A British maritime robotics startup led by a 22-year-old founder has raised more than £750,000 to develop autonomous robots designed to clean ship hulls, reduce fuel consumption and eliminate dangerous underwater diving work.
Edinburgh-based ScrubMarine, founded by Rohith Devanathan while he was still a student, has secured funding in a venture capital round led by SFC Capital and PXN Ventures. The investment will enable the company to complete its first commercial prototype, expand its engineering team in Whitehaven, expand its operations in Edinburgh and conduct live testing with customers.
ScrubMarine is developing autonomous hull cleaning and inspection robots that target biofouling – the buildup of algae, barnacles and slime on ship hulls. This growth increases air resistance and drives up fuel consumption and emissions. Devanathan estimates that biofouling increases global transportation costs by more than $100 billion annually.
“Biofouling is a hidden problem, but it is a huge one,” he said. “It increases the air resistance of the ship, which increases fuel consumption. This is a huge cost factor for operators and is also harmful to the environment.”
Traditional hull cleaning often requires ships to be drained or divers to work underwater alongside large ships, a process that is costly and can be dangerous. “Diving isn’t just about the cost,” Devanathan said. “It also poses a serious safety risk. Divers die in incidents like these, and that’s why we build robots to protect people from this risk.”
The company’s first robot, known as Turtle, is a lightweight autonomous system that clings to the hull of a ship and uses cavitation technology to remove biofouling. The process uses microscopic water bubbles that implode on the surface to loosen dirt without damaging the ship’s protective coatings. The robot also collects inspection data in the same pass, allowing operators to assess the condition of the hull at the same time as cleaning.
Unlike many existing systems, which can be the size and weight of a small car, the Turtle weighs less than 50 kilograms. This makes it easier to operate without cranes or auxiliary divers, significantly reducing operational complexity and costs.
ScrubMarine is also developing a larger autonomous response vehicle, nicknamed “Whale,” that will transport and recover multiple turtle units to offshore vessels without the need for manned boats or port infrastructure. The system is intended to serve offshore vessels, including in sectors such as offshore wind, oil and gas and superyachts.
The company believes the technology could be scaled quickly. Its business plan forecasts annual sales of £56m within five years, with applications in the global shipping and marine energy markets.
Devanathan was born in Chennai and grew up in Edinburgh. He began building websites and small businesses as a teenager before enrolling at Heriot-Watt University to study robotics at the age of 17. He founded ScrubMarine in 2024 while studying robotics engineering, where he met co-founder Clyne Albertelli, who was researching robotic systems for maritime use.
The funding round was also supported by the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, which supports young companies in the north of England. Private investors include Graham Westgarth, former president of the British Chamber of Shipping, and Colin Greene, former Apple country chief.
With prototype development nearing completion, ScrubMarine is now preparing for its first commercial trials to address one of the shipping industry’s most persistent challenges through automation, cost savings and safer work practices.
