Maritime technology firm Orca AI has secured $72.5 million in Series B funding to advance its autonomous shipping solutions and broaden its presence in new sectors, including defense and security. The funding round was led by Brighton Park Capital, with continued backing from existing investors Ankona Capital and Hyperlink Ventures. The latest investment brings the company’s total funding to $111 million.
Founded in 2018, Orca AI develops AI-driven navigation and decision-support tools designed to improve operational efficiency and safety in the shipping industry. Its technology integrates advanced computer vision and a marine visual dataset reportedly comprising more than 80 million nautical miles. This system supports real-time risk detection and situational awareness for commercial vessels.
Orca AI reported that its alert system contributed to a 54% reduction in close encounter incidents in 2024, which the company estimates resulted in annual fuel savings of approximately $100,000 per vessel and a combined reduction of 195,000 tons of CO₂ emissions.
The company’s software platform is currently used by major global shipping operators including MSC, NYK, Scorpio, and Seaspan. Improved connectivity at sea, facilitated by services such as Starlink, has enabled the real-time data transmission that supports Orca AI’s autonomous navigation features.
In 2022, Orca AI collaborated with Designing the Future of Full Autonomous Ships (DFFAS) and The Nippon Foundation to complete what it describes as the first commercial autonomous voyage. The company is headquartered in London and states that its platform has been booked for use on over 1,200 vessels.
Brighton Park Capital, the lead investor in the latest round, described the funding as a step toward enhancing global maritime safety and enabling further technological adoption in a traditionally manual industry.
Photo: Orca AI Co-founders Dor Raviv, CTO (left), and Yarden Gross, CEO
