Zero Carbon Capital, Creator Fund, and existing investors.
The funding highlights growing investor interest in predictable renewable energy technologies capable of supporting grid stability and reducing volatility in electricity markets.
Reimagining Tidal Energy
Founded in 2024 under the name Porpoise Power, Caudal Energy was built around hydrodynamic research from the University of Oxford led by co-founder Adrian Thomas.
The company is developing a new type of tidal energy system inspired by the movement and efficiency of marine mammals.
Instead of relying on conventional underwater turbines, Caudal Energy’s proprietary oscillating foil technology is designed to move with tidal flows, creating a simpler and potentially more efficient method of generating renewable power.
Its modular surface-mounted architecture is intended to reduce installation complexity, lower maintenance requirements, and improve scalability compared to traditional tidal infrastructure.
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Unlocking Mid-Flow Tidal Sites
One of the company’s main goals is to expand tidal energy generation beyond the limited number of extreme high-flow coastal locations currently used by most tidal projects.
By targeting more common mid-flow tidal environments, Caudal Energy believes its technology could significantly increase the number of commercially viable deployment sites globally while still delivering predictable baseload renewable energy.
The system has already reached Technology Readiness Level 5, with the new funding supporting large-scale testing at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.
The company is aiming for its first commercial deployment by 2028.
Scaling Toward Commercial Deployment
The new capital will be used to expand engineering capabilities, accelerate demonstration projects, and strengthen partnerships across utility, industrial, and distributed energy sectors.
According to John Kennedy, the long-term energy transition requires renewable technologies that combine clean power generation with reliability and scalability.
“We founded Caudal to challenge the idea that tidal energy must remain expensive, highly complex, and limited to niche applications,” Kennedy said.
“Our approach combines advanced hydrodynamic design with modular deployment systems built for commercial scalability. By unlocking mid-flow tidal locations, we believe tidal energy can become significantly more deployable and economically competitive.”
About Caudal Energy
Caudal Energy is a UK renewable energy company developing biomimetic tidal power systems inspired by marine mammal movement. Its oscillating foil technology is designed to deliver predictable, scalable renewable energy while reducing installation complexity and expanding the number of commercially viable tidal energy sites worldwide.
