A Puglia-based startup founded by the man behind aircraft manufacturer Blackshape has closed a pre-seed round to build software-defined ships and maritime AI. The ocean is the last large physical environment that is not yet controlled by software.
Mirai Robotics, a startup headquartered in Puglia in southern Italy, wants to change that. The company has closed a €3.9 million (approximately $4.2 million) pre-seed round to develop autonomous surface vessels and a maritime reconnaissance platform designed for continuous uncrewed operations in coastal and offshore environments.
The round was led by Primo Ventures, Techshop and 40Jemz Ventures, with participation from Italian and international angel investors.
Primo Ventures, whose chairman and general partner Gianluca Dettori commented on the deal, is an Italian early-stage VC firm that manages around €438 million in digital, space, healthcare and climate technology funds. It is one of the most active seed investors in Italy.
What Mirai is building
At the heart of the Mirai platform are software-defined autonomous surface vehicles designed for what the company calls dock-to-dock autonomy: the ability to complete entire missions without human intervention from departure to return. The ships combine advanced sensor systems, autonomous navigation, remote monitoring tools and integrated security layers.
The company has already developed two autonomous vehicles for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and maritime patrol missions, operating either as standalone units or within coordinated fleets.
In addition to its own hardware, Mirai also develops modular autonomy and control systems that can be integrated into third-party vessels, meaning shipyards, industrial operators and public bodies can adopt autonomous technology without decommissioning existing fleets.
Underlying both are a proprietary maritime reconnaissance and mission management platform that provides what Mirai describes as persistent domain awareness: the ability to monitor maritime environments, coordinate robotic assets and maintain operational control over complex conditions over extended periods of time.
“The ocean is one of the last major physical infrastructures not yet controlled by software,” Mirai CEO Luciano Belviso said in a statement. “Autonomy is the key to finally making the oceans safe and usable, unlocking enormous resources and addressing critical security challenges. But it must be implemented through systems capable of operating continuously and safely in extreme environments.” This is a technological and industrial challenge that requires a true robotic laboratory approach.”
The founders
The three co-founders bring unusually different qualifications for a young robotics startup. Belviso founded Blackshape Aircraft in Puglia in 2009, a carbon fiber aircraft manufacturer that builds high-performance two-seaters for both the recreational and military training markets and is now part of the Angel industrial holding group.
He holds degrees in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering and space law from institutions such as the Polytechnic of Turin, the EPFL in Lausanne and the Université Paris XI.
Luca Mascaro is the founder and president of Sketchin, a Swiss-based strategic design studio that became part of BIP Group, the Italian management consultancy, following a majority acquisition in 2016. Mascaro remained at Sketchin as founder and president after the deal. At Mirai he brings experience in building technology-oriented service companies at a European level.
Davide Dattoli is the founder and CEO of Talent Garden, one of Europe’s largest education and technology community networks, operating in 12 markets and training around 25,000 professionals annually. He was named to the Forbes “30 Under 30 Europe” list and is a venture founder at the Italian Founders Fund.
The market context
The strategic logic for maritime autonomy is not difficult to find. According to the European Commission, Europe’s blue economy – the various economic sectors that depend on or interact with the sea, including shipping, fishing, offshore energy and port operations – is worth over €750 billion a year.
In addition, the company faces increasing pressures: rising operating costs, a deepening workforce crisis as experienced maritime professionals retire, and an increasing need for persistent monitoring of infrastructure, including submarine cables, offshore wind farms and energy platforms.
The dual-use approach is also important. Autonomous ships for patrol and ISR missions stand at the intersection of civilian maritime operations and defense technology, a sector that is attracting a growing share of European venture capital as governments across the continent increase their defense budgets and seek sovereign capabilities in monitoring critical infrastructure.
Mirai is based in Puglia, which the founders describe as an ideal location for their ambitions as it lies at the intersection of Mediterranean maritime activity, industrial manufacturing tradition and academic research institutions.
The company says the funding will accelerate its technology stack, expand its engineering team and support pilot deployments with industrial and institutional partners.
“The maritime space is at an inflection point,” Primo Ventures’ Dettori said in a statement. “We are dealing with a huge economy that is still based on operating models developed decades ago.
The lack of human capital, thousands of unfilled positions, an aging workforce and increasing operational risks alone make the status quo untenable. What Mirai Robotics is developing is not just automation; It is the foundational infrastructure layer that enables the blue economy to scale safely and efficiently.”
