Sakai City, Osaka - Eight Knot Inc., the pioneering autonomous navigation technology startup headquartered in Osaka, is thrilled to announce its successful pre-seed funding round. Spearheading this investment is DRONE FUND, the Tokyo-based venture capital focused on drone and air mobility ventures.
Objective and Use of Funds:
Founded with a crystal-clear vision of "Empowering aquatic mobility through robotics and AI", Eight Knot is not just a company; it's a movement. Under the dynamic leadership of CEO Yujin Kimura, Eight Knot's team, proficient in robotics, is meticulously crafting the future, aiming for societal integration of autonomous vessels by 2025.
This funding serves as fuel, accelerating key initiatives:
・Forging ahead with the EV robotic boat prototype.
・Amplifying the prowess of their robotics and AI-focused engineering battalion.
・Paving the way for real-world field-testing environments.
Our Efforts and Outlook:
While the rise in autonomous and automated mobility technologies for land and aerial vehicles, like drones, is evident, this trend is also extending to aquatic mobility, including ships. As autonomy progresses, improvements in the safety, convenience, and economic rationale of mobility can be expected. Given Japan’s unique geographical positioning surrounded by seas, the potential to introduce new modes of passenger and cargo transportation is vast. From a tourism and leisure perspective, offering more accessible aquatic experiences can pave the way for the creation of new industries. At Eight Knot, we are focused on “robotizing aquatic mobility” using cutting-edge technologies like robotics and AI. We aspire to realize on-demand aquatic transportation using environmentally friendly EV robotic boats.
In 2023, we aim to launch partial services in archipelagic regions where water-based mobility and transportation are integral to daily life. As part of this vision, we will conduct a demonstration test of the autonomous EV boat in the islands of the Seto Inland Sea in the fall of 2021. Through these tests, we hope to delve deeper into the needs of the island residents, conduct environmental surveys geared towards societal implementation, and further our development to eventually cover a broader island area.
About DRONE FUND:
DRONE FUND, focused on a "drone and air mobility-centric society", is a venture capital specializing in startups related to drones and air mobility. With its first and second funds, it has built a portfolio of over 40 domestic and international companies. Their third fund continues to widely invest in technologies that contribute to the societal implementation of drones and air mobility.
Abbreviation: DRONE FUND
Official Name: DRONE FUND III Investment Limited Partnership
Operating Company: DRONE FUND Inc.
Representatives: Kotaro Chiba, Soki Ohmae
Location: 3-3-6 Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo
Established: May 2020
Business: Investment in and support of drone and air mobility-related endeavors
Website: https://dronefund.vc/en/
About Eight Knot Inc.:
Company Name: Eight Knot Inc.
Established: March 8, 2021
Officers: CEO and Representative Director Yujin Kimura, CTO Tomoaki Yokoyama
Base: 10 Kitahatocho Sakai-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka-fu, 590-0986, Japan
Business Content: Forging EV robotic boats and reshaping aquatic transportation.
Website: https://8kt.jp/en
Twitter: @8ktjp