Insider Brief
- Orca AI raised $72.5M in Series B funding led by Brighton Park Capital, bringing total funding to $111M to expand its autonomous maritime platform and enter new markets like defense and security.
- The company’s AI-powered navigation system, built on over 80 million nautical miles of visual data, reduces collisions by 54%, cuts fuel costs, and lowers CO2 emissions, enhancing safety and efficiency at sea.
- Trusted by major shipping companies like MSC and NYK, Orca AI is advancing real-time autonomous shipping, leveraging improved satellite connectivity and cloud-based decision-making tools.
PRESS RELEASE — Orca AI, a leader in maritime technology, announced it has closed an investment of $72.5 million in Series B funding. Brighton Park Capital led the round with participation from existing investors Ankona Capital and Hyperlink Ventures. The investment will enable Orca AI to further its autonomous platform, add new capabilities and enter new categories, including defense and security. The funding will also strengthen the company’s position as the market leader in autonomous shipping. The completion of this round brings Orca AI’s total funding raised to $111 million with OCV Partners and Mizmaa Ventures also participating in previous rounds.
Founded in 2018 by CEO Yarden Gross and CTO Dor Raviv, Orca AI is revolutionizing the traditionally opaque, conservative shipping industry with AI-powered decision making and autonomous shipping capabilities. The company has the world’s largest marine visual dataset, built from over 80 million nautical miles. Powered by advanced AI and computer vision, this dataset forms the foundation for unmatched situational awareness capabilities in ocean navigation, helping captains and crew members identify risks and targets that cannot be spotted with the human eye. By delivering AI-based alerts and recommendations, Orca AI is able to significantly reduce the probability of collisions that have a severe economic and human impact, so crews can focus their attention on the most critical parts of their voyages.
Orca AI’s technology delivers significant improvements in operational decision-making and voyage safety. A 2024 analysis of Orca AI’s alerts system showed a 54% reduction in close encounter events, which improved overall safety and reduced associated accelerations. In turn, this led to an average of $100,000 savings in fuel per vessel per year — translating to a total estimated reduction of 195,000 tons in CO2 emissions in 2024.
“At Orca AI, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible when AI supports human decision-making at sea,” said Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-Founder of Orca AI. “Over the past two years, ships have become increasingly connected to the cloud, enabling large-scale data collection and unlocking the potential of AI. Orca AI is leading this transformation, deploying advanced AI technologies that make vessels smarter, safer, and more automated. We are grateful to have forward-thinking investors who, like us, can see how the advancements in AI and connectivity are opening up new opportunities to enhance autonomous shipping, which will define the future of maritime operations.”
“By combining innovation and deep maritime industry expertise, Orca AI is setting a new standard for the shipping industry, driving remarkable advancements to dramatically improve nautical safety and operations, while charting the course towards autonomous shipping,” said Ezra Berman, Vice President at Brighton Park Capital.
Sam Kentor, Partner at Brighton Park Capital, continued, “At Brighton Park, we are proud to support founder-led companies like Orca AI that harness frontier technology to address complex challenges and deliver real impact. We look forward to collaborating with the Orca AI team as they build a more resilient global supply chain.”
Orca AI’s platform is already trusted by major global shipping companies, including MSC, NYK, Scorpio, and Seaspan. By helping mitigate accidents and operational issues, Orca AI enables hundreds of vessels to save billions of dollars in potential damage each year. The significant improvement in connectivity in remote waters, driven by satellite-based services like Starlink, allows real-time data to be transmitted to Orca AI for mapping routes, traffic monitoring, and sharing critical information. This capability is key to developing autonomous navigation, providing an unprecedented level of precision in vessel monitoring.
For more information about Orca AI and its autonomous maritime technology, visit www.orca-ai.io.
About Orca AI
Orca AI is the leading maritime operations platform utilizing artificial intelligence and computer vision to achieve the most significant change across the shipping industry in centuries. The Orca AI platform empowers shipping companies to maximize operational efficiency and voyage safety for ships and fleets. With Orca AI, crew can now make rapid, data-driven decisions in congested waters or low visibility conditions, while fleet managers and operators gain unprecedented insights into their fleets’ performance.
Orca AI brings autonomous mobility to the shipping industry, having powered the world’s first commercial autonomous voyage in 2022, in partnership with Designing the Future of Full Autonomous Ships (DFFAS) and The Nippon Foundation.
Headquartered in London, UK, Orca AI is trusted by global leaders including Maran Tankers, MSC, Seaspan and NYK, with more than 1,200 vessels booked with the platform.
About Brighton Park Capital
Brighton Park Capital is a New York-based investment firm focused on entrepreneur-led, growth-stage software, healthcare and tech-enabled services companies. The firm invests in companies that provide highly innovative solutions in partnership with great management teams. Brighton Park brings purpose-built, value-add capabilities that match the unique requirements of each of its companies. For more information about Brighton Park Capital, please visit www.bpc.com.
Media Contacts
Orca AI
Mushkie Meyer
Mushkie@headline.media
US: +1 914 336 4035
UK: +44 203 769 4034
Brighton Park Capital
FGS Global
BrightonPark@fgsglobal.com
