Vatn Systems

About Vatn Systems

Vatn Systems, a defense technology company founded in April 2023, is focused on the development and large-scale manufacturing of affordable, modular autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The company was established by a team of maritime experts and military leaders, including co-founder and CEO Nelson Mills, a lifelong sailor with a background in hull development at electric boating startup Pure Watercraft and investment roles at Lux Capital and Global Founders Capital. The leadership team also includes CTO Geoff Manchester, an experienced mechanical engineer who led hydrofoiling electric boat development, and COO Freddie Mills, an expert in maritime operations and autonomous systems.

The company's primary clients are the U.S. military and its allies, with vehicles already being tested in exercises with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Vatn Systems operates in the defense technology and marine industries, generating revenue through the sale of its AUVs. The business model centers on producing low-cost, high-speed AUVs that can be deployed at scale as force multipliers, bridging the gap between traditional AUVs and torpedoes. Since its inception, the company has secured $16.5 million in funding from investors including Decisive Point, DYNE Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, and RTX Ventures.

Vatn Systems' core product is a line of modular AUVs, including the Skelmir S6 and the larger Skelmir S12. A key feature is their advanced navigation software that functions effectively in environments where GPS, vision, and communications are compromised, utilizing AI and machine learning for real-time decision-making. These vehicles are designed for agnostic deployment from air, surface, and subsurface platforms and can perform a variety of missions, including sensor placement, electronic warfare, and torpedo operations. The modular design allows for customization based on mission-specific requirements for range, accuracy, and sensors, while also enabling cooperative swarming capabilities. To scale production, Vatn has opened a manufacturing facility in Rhode Island capable of producing up to 2,000 vehicles annually and has partnered with Palantir Technologies to digitize and optimize its manufacturing processes with AI.