Robot maker · registered
Orpheus Ocean
WHOI spin-out (founded 2024 by CEO Jake Russell and CTO Casey Machado) commercializing the Orpheus hadal-class AUV originally developed by WHOI with NASA JPL, whose terrain-relative navigation heritage traces to Mars-lander technology. The company designs, builds and operates fleets of small, low-cost deep-sea AUVs as a seabed-intelligence service for marine minerals, offshore infrastructure (subsea cables, offshore wind) and subsea defense, targeting depths beyond 6,000 m. It has run missions in partnership with NOAA and BOEM, imaging polymetallic nodules at depths over 5,600 m (July 2025), signed a partnership with Seabed 2030 and a collaboration with Global Oceans; NATO DIANA 2026 cohort (Maritime Operations). Raised a $2.8M pre-seed led by Propeller Ventures in March 2025.
Company overview
Identity and operating footprint
Robot models
Specifications remain vendor-claimed
Orpheus-class AUV
- Hadal-class autonomous underwater vehicle rated for depths beyond 6,000 m; imaged polymetallic nodules at 5,600+ m in NOAA/BOEM partnership missions
Depth capability of deep-sea survey AUV
Claim source
Deployment log
Announced and cited only
Funding history
Publicly announced rounds
Pre-seed
Investors undisclosed
Round sourcePre-seed
Propeller Ventures, Village Global, JetStream, Climate Capital
Round sourceCompany timeline
Milestones and announcements
Source ledger
3 unique public sources