|
Hello,
Our BlueTech Industry spotlight & Pitch Competition was a success! See below for more information and select images (thank you to Blue Wave Imagery) from the event.
BlueTide, organized by Polaris Tech Bridge, is back! Anduril Industries has joined as the Flagship Sponsor and the application, to participate in the in-water demonstration, has been extended, see below for more information.
Congratulations to Havoc for raising an additional $100M in funding, Poseidon's Forge for their recent sale of their DarkWake AUV to Booz Allen Hamilton, and to Glas Ocean Electric, for their recent patent activity related to Performarine. See below for the full stories.
BVF director, Toby Stapleton, was interviewed in Forbes, about Havoc, and MassLive, about Gander Robotics.
Upcoming Events:
Save the Date: Defense Investment Forum: October 28th, 2026, Wyndham Newport Hotel, Middletown, RI. Additional information in our next newsletter.
Blue Innovation Symposium '27: Dates Announced in next newsletter.
In the meantime, if you have information to share with the bluetech community, please send it to: info@blueventureforum.org.
| | |
Thank you to everyone who participated in the BlueTech Industry Spotlight & Pitch Competition. The event was a success with 150 attendees and all of the companies who pitched getting interest from at least one investor, and two securing interest from all of the investors!
The companies that pitched have now connected with over 10 investors, thanks to our panel and to the investors and other key stakeholders who were in the audience that evening. We will continue to track this activity and will hopefully have more to report in future newsletters.
Exhibitors included blue tech startups, key supply chain partners, and resource providers.
This event was brought to you by Innovate Newport and the Blue Venture Forum (BVF). And we wish to thank our sponsors CBIZ, with a special shoutout to Kristin Barishian, Managing Director, CBIZ and BVF board member, and Sakonnet Vineyards for providing the food and refreshments!
Select images from the evening (thank you to Jonathan Clancy, Blue Wave Imagery):
| | |
SAVE THE DATE!
Defense Investment Forum (DIF)
Ensuring U.S. Maritime Supremacy Through Innovation
Co-Organizers UTIC and the BVF
Wyndham Newport Hotel, Middletown, RI
8:00AM-6:30PM
October 28, 2026
Join top-tier investors, industry leaders, startup founders, and government officials at the Defense Investment Forum (DIF) 2026. Organized by the Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC) and the Blue Venture Forum, this premier event brings together leaders in defense innovation to explore investment trends, emerging technologies, and government opportunities that are shaping the future of maritime security.
More information coming soon!
| |
New for BlueTIDE 2026: Anduril Participation
Anduril Industries has joined BlueTIDE 2026 as a Flagship Sponsor, creating a unique opportunity for selected companies to explore integration with Anduril’s Lattice platform—an AI-enabled command and control system that connects sensors, autonomous systems, and mission data into a unified operational picture.
This expanded collaboration provides participating companies with:
- Exposure to Anduril, Navy, Department of Defense, VC, industry, and government stakeholders
- Direct technical and operational feedback for companies participating in the in-water demonstration
- Opportunities to explore partnership and transition pathways
- Participation in live, mission-driven, and shoreside demonstrations
Application Deadline Extended
To give companies additional time to evaluate this opportunity, the application deadline for the in-water Collaborative Integration Opportunity has been extended to May 28, 2026, at 11:59 PM (EST).
Who Should Apply?
We encourage companies with technologies aligned to the following focus areas to apply:
- Multi-Domain Autonomous Systems (UxS)
- Counter-UxS and Defensive Autonomous Capabilities
- Maritime and Undersea Domain Awareness Technologies
- Modeling, Simulation, and Digital Mission Environments
Opportunity to Engage Directly with Navy & Investment Decision-Makers
Companies participating in BlueTIDE 2026 will also have the opportunity to request one-on-one meetings with representatives of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT) as well as various VCs in attendance. These scheduled NUWC office hours and VC meetings will include technical program office personnel and members of the venture capital community and are designed to provide direct access to potential end users, acquisition stakeholders, and investors who can help shape technology development, identify transition pathways, and explore commercialization opportunities. Priority for these meetings will be given to companies selected for the in-water Collaboration Integration Opportunity, followed by Showcase Alley exhibitors, with additional opportunities available to attending companies as space permits.
Ways to Participate & Key Links
BlueTIDE 2026 is designed to accelerate the transition of innovative technologies into defense and commercial applications by providing companies with real-world demonstration opportunities and direct engagement with decision-makers.
Thank you for helping us connect this opportunity with companies and organizations that can benefit from participating.
More information and registration site here
| | |
Havoc Raises $100M Series A to Power the Future of All-Domain Collaborative Autonomy
PROVIDENCE, R.I., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Havoc, the all-domain collaborative autonomy company, today announced a $100 million Series A funding round, bringing the company's total capital raised to ~$200 million since 2024. The round included participation from new investors CCM Capital Markets, Clear Street LLC, Cobalt Capital, Boardman Bay Capital Management, Meet Perry, Mute Ventures, Soren Ventures, SAIC, and JA Green. Existing investors included Outlander VC, Scout VC, B Capital, Lockheed Martin, Taiwania Capital, UP.Partners, and The Veteran Fund, alongside participation from Vanderbilt University's endowment.
Defense technology is entering a new era where national security priorities are demanding unified, all-domain autonomy. The blueprint for building drones, boats, and vehicles exists. What is missing is the ability for thousands of autonomous assets to work together in a way that is coordinated, collaborative, scalable, and resilient. Havoc's software-defined hardware approach is unlike anything on the market today, purpose-built to enable autonomous systems across sea, air, and land to operate together as a unified force.
To continue reading this article in PR Newswire, click here.
Joe Turner, Co-Founder & COO, Havoc was a panelist at the BVF's '25 Defense Investment Forum.
| | | |
Poseidon’s Forge Announces Sale of DarkWake AUV to Booz Allen Hamilton to Accelerate Rapid Payload Integration
Poseidon’s Forge today announced the successful sale of its flagship DarkWake Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to advanced technology company, Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH), marking a significant step forward in enabling rapid, mission-tailored underwater capabilities. The procurement was executed through Booz Allen, which is supporting Director Submarine Program, PMS 394 – Advanced Undersea Systems Program Office. DarkWake is designed to enable the rapid integration and deployment of mission-specific payloads, allowing operators to quickly configure underwater systems as requirements evolve. The platform combines a modular vehicle architecture with advanced software tools that streamline payload integration, testing, and operational readiness. “This acquisition reflects a clear shift toward adaptable undersea systems that can evolve at the pace of mission needs,” said Daryl Slocum, Founder & CEO of Poseidon’s Forge. “DarkWake was built to remove traditional integration barriers and to enable customers like PMS 394 to field new capabilities quickly and flexibly.”
Booz Allen will integrate their advanced software reconfigurable payload with DarkWake to enable mission adaptability and user evaluation of operational capability and system modularity. “There is a rising demand for low-cost and scalable autonomous underwater vehicles,” said Chris DelMastro, an engineering director at Booz Allen. “At Booz Allen, we’re working to improve the operational viability of commercial innovations like DarkWake through last-mile engineering to deliver advanced capability to America’s warfighters faster.” A defining feature of DarkWake is its floodable vehicle architecture, which simplifies payload integration by eliminating many of the mechanical and pressure constraints associated with sealed-hull designs. The vehicle also incorporates automated self-ballasting, maintaining stability across varying payload configurations without extensive manual adjustment. The sponsored acquisition highlights increasing interest in modular autonomous systems that accelerate experimentation, payload development, and operational transition. For Poseidon’s Forge, the milestone represents continued momentum as defense and commercial customers seek flexible platforms capable of adapting to rapidly changing undersea missions.
About Poseidon’s Forge
Poseidon’s Forge is a leader in advanced maritime systems, specializing in modular, software-defined autonomous platforms designed to accelerate innovation in the undersea domain. www.poseidonsforge.com
Poseidon's Forge was a cohort member of the Blue Venture Forum's Ocean Tech Challenge (OTC) accelerator program. Daryl Slocum, Founder & President, Poseidon's Forge, has served as a panelist at BVF programs including Blue Innovation Symposium (BIS) '26 and Defense Investment Forum (DIF) '25.
| |
|
Glas Ocean Electric Patents PerforMarine® — Transforming How the Marine Industry Sees Its Vessels
A New Era for Marine Operations
Glas Ocean Electric (GOE) is proud to announce that PerforMarine® is now fully patented and trademark-registered — a milestone that marks the commercial launch of a product years in the making. Built on thousands of hours of real vessel data and award-winning expertise in alternative propulsion systems, PerforMarine® is a SaaS platform that delivers real-time AI-powered insight into marine vessel operations.
This isn’t a proof of concept. It’s a production-ready system with real contracts, real results, and real savings. The hardware and software are fully designed and assembled in-house.
What PerforMarine® Does
• Vessel Conversion Profiling: PerforMarine® profiles a vessel to prepare technical and financial plans for converting to alternative propulsion. GOE has already used PerforMarine® to profile more than 60 vessels to date.
• Predictive Routing: AI-driven route optimisation for speed, fuel efficiency, or cost — tailored to your priorities.
• Maintenance Forecasting: Shift from catastrophic failures to managed, planned maintenance. Know what’s coming before it breaks.
• Voyage Black Box: Isolate vessel actions before and during collisions or groundings. Already used successfully in a live insurance claim.
• Insurance Rate Reductions: GOE’s discussions with insurers have resulted in commitments to reduce premiums for vessels running PerforMarine®.
• Ocean Data at Scale: The marine sector currently captures just 9% of the ocean data it needs (Dr. Zdenka Willis, formerly NOAA). PerforMarine® is a low-cost, externally-mounted solution that normalises vessel data collection — one continuous stream, not one point per day.
Already in the Water
PerforMarine® is already deployed and contracted with:
• Atlantic Port Authority
• The Port of Halifax
• MCR Security
• Ontario Wilderness Houseboat Rentals
The system has also collected data for and collaborated with: Graphene Innovation Technology, Canadian Marine Engineering, the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the Island Institute of Maine, the Government of Grenada, the FFAW of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Regional First Nations communities.
For more information Click Here
Dr. Sue Molloy, Founder and CEO, Glas Ocean Electric, has been regularly featured, as a speaker and panelist, at past Blue Innovation Symposium events.
| | Thank You Again To Our BIS '26 Sponsors!! | | Blue Venture Forum Founding Sponsor | | | | |
