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Ocean data climate tech firm XOCEAN raises 115 million euros

Investors, including Big Oil's Climate Investment Fund and Morgan Stanley 1GT Fund, have invested 115 millions euros ($119.20million) in Irish geophysical-data firm XOCEAN. This investment will help the company expand its operations.

The company uses uncrewed surfaces vehicles to maintain offshore wind infrastructure and other energy infrastructure. This includes checking for leaks in pipelines and developing carbon storage and capture projects.

The technology of the company allows clients to control their vessels remotely and stay on site for longer. This is unlike traditional providers who rely on crewed boats that cost thousands of dollar a day, even when bad weather forces these vessels into port.

XOCEAN claims that the technology can be delivered with just 0.1% of carbon emissions from manned vessels.

S2G Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Chicago, and CC Industries owned by the Crown Family are also part of the growth equity round, which will help XOCEAN to expand its fleet and develop new technologies and products.

Francis O'Sullivan said that XOCEAN, working with some of the largest energy companies in the world, has reimagined the delivery of geophysical data, which is crucial to unlocking the potential of the blue economy. S2G helped structure the deal.

The investment in XOCEAN was the first to be made through Climate Investment's growth equity strategy. Climate Investment is an independent investor founded by members of Oil and Gas Climate Initiative. Some of these, like Shell and BP are already clients.

Patrick Yip, Climate Investment's director of growth and managing director for XOCEAN, said that "several customers cited XOCEAN" as their 'platform' of choice.

The company was founded in Ireland in 2017. It has over 240 employees in offices located in Ireland, Britain and the United States.

(source: Reuters)