Quartermaster, a startup based in Arlington, Virginia, is developing a technology it calls “SmartMast.” It is an integrated package of weather-resistant sensors (such as cameras and radio communication devices) mounted on a ship’s mast that relays maritime data in real time. Combined with a data analytics platform, Quartermaster is creating a “continuous, distributed sensing network”—a true collective intelligence (hive mind) for millions of ships.
Quartermaster has completed a $43 million Series A funding round. The round was co-led by VC firms First Round Capital and Quiet Capital.
To date, more than 600 ships equipped with SmartMast have covered 10 million square miles of ocean. The startup’s primary goal is to create an infrastructure for intelligence applications, such as:
Identifying other ships.
Collecting training data for companies working on autonomous navigation.
Assisting scientists and robotics experts.
Providing data and analytics to government agencies.
The funding capital will largely be directed toward hiring engineers to further develop the technology.