Arlington-based maritime intelligence startup Quartermaster has secured $140 million in a Series B funding round. The investment was led by software-focused firm Insight Partners, with participation from defense-focused investor Overmatch Ventures and existing backer First Round Capital. Additionally, the company obtained a $40 million debt facility from Stifel.
The startup, founded by CEO Neil Sobin, previously raised $43 million in a Series A round in May. The company develops SmartMast, a hardware system consisting of cameras and radios mounted on ship masts. This technology captures real-time maritime data, offering more detailed insights than the standard automatic identification system (AIS).
Currently, SmartMast is installed on over 650 vessels across 25 countries, with the company having shipped more than 800 units to date. Quartermaster is now expanding its deployments to entire commercial fleets. To keep pace with rising demand, the startup has doubled its manufacturing capacity and is optimizing its hardware design for faster production.
The data collected by SmartMast assists shipping companies, governments, and insurers in managing congestion, avoiding collisions, and conducting search and rescue operations. Each unit records tens of gigabytes of data daily. The company plans to continue scaling its operations to address the significant demand for maritime awareness and intelligence.
