Mirai Robotics, an Italian startup developing autonomous maritime systems for surveillance, monitoring, and operations at sea, has raised $4.2 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Primo Capital (formerly Primo Ventures), Techshop, and 40Jemz Ventures, with participation from leading Italian and international angel investors. This is one of the largest robotics and deep-tech pre-seeds in Italy to date.
Why it matters: Over 80% of global trade moves by sea, yet the maritime domain remains one of the least digitized environments in the world. The sea carries 90% of Europe's foreign trade and 95% of international internet traffic flows through subsea cables. A growing shortage of qualified professionals and rising operational costs are making traditional models unsustainable. Mirai Robotics is building the robotic infrastructure to make seas safer, more observable, and autonomous, integrating advanced sensing, artificial intelligence, and control systems into persistent surveillance and patrolling vehicles.
The team brings serious pedigree. CEO Luciano Belviso previously founded Blackshape Aircraft, a benchmark player in aircraft design and manufacturing acquired by Angel Holding. Luca Mascaro scaled Sketchin into one of Southern Europe's leading strategic design firms, later acquired by BIP Group, where he served as Chief Innovation Officer. Davide Dattoli built Talent Garden into Europe's largest digital education platform. The capital will accelerate technology development and launch pilot projects with industrial and institutional partners.
Quick facts👇
● founders: Luciano Belviso; Luca Mascaro; Davide Dattoli Zhang
● total capital raised: $4.2M
● HQ: Bari, Italy
● Investors: Primo Capital; TECHSHOP; 40Jemz Ventures