Orca AI raises $72.5M to expand autonomous maritime tech and defence applications
Tel Aviv-based Orca AI has raised $72.5 million in Series B funding to expand its autonomous ship navigation platform and deepen its reach into the defence and security sectors. The round, led by Brighton Park Capital, brings the company’s total funding to $111 million, with previous backers including OCV Partners and Mizmaa Ventures.
Founded in 2018 by Yarden Gross and Dor Raviv, Orca AI has become one of the most advanced AI platforms in the maritime sector. It leverages the largest visual dataset in commercial shipping—more than 80 million nautical miles of footage—to provide real-time decision-making support to ship operators. The result: fewer collisions, lower emissions, and streamlined operations across hundreds of vessels.
Orca’s system helped reduce close-call incidents by 54% in 2024, cutting an estimated $100,000 in fuel per vessel annually and eliminating 195,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. It is already used by major shippers including MSC, NYK, and Seaspan.
The company’s technology is also gaining traction in defence circles, where maritime situational awareness is critical. As military and commercial fleets become increasingly cloud-connected through networks like Starlink, Orca AI’s sensor fusion and decision-support tools offer a strategic edge—blending autonomy with reliability in unpredictable environments.
Brighton Park Capital’s Sam Kentor called Orca “a frontier tech company tackling global infrastructure challenges.” With backing from both commercial and defence-focused investors, Orca AI is positioning itself at the intersection of shipping modernisation and national security.
