Starboard Maritime Intelligence raises $14M Series A for AI maritime surveillance

New Zealand maritime technology company Starboard Maritime Intelligence has raised NZ$23 million ($14M USD) in Series A funding co-led by Altered Capital, OIF Ventures, and King River Capital, with participation from Co:Act Capital, Icehouse Ventures, and Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation.

Founded by CEO Trent Fulcher, Starboard operates an AI-powered maritime domain awareness platform that processes over 1 billion daily data points from AIS tracking, satellite imagery, radar, and oceanographic sensors to detect suspicious maritime activity and protect critical infrastructure.

The Wellington-based company serves government agencies, defense organisations, and commercial operators across 30+ countries, monitoring over 840,000 km of subsea cable infrastructure. The platform addresses rising maritime security concerns including undersea cable sabotage, illegal fishing, and contested trade routes.

Starboard's technology combines real-time vessel tracking with risk assessment algorithms to identify suspicious vessels, analyse fleet behaviors, and issue alerts for potential threats. As of now their key applications include fisheries monitoring, infrastructure protection, and satellite surveillance operations.

Founder: Trent Fulcher (CEO)

Sources: Press Release, Starboard