EyeROV Raises ₹13 Crore in Pre-Series A Funding to Scale Marine Robotics Innovation
Introduction
India’s deep-tech startup ecosystem is steadily gaining momentum as investors increasingly back companies solving complex, real-world infrastructure and defence challenges through advanced engineering. Among these emerging players is EyeROV, a Kochi-based marine robotics startup operating in underwater inspection and defence technology. With rising demand for safer, data-driven alternatives to manual underwater inspections, EyeROV has raised fresh capital to accelerate innovation, scale deployments, and strengthen its global footprint.
About the Funding
Marine robotics startup EyeROV (IROV Technologies Pvt. Ltd.) has raised ₹13 crore ($1.44 million) in a pre-Series A funding round, co-invested by AWE Funds and Unicorn India Ventures. The investment reflects growing confidence in India’s deep-tech capabilities, particularly in sectors such as marine robotics, defence technology, and critical infrastructure inspection.
According to the company, this round serves as a strategic precursor to a planned $10 million Series A, for which EyeROV has already begun seeing early interest from both Indian and global investors. The funding follows strong commercial traction, including a recent ₹47 crore order from the Indian Navy, reinforcing the startup’s credibility in defence and government-led projects.
Use of Funds
The newly raised capital will be deployed to accelerate research and development, support new product innovation, and expand EyeROV’s presence across India and international markets. The company plans to strengthen its engineering and AI capabilities, improve robotic autonomy, and scale deployments across sectors such as energy, ports, offshore infrastructure, and defence.
EyeROV will also invest in enhancing manufacturing capabilities and operational readiness to support larger and more complex inspection mandates, particularly from government and enterprise customers.
About the Startup
Founded in 2017, EyeROV operates at the intersection of marine robotics, infrastructure inspection, and defence technology. The startup develops advanced Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) designed for challenging underwater environments where traditional manual diving is risky, costly, and inefficient.
Its robotic systems integrate non-destructive testing (NDT) payloads, including ultrasonic testing, sonar imaging, and AI-based inspection tools, enabling high-accuracy inspections, real-time reporting, and digital twin creation for large-scale assets such as dams, bridges, offshore pipelines, ports, and subsea cables. EyeROV’s proprietary long-tunnel inspection capability of up to 10 kilometres places it among a select group of global players with this expertise.
How It Started and the Founders
EyeROV was co-founded by Johns T. Mathai and Kannappa Palaniappan P with the vision of building indigenous underwater robotics solutions from India for global infrastructure, energy, and defence needs. The founders identified a critical gap in safe, scalable, and data-driven underwater inspection technologies, especially as aging offshore and subsea assets require frequent monitoring and regulatory compliance.
From the outset, EyeROV focused on deep engineering, proprietary technology development, and close collaboration with large industrial, defence, and government clients, allowing it to build systems tailored to real operational challenges rather than purely experimental use cases.
Market Opportunity
EyeROV operates within the global underwater infrastructure inspection market, driven by over $1 trillion worth of aging offshore and subsea assets that require regular inspection and maintenance. The company estimates a total addressable market exceeding $13 billion globally, with India accounting for approximately $800 million.
Rising investments in ports, offshore energy, defence modernisation, climate-resilient infrastructure, and disaster preparedness continue to expand demand for robotic inspection solutions. As safety, efficiency, and sustainability become priorities, autonomous and electric marine robotics are increasingly replacing manual inspection methods worldwide.
Business Model and Revenue Streams
EyeROV follows a hybrid business model, offering both product sales and Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) to B2B and B2G customers. This approach enables clients to access advanced robotics without high upfront capital expenditure while allowing EyeROV to build recurring and long-term revenue streams.
The company has executed over 150 projects for more than 80 clients across power, oil and gas, ports, shipping, infrastructure, marine research, and defence. Its client base includes major industrial players and government organisations such as the Indian Navy, DRDO, and the Indian Coast Guard, underlining its strong positioning in mission-critical applications.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, EyeROV plans to scale internationally while deepening its footprint in India’s energy and defence sectors. The company aims to expand its product portfolio, enhance AI-driven inspection capabilities, and strengthen its presence in global markets with high offshore infrastructure density.
With increasing demand for autonomous, electric, and safer inspection systems, EyeROV is positioning itself as a globally competitive marine robotics player, aligned with long-term trends in infrastructure resilience and defence modernisation.
Conclusion
EyeROV’s pre-Series A funding marks a significant milestone in its journey to build world-class marine robotics technology from India. With strong investor backing, proven commercial traction, and a large global market opportunity, the startup is well-positioned to lead innovation in underwater inspection and defence robotics.
At Angeltors, we track deep-tech, defence, and infrastructure startups building scalable solutions for global markets. Follow Angeltors for curated funding news, founder insights, and early signals from India’s private markets.
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