Advanced Navigation

Advanced Navigation is a company specializing in the development and manufacturing of AI-based navigation and robotics technologies. Founded in 2012 by Xavier Orr and Chris Shaw, the company was born out of a university research project. Orr's background in mechatronics and Shaw's in electrical engineering and neuroscience laid the groundwork for the company's focus on solving complex navigation challenges. The founders' journey began with a shared passion for robotics, leading them to bootstrap the company for its first decade, a period marked by significant organic growth and profitability.

The firm develops navigation systems that are applicable across a wide range of environments, including land, sea, air, and space. Its product portfolio is built around artificial intelligence, which enhances the capabilities of its inertial navigation systems (INS), robotics, and sensor technologies. One of their key offerings is the Boreas digital fiber-optic gyroscope (DFOG) system, which provides precise positioning and navigation without relying on GPS, making it suitable for subsea, aerospace, and space applications. Another product line, Hydrus, consists of autonomous underwater vehicles designed for subsea monitoring and surveying, integrating various sensors into a single, compact robotic platform.

Advanced Navigation serves a diverse client base that includes major players in the aerospace, defense, automotive, and maritime industries. The company's business model revolves around the sale of its hardware and software solutions. Significant milestones include raising $108 million in a Series B funding round in 2022, led by KKR, which is being used to accelerate research and development and expand its global presence, particularly in the US. This funding followed a Series A round from investors including Main Sequence Ventures and Brick & Mortar Ventures. The company is positioning itself to address the growing demand for autonomous solutions and precise navigation in GPS-denied environments.

Keywords: navigation systems, inertial navigation, AI robotics, autonomous vehicles, fiber-optic gyroscope, subsea technology, aerospace navigation, sensor fusion, autonomous systems, positioning technology