WSense the scaleup developing technologies to enable the Internet of Things (IoUT) with its subsea wifi systems, announces that it has closed a EUR 7.2m pre-series B round.
CDP Venture Capital, SWEN’s Blue Ocean, RunwayFBU, Axon Partners Group, already present in the Series A round, were joined by Fincantieri, and Rypples, an ocean impact investment company co-founded by serial entrepreneur Jerome Ternynck.
Founded by Chiara Petrioli, full professor of computer engineering at Sapienza University, who will serve as the company’s CEO from 2022, WSense offers unique solutions that ensure the interoperability of adaptive wireless networks between multi-vendor underwater sensors and autonomous vehicles, with high reliability and scalability. WSense’s patented technologies enable real-time, secure and cost-effective underwater wireless communications, making it possible to collect large-scale underwater big data, revolutionising the study and understanding of the oceans and their impact on our planet. This technology has also opened up a host of new possibilities, including the monitoring and protection of critical infrastructure, resident autonomous robotic networks to support the energy transition, and real-time underwater environmental monitoring.
As part of an industry, the underwater sector, that will reach EUR 400 billion globally in the period 2024-2030, with a value of innovative solutions of EUR 30 billion, WSense is targeting the global underwater communications market, which is expected to reach EUR 10.4 billion, reports a note released by the company.
To confirm the growing potential of the underwater market, suffice it to say that in the field of submarine telecommunications alone, 552 cables are currently laid on ocean backbones, with a total length of 1.4 million kilometres. These cables carry 98% of global digital telecommunications, including digital transactions. In 2023 alone, these transactions exceeded the trillion mark, with an estimated annual value of $10 trillion, and an average growth rate of 12% per year (source: Italian Navy).
Chiara Petrioli says: “With the completion of this round of funding which, together with the previous seed round of 4 million in 2022 and Series A round of 11 million in 2023, brings to a total funding of over 22 million euros, WSense will be able to further accelerate its international expansion, strengthen the team and support the rapid growth ahead of the Series B round. The renewed confidence of international investors allows us to consolidate our technological leadership in an increasingly competitive market, where even the big players are starting to move. Thanks to our ability to implement technologies that did not exist until now in the marine environment, and to develop cutting-edge solutions, WSense is in an ideal position to generate a positive impact on the planet. In fact, we are expanding our reach through strategic partnerships in emerging sectors such as marine renewable energy, autonomous submarine robotics and infrastructure security.”
In this context, Fincantieri’s investment is of significance. In December 2023, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to start a collaboration in the internet of underwater things (loUT) sector, especially with regard to adaptive underwater communications and the related multimodal network, the development of solutions for measuring the relative positioning of autonomous guided vehicles (unmanned), surface and underwater, and cloud solutions in the defence sector. The deal just signed seals the willingness of the two companies to continue to oversee this strategic sector for the country’s system, also in light of the recent implementation of the National Underwater Dimension Pole.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, says: “This investment represents a further step in our innovation and digitisation strategy. WSense’s technologies open up new possibilities for the monitoring and safety of maritime infrastructure and are an enabler for the development of the entire underwater dimension. With this operation we confirm our commitment to invest in pioneering solutions that can define the future of shipbuilding and underwater defence, while supporting the development of Italian excellence and confirming Fincantieri’s leading role in the industrial fabric of our country.
“Fincantieri’s entry into the capital of WSense,” adds Petrioli, “represents an important recognition of the technological and strategic value of our solutions in the field of underwater communication. It is an operation that allows us to accelerate our industrial and commercial growth, strengthening WSense’s positioning as a key player in a crucial sector for the security, sustainability and competitiveness of the country”.
The completion of the investment will be subject to the Italian government not exercising its special powers, the so-called Golden Power.
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