DealStreetAsia
Singapore-based BeeX, a startup that makes underwater robots, has raised a seed round led by Cap Vista, with participation from Quest Ventures’s maritime fund, IMC Ventures, SEEDS Capital, and the National University of Singapore (NUS).
BeeX’s founder Grace Chia declined to disclose the amount raised.
Founded in 2018, BeeX creates autonomous robots that can be programmed before they are deployed in shallow waters and can be monitored remotely. The robots rely on data from cameras and underwater acoustics to run on autopilot.
The startup, which spun off from a NUS project, will use the fresh funds to expand its team from 10 to 14, Chia said, and improve its product.
The robots are currently used by two Singapore government agencies to detect anomalies and adverse changes in underwater infrastructure. The startup says its robots can be used at floating solar farms, coastal jetties and refinery plants, and are cheaper and safer than getting human divers to do inspections.
