Mirai Robotics Raises $4.2M to Unleash AI Fleets on the High Seas

MILAN, ITALY – March 09, 2026 – In one of the largest pre-seed rounds for Italy’s deep-tech sector, Mirai Robotics has secured $4.2 million in funding to build a fleet of intelligent maritime systems. The company aims to tackle the deep-seated inefficiencies of a global blue economy that, despite being valued at over $2.5 trillion, remains one of the world's least digitized domains.

The funding round, led by venture capital firms Primo Capital, Techshop, and 40Jemz Ventures, signals strong investor confidence in Mirai’s mission to make the seas more governable, safe, and observable through advanced artificial intelligence and robotics. The capital will be used to accelerate technology development and expand a team already poised to challenge the status quo of maritime operations.

Founded by a trio of seasoned entrepreneurs—Luciano Belviso, Luca Mascaro, and Davide Dattoli—Mirai Robotics is positioning itself as a European AI robotics lab with a distinct philosophy. “The sea is one of the last major physical infrastructures not yet governed by software,” stated Luciano Belviso, CEO of Mirai Robotics. “Autonomy is the key to finally making the oceans safe and usable... This is a technological and industrial challenge that requires a true robotics-lab approach.”

An Industry at a Breaking Point

The maritime domain is the lifeblood of the global economy, with over 80% of trade moving by sea and 95% of internet traffic flowing through subsea cables. Yet, this critical infrastructure is straining under the weight of outdated operational models. The industry faces a perfect storm of high operational costs, limited continuous observability, and a severe, structural shortage of qualified professionals.

Industry reports corroborate this stark reality, with the International Chamber of Shipping estimating a need for nearly 90,000 new officers by 2026 to crew the global merchant fleet. This human capital gap, compounded by an aging workforce, makes a fully human-centric model increasingly unsustainable for ensuring continuous and safe operations.

“The maritime domain is at an inflection point,” said Gianluca Dettori, Partner at lead investor Primo Capital. “We're looking at a huge economy that still relies on operational models designed decades ago. The human capital gap alone... makes the status quo unsustainable. What Mirai Robotics is building isn't just automation; it's the fundamental infrastructure layer that will allow the blue economy to scale safely and efficiently.”

A Robotics-Lab Approach to Autonomy

Mirai Robotics is not simply developing software; it is building the physical hardware and intelligent systems designed to withstand the ocean's extreme environments. The company’s “robotics-lab approach” treats autonomy as a full-stack engineering and industrial challenge. This involves the deep integration of autonomous vehicles, advanced sensing capabilities, AI, and robust control systems.

From its headquarters in Puglia, Italy, the company has already developed two autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and patrolling scenarios. These platforms are built for persistence and can operate as standalone units or as part of a distributed, networked system, dramatically reducing human risk and operational costs compared to traditional crewed vessels.

Recognizing that a full fleet replacement is not always feasible, Mirai also offers its autonomy, navigation, and control solutions as integration kits for third-party vehicles. This strategy allows industrial and institutional operators to adopt autonomous technologies without a complete overhaul of their existing assets, accelerating the transition towards a more automated maritime future.

Navigating Crowded Waters and Dual-Use Realities

While Mirai Robotics is a notable new entrant, it is sailing into an increasingly competitive market. The push for maritime autonomy is a global phenomenon, with established defense giants like BAE Systems and L3Harris, as well as innovative firms like the UK’s Ocean Infinity and Portugal’s TEKEVER, all developing autonomous or remote systems. Many of these, like Mirai, have dual-use applications, serving both commercial and governmental clients.

Mirai embraces this reality with a “dual-use by design” logic. Its technology is engineered to be applicable across a spectrum of civil and institutional use cases, from offshore energy infrastructure monitoring and environmental data collection to coastal surveillance and security patrols. This versatility is a strategic advantage in a world where the lines between commercial and national security interests at sea are increasingly blurred.

The Uncharted Territory of Regulation

The greatest challenge for Mirai Robotics and its competitors may not be technological but regulatory. The legal frameworks governing the high seas were written for a world of human-crewed ships. International bodies are racing to catch up, but a comprehensive, globally accepted code for autonomous maritime operations is still years away.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is developing a mandatory code for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), but it isn’t expected to enter into force until 2032. In the interim, operators must navigate a complex patchwork of domestic laws and international conventions like UNCLOS, which was not written with uncrewed vessels in mind. Key questions surrounding liability in case of accidents, cybersecurity standards to prevent hacking or GPS spoofing, and the ethical implications of autonomous surveillance remain subjects of intense debate.

For dual-use systems, these questions become even more acute, touching on international norms and the future of maritime security. The successful deployment of these technologies will require as much innovation in policy and law as it does in engineering.

Reviving a Maritime Heritage

Mirai Robotics’ decision to anchor its operations in Puglia is a deliberate nod to Italy’s formidable heritage in shipbuilding and maritime engineering. The company aims to fuse this industrial legacy with a new generation of talent in AI and robotics, creating a European center of excellence for maritime autonomy.

As Gianluca Dettori of Primo Capital noted, “Italy's shipbuilding heritage combined with this caliber of robotics and AI talent creates a genuinely unique opportunity.” By tackling one of the 21st century's most complex industrial challenges, Mirai Robotics is not just building a company; it is aiming to project its nation’s historic role in the blue economy far into an autonomous future.