Participated · Series B · Jul 2020

Sea Machines develops autonomous control technology, perception systems, and vessel software designed to increase safety, efficiency, and performance for ships, workboats, and commercial vessels. The company sells advanced control and autonomy solutions to the maritime industry and operates globally from its Boston headquarters. Sea Machines has secured multiple significant contracts and partnerships, including with DEEP BV, Metal Shark Boats, and the U.S. Department of Defense Innovation Unit. While its current focus is the commercial vessels market, the company aims to extend similar automation capabilities to the recreational marine market in the future. Sea Machines was founded in 2015 and markets its products to enhance operator safety and vessel performance. The company has strategic industry investors and partners supporting its technology development and market adoption. Sea Machines builds autonomous systems that operate under the command of a human operator to take on long-duration and repetitive control duties, boosting predictability and reducing fatigue-related incidents. The technology also enables new capabilities such as onshore command of remote offshore vessels and expanded remote operations. Led by CEO Michael G. Johnson, the company launched its first family of products in late 2018 and has since deployed systems across multiple sectors. Deployments include large cargo vessels (including a disclosed program with A.P. Moller-Maersk), U.S.-flag ATBs, data-collecting survey boats, oil-spill response craft, search-and-rescue, patrol and crew transfer vessels. Its systems are operating in four of the world’s eight geographical regions and the company reaches customers through a dealer-partner program with established marine electronics integrators. The new financing will support further deployment and commercialization of its self-piloting technologies. Sea Machines Robotics develops autonomous vessel software and advanced perception and navigation-assistance systems for a range of vessel types, including container ships, workboats and commercial vessels. The company released an introductory line of autonomous command and remote-control systems in October aimed at offshore commercial, scientific and government applications. Sea Machines said it will use new funding to grow its engineering and technology team, rapidly develop a new generation of products and features, and expand the global reach of its products. Its primary focus is currently the commercial vessels market, with Brunswick noting research may later be adapted into the recreational marine market. The company is headquartered in Boston, was founded in 2015, and operates globally. The recent financing was described as one of the largest rounds of financing for a marine- and maritime-focused technology company in history.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2018

ANGLR builds an app-centered platform for recording and planning fishing trips, emphasizing trip-level summaries rather than single-catch entries. The company pairs software with hardware — including patent-pending connected tracking accessories and forthcoming wearables — to automate data capture without needing to pull out a phone. ANGLR works with weather and water data providers and has spent years refining GPS and pathing to support diverse fishing scenarios. The system has existed for about five years and the company has logged thousands of catches. Founders Nic Wilson and Landon Bloomer started the Pittsburgh-based business and plan to add AR and expand their wearables and device lineup. Financially, the company recently closed a $3.3 million Series A to support product and hardware expansion. Anglr builds the Anglr Tracker, a compact activity tracker that attaches to fishing rods and senses casts, catches, and position to automatically log trips. The device can mark productive spots and remind users when to return. The founders are Nic Wilson, Landon Bloomer, and TJ Corbett. The team launched an app and acquired 6,000 users in a month, and has retailer interest from Cabela’s and Field & Stream. Anglr received $1 million in seed funding from Bluetree Allied Angels to build out the hardware and is working with a Pennsylvania manufacturer for prototyping, tooling, and production. The device is slated to ship in November.

Led · Equity · Apr 2014

Boatbound operates a peer-to-peer marketplace for U.S. boat owners to rent their boats to pre-screened, qualified renters. Every rental includes up to $3m in insurance protection from trusted insurers, plus towing and support from Boat U.S. The platform supports mobile listing management—owners can create or update listings, add photos, and respond to booking requests via mobile—and renters can hire a captain if they lack boating experience. The service is free to join and has no monthly or membership fees. Co-founded by Aaron Hall and Matt Johnston and based in San Francisco, the company released a redesign of Boatbound.co with over 50 new features to improve listing and renting experiences. Boatbound plans to use new funding to continue expansion and inventory growth, targeting South Florida, New York, Chicago, and Seattle during the 2014 boating season. Boatbound is an online 'pier-to-pier' boat rental marketplace that lets pre-screened captains rent fully insured vessels ranging from motorboats to sailboats and yachts. Owners create listings with photos, amenities, engine and capacity details, location, asking price, and availability; Boatbound takes a percentage cut of bookings and owners receive the rest. At launch the site lists about 50 boats and has almost 1,000 pre-approved listings queued to be added once scalability is ensured. Boatbound has raised over $1 million in early-stage funding led by Benjamin Ling and 500 Startups to support the rollout. To reduce owner risk, the company offers comprehensive insurance covering boats up to $2 million plus an extra $1 million in liability coverage. It requires renters to be licensed seafarers and partnered with BoaterExam to offer free certification, targeting 150,000 people to get licensed in six months to drive demand. Founders Aaron Hall and Matt Johnston, alumni of 500 Startups via their prior company Tailored, focused on product and UX to make the marketplace trustworthy and scalable.