Saildrone, which specialises in maritime autonomy, has closed a USD 60 million investment round led by EIFO, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark. The investment will be used to bring Saildrone’s USV technology to Europe to address the urgent need for maritime security for critical infrastructure and wider defence applications.
In addition to EIFO, other participants in the round included existing investors Lux Capital, Washington Harbor Partners, Crowley, and Academy Securities, joined by new investors Pinegrove.
Also read: Danish Armed Forces to test Saildrone USVs
Maritime intelligence for multiple NATO countries
The Baltic, North Sea, and European Arctic waters are currently facing unprecedented threats, and the need for persistent maritime domain awareness has never been greater. Saildrone’s extreme endurance unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) utilise sophisticated sensors, combined with proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, to give a full picture of the maritime environment above and below the sea surface.
Richard Jenkins, Saildrone’s founder and CEO: ‘Denmark’s unique geographic and political position at the heart of northern Europe makes it the perfect place to establish our European headquarters and operational hub. Working initially with the Danish Armed Forces, we plan to roll out Saildrone’s maritime intelligence services to multiple NATO countries during the course of the year. Our goal is to provide 24/7, year-round coverage for all critical infrastructure within the Baltic and North Sea, safeguarding these highly valuable installations for current and future generations.’
Also read: Saildrone opens European subsidiary in Denmark
‘Critical for security’
‘Saildrone is a leading company in a rapidly growing market, and gaining access to this technology can become critical for both Denmark’s and Europe’s security,’ says Peder Lundquist, CEO of EIFO. ‘We expect Saildrone will have an impact on both the Danish defence industry and the Danish challenges with surveillance in the Arctic and counteracting sabotage in Danish waters —at a fraction of the cost of a patrol ship.’
Saildrone will deploy the first four Saildrone Voyagers in the Baltic Sea in June 2025, under contract to the Danish Armed Forces.
Picture by Saildrone.
Also read: Saildrone and Thales show autonomous anti-submarine tech
