Bubble Robotics has raised $5 million in a pre-seed round co-led by Episode 1 Ventures, Asterion Ventures, and Norrsken Evolve.
The company, which launched through Entrepreneurs First, is based in Paris, San Francisco, and Zürich. It builds autonomous robots that can operate at sea for extended periods without requiring human crews or support ships. Bubble Robotics already has over $4 million in signed letters of intent from customers in offshore wind, maritime security, and subsea infrastructure, indicating strong early interest ahead of its first deployments.
Jean Crosetti and Patricia Apostol founded Bubble Robotics in 2025 after meeting through the Entrepreneurs First program. Crosetti brings commercial and operational experience, while Apostol has a technical background from NASA and ETH Zürich. According to EF co-founder Alice Bentinck, their mix of skills and strong focus on customers set them apart.
Bubble’s system has two main parts: BubbleDock, a docking station launched from shore or a vessel that can stay in place for up to six months, and BubbleBots, which are underwater robots that carry out ongoing inspection missions. The platform can use cameras, sonar, multibeam echo sounders, hydrophones, and environmental sensors like eDNA.
Offered as a robotics-as-a-service model with no upfront costs, the system delivers detailed, multi-sensor data at much lower prices than traditional offshore inspections. It can be used for wind turbine foundation inspections, mine countermeasures, and the detection of unusual underwater sounds.
Major competitors include Saildrone, Saronic, and Sea Machines Robotics. Other pre-seed companies tracked by PitchBook include Orpheus Ocean and Bedrock. Unlike rivals, Bubble’s robots can remain underwater for extended periods, whereas most AUV and ROV competitors must be deployed for each mission.
Bubble plans to launch its first commercial systems soon in offshore wind, maritime security, and subsea infrastructure, with the goal of turning its signed letters of intent into revenue. The company also wants to use its platform as a constant source of maritime information, similar to how satellite constellations provide ongoing Earth observation.
