The theory goes something like this: Build a machine robust enough to operate unattended in hostile seas for days at a time, and the same platform might restore damaged reefs one week and hunt mines the next.
Andreessen Horowitz's American Dynamism practice is wagering that thesis holds water. On April 16, 2026, the firm disclosed it had led a Series A round for Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering, a San Francisco outfit developing fleets of autonomous underwater drones. Booz Allen Ventures, the investment arm of the sprawling defense contractor, came in alongside a16z as a strategic backer. Neither firm would say how much they put in.
The round—undisclosed in size but described by a16z as funding for "scaled manufacturing"—represents a pivot moment for Ulysses, which was founded just three years ago. The company had spent its early life running small pilots, mapping seagrass beds off Florida and surveying reef systems in Australian waters. Now it's moving toward something closer to production at scale.
Whether that bet pays off depends on a tricky proposition: convincing customers in radically different markets that the same hardware can meet their needs. Ocean conservationists operate on shoestring budgets. Defense agencies have deep pockets but exacting requirements. Threading that needle has proven difficult for dual-use robotics companies before.
The Breadth Problem
Ulysses doesn't lack for ambition in customer targeting. According to the company's website, it's already working with—or being evaluated by—the U.S. Navy, The Nature Conservancy, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Australian government. That's a wide aperture.
The core product is Mako, a torpedo-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle designed to haul a 200-pound payload down to 5,000 feet and stay out for up to 72 hours. It pairs with Leviathan, a surface vessel for patrol and domain awareness, and Kraken, an automated launch-and-recovery rig meant to eliminate the need for human crews at sea.
Ulysses likes to describe its approach as "read-write" subsea autonomy—industry jargon for platforms that can both sense the environment and physically manipulate it. In practice, that means Mako carries sensors for mapping plus manipulator arms for tasks like planting seagrass shoots or inspecting undersea cables.
The team behind the technology is an eclectic mix. The company's leadership roster includes CEO Akhil Voorakkara, President Will O'Brien, CTO Jamie Wedderburn, and COO Colm O'Brien. The broader technical crew draws from Formula 1 engineering, satellite programs, and even space laser development, alongside more conventional underwater vehicle backgrounds.
In January 2026, industry outlet DroneXL reported that Fujitsu had deployed Mako in an ocean digital-twin project—a sign that at least some customers beyond Ulysses' own trials are kicking the tires. A November 2024 TechCrunch piece offered more detail on early restoration work, focusing on seagrass pilots in Florida and Australia.
Strategic Overlap
Booz Allen's involvement isn't coincidental. The consultancy announced a partnership with a16z in January 2026, and its Ventures arm explicitly targets technologies that straddle commercial and government use cases. For Booz Allen, the appeal is obvious: clients in the defense and intelligence community are increasingly interested in commercial-off-the-shelf solutions rather than bespoke military hardware.
For a16z, Ulysses fits neatly into American Dynamism's broader thesis—that critical national infrastructure, from energy grids to maritime security, needs a new generation of tools, and that startups can deliver them faster than incumbents. The firm has been testing that idea across its portfolio, backing companies in areas like hypersonic propulsion, defense AI, and resilient communications.
Perhaps the real question is whether Ulysses can actually manufacture at the volumes both markets would demand. The company now operates under the domain theoceancompany.com, though it still uses the Ulysses brand externally. Recent LinkedIn posts from executives advertise open positions for a general manager of commercial operations and a director of marketing—hints of a commercial push taking shape alongside government contracts.
No new defense awards or federal grants tied to the Series A were announced alongside the funding.
The Funding Trail
Before this round, Ulysses had raised a $2 million pre-seed in November 2024, led by Lowercarbon Capital with participation from Superorganism and ReGen Ventures. Angels in that round included Intercom co-founders Eoghan McCabe and Ciaran Lee.
Then things get murkier. SEC filings show the company closed an additional $7.55 million raise in May 2025, but the lead investor was never publicly disclosed. It's not unusual for startups to keep quiet about interim rounds, especially when they're gearing up for a splashier announcement later. Still, the opacity raises questions about who else saw enough promise to write a check before a16z came in.
All told, Ulysses is still a young company with limited public track record. The technology is intriguing, the customer list impressive on paper. But scaling from pilots to manufacturing—especially across markets as different as ocean conservation and naval operations—is a different challenge entirely.
The investors, at least, seem convinced it's worth the dive.
