FEATURE timing and precision are critical, this could prove transformative.
Energy and resource companies are among the earliest adopters. Offshore wind farms, oil and gas installations and subsea cable networks all require regular inspection and maintenance, but current methods are costly and infrequent. Bubble’ s systems can conduct high-resolution seabed surveys, structural mapping and non-destructive testing on a near-constant basis, providing operators with a much clearer picture of asset performance.
Climate and biodiversity applications are equally compelling. Marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure from climate change, pollution and overfishing, yet longterm monitoring remains limited. Bubble’ s robots can perform benthic mapping, photogrammetry and biofouling analysis over extended periods, generating datasets that were previously impractical to collect. This could help scientists track ecosystem changes, detect harmful algal blooms earlier and better understand the health of ocean habitats.
One of the unique aspects of Entrepreneurs First is its ability to bring together exceptional individuals who might not otherwise meet.
Behind the company’ s rapid progress is its origin within Entrepreneurs First, a talent-focused investment programme known for pairing individuals to build start-ups from scratch. Crosetti and Apostol met through the programme, combining deep technical expertise in robotics with commercial acumen. Their collaboration quickly coalesced around a shared belief that offshore operations were ripe for reinvention.
“ One of the unique aspects of Entrepreneurs First is its ability to bring together exceptional individuals who might not otherwise meet,” says cofounder Alice Bentinck.“ Jean and Patricia identified a massive opportunity and moved quickly to validate it with customers.”
Bubble’ s long-term vision extends well beyond individual deployments. The company envisions a distributed network of autonomous systems operating across the world’ s oceans, akin to a constellation of satellites. Each unit would contribute to a continuously updated, highresolution model of the underwater environment – a kind of‘ digital twin’ of the ocean.
The company is also targeting maritime security and defence, an area of growing concern as geopolitical tensions extend beneath the waves. Critical infrastructure such as subsea cables and offshore energy assets is increasingly vulnerable, yet monitoring remains sporadic. Persistent autonomous systems offer a new model of surveillance, capable of detecting acoustic anomalies, identifying potential threats and maintaining a continuous presence in sensitive areas.
Bubble’ s business model reflects the broader shift toward service-based offerings in advanced technology. Rather than selling hardware outright, the company operates on a robotics-as-a-service basis, providing end-to-end capability without requiring customers to invest in capital equipment. This lowers the barrier to adoption and aligns costs with operational needs, a key advantage in industries where budgets are tightly managed.
The start-up is already seeing strong market interest, with more than US $ 4 million in signed letters of intent and initial deployments planned across offshore energy, security and infrastructure sectors. This early traction suggests that the demand for continuous ocean monitoring is not only real but urgent.
Such a system could fundamentally change interaction with marine environments. Instead of relying on fragmented, delayed data, operators and policymakers would have access to realtime insights, enabling more informed decisions. This could accelerate the energy transition, improve climate resilience and enhance the protection of critical infrastructure.
The analogy to space-based infrastructure is instructive. Over the past decade, satellite constellations have transformed industries ranging from agriculture to logistics, providing continuous streams of data that underpin modern decision-making. Bubble Robotics is attempting to replicate that paradigm underwater, where the challenges are arguably greater but the potential rewards equally significant.
If successful, the company’ s approach could unlock entirely new categories of applications. Insurance providers could assess offshore risk in real time rather than relying on historical data. Governments could monitor territorial waters continuously, strengthening sovereignty and enforcement capabilities. Researchers could build longitudinal datasets spanning years rather than snapshots collected during brief expeditions.
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