Booz Allen Invests in Maritime Autonomy

Key Terms

autonomous undersea platforms technical

Autonomous undersea platforms are self-guided machines that operate beneath the ocean surface without a human onboard, performing tasks such as mapping, data collection, surveillance or equipment maintenance. Think of them as self-driving vehicles for the seabed; they matter to investors because they can open new revenue streams, reduce ongoing labor costs, and enable services in hard-to-reach places, while also bringing capital intensity, technological risk and regulatory considerations that affect returns.

unmanned undersea systems technical

Unmanned undersea systems are robotic vehicles and sensor packages that operate below the surface without a person on board, either guided remotely or programmed to work on their own; they map the seafloor, inspect pipelines and cables, collect scientific or environmental data, and perform surveillance. They matter to investors because they create new markets and cost-saving alternatives to crewed ships, affecting revenue prospects, contract opportunities, capital spending and regulatory risk—think of them as self-driving cars or drones for the ocean.

series a funding round financial

A Series A funding round is an early formal investment where a startup sells equity to professional investors to move beyond its initial idea and scale operations, such as hiring, product development, or entering new markets. It matters to investors because the round sets a company’s valuation and ownership stakes, signals market confidence or risk, and affects potential returns and dilution—similar to buying a larger share in a growing business at a negotiated price.

autonomous systems technical

Autonomous systems are machines or technology that can operate and make decisions on their own, without needing constant human guidance. They use sensors, software, and rules to perform tasks independently, much like a self-driving car navigating traffic. For investors, understanding autonomous systems is important because they are transforming industries, increasing efficiency, and creating new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Investment scales Booz Allen’s offerings across autonomous undersea capabilities for defense and commercial missions

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) today announced that its corporate venture capital arm, Booz Allen Ventures, has invested in Ulysses, a San Francisco-based maritime robotics company developing cost-efficient, high-volume autonomous surface and underwater vehicles for maritime operations.

Amid rising demand for low-cost, scalable unmanned undersea systems, Booz Allen’s investment in Ulysses enhances the firm’s ability to deliver integrated maritime solutions, particularly across mine countermeasures, multi-vehicle swarming and survey missions, and operations requiring platforms designed for high-risk environments.

“Maritime forces need affordable and scalable systems undersea. That demand will require us to build and field autonomous undersea platforms that can be integrated with the Navy’s future hybrid fleet,” said Jennie Brooks, executive vice president at Booz Allen and a leader of the company’s Navy-Marine Corps portfolio. “Together, Ulysses and Booz Allen can provide advanced technology solutions for the undersea domain at speed, scale, and cost.”

Ulysses develops surface and underwater vehicles optimized for cost-efficient, high-volume deployment in complex maritime environments. Its platforms combine cost-efficient hardware with advanced onboard computers to enable next-generation autonomy, unlocking new concepts of operations and mission adaptability.

“The ocean is the last great frontier,” said Akhil Voorakkara, co-founder and CEO of Ulysses. “Every other domain—land, air, space—has seen a revolution in access and capability in the past two decades. The ocean hasn’t. Operating at sea still means crewed vessels at tens of thousands of dollars a day, and most of the ocean goes completely unmonitored as a result. We’re building autonomous systems that change that equation by orders of magnitude—vehicles that can survey, inspect, and protect our oceans at a scale that’s never been possible.”

Designed for infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, and search and recovery, Ulysses platforms are applicable across diverse operational environments. By integrating these capabilities, Booz Allen is expanding its ability to deliver cost-saving solutions where significant mission need exists.

“This investment reflects our commitment and conviction that maritime autonomous systems will be a defining domain for years to come in building and ensuring maritime dominance,” said Brian MacCarthy, managing partner of Booz Allen Ventures. “By backing dual-use, venture-backed startups like Ulysses, we are expanding our portfolio into robotics and autonomy and building capabilities that enable deployment at speed across sea, air, and land.”

The investment is part of Ulysses’ Series A funding round, led by Andreessen Horowitz’s (a16z) American Dynamism fund. It marks Booz Allen’s first investment in the maritime sector and its first investment in parallel with a16z since announcing a partnership in January 2026 to build and accelerate the adoption of advanced tech to drive America’s tech supremacy.

“Our partnership with Booz Allen was built on a shared conviction that the best commercial technology should reach the missions that need it most,” said Jen Kha, head of global partnerships at Andreessen Horowitz. “Ulysses is exactly the kind of company we had in mind, a bold team building critical capabilities at the intersection of autonomy and maritime defense. Seeing this investment happen in parallel with Booz Allen is a proof point that our collaboration is already delivering.”

Launched in 2022, Booz Allen Ventures makes strategic investments in visionary, early-stage startups that are focused on AI, defense tech, deep tech, cybersecurity, space, and reindustrialization. The fund tripled to $300 million last year, building on the success of investments across portfolio companies to date.

Read more about Booz Allen Ventures and the company’s autonomy capabilities.

About Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen is the advanced technology company delivering outcomes with speed for America’s most critical defense, civil, and national security priorities. We build technology solutions using AI, cyber, and other cutting-edge technologies to advance and protect the nation and its citizens. By focusing on outcomes, we enable our people, customers, and their missions to succeed—accelerating the nation to realize our purpose: Empower People to Change the World^®.

With global headquarters in McLean, Virginia, our company employs approximately 31,600 people globally as of December 31, 2025, and had revenue of $12.0 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, 2025. To learn more, visit www.boozallen.com. (NYSE: BAH)

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Source: Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation