Case study
sees.ai, a pioneering technology company focused on centralised autonomous drone operations for close inspection of critical infrastructure at national scale, has secured a £3.65 million investment. The funding round was co-led by Elbow Beach, which was backed by the British Business Bank through its Enterprise Capital Funds programme, alongside Sustainable Future Ventures and Hearst Ventures, with participation from WakeUp Capital.
| Region/Nation | South East |
|---|---|
| Sector | Technology |
| Programme | Enterprise Capital Funds |
| Partner |
sees.ai has set out to transform infrastructure inspections by capturing high value diagnostic data safely, sustainably, and efficiently. Operating under one of the UK’s most advanced BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) regulatory permissions granted by the Civil Aviation Authority, the company has demonstrated an operational advantage. Under these permissions, sees.ai has safely scaled its drone operations, capturing asset condition data that is accurate down to the smallest detail, perfectly repeatable, and ready for ML/AI analysis.
sees.ai’s technology aligns strongly with the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and its focus on Clean Energy, Advanced Manufacturing and Digital and Technologies industries.
The funding from Elbow Beach, secured through the Enterprise Capital Funds programme, will enable sees.ai to expand its business operations, accelerate platform development, and deepen engagement with regulators to drive broader adoption of autonomous inspection systems.
This investment marked a transformative milestone for sees.ai, enabling us to move from validated technology to widespread operational implementation. Our goal was to digitise and decarbonise the inspection of national critical infrastructure at scale, while gathering the highest value diagnostic data to enable infrastructure operators to make optimal decisions, and this funding empowered us to deliver on that ambition. - John McKenna CEO, sees.ai
sees.ai’s solution is supporting the transition to more resilient, higher-capacity infrastructure - an essential enabler for decarbonising the national energy system and accelerating the integration of renewable energy sources. With sees.ai’s technology, critical infrastructure operators can now access insights that were previously very difficult to obtain, helping them prioritise inspections, streamline maintenance, inform major projects, and assure quality across entire networks. This also supports the goal of achieving less downtime of critical networks.
sees.ai is poised to capitalise on a growing market opportunity that supports Britain’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Their technology addresses critical industrial challenges while contributing to decarbonisation, aligning perfectly with the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. We are excited to support their growth as they continue to showcase the world-class capabilities of British innovation. - Jonathan Pollock CEO, Elbow Beach
sees.ai’s technology has delivered significant and measurable environmental benefits. By reducing the need for helicopters to carry out close inspections, each autonomous drone operation is projected to save approximately 10 tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2028.
Beyond direct emissions reductions, sees.ai’s solution is to contribute to a cleaner energy future by enhancing grid performance and accelerating the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure, with the aim to support the broader transition to a low-carbon economy.
sees.ai is an example of how innovative technology can provide both economic and environmental benefits. Their work will drive efficiency in critical infrastructure while aligning with the UK’s commitment to net-zero emissions. Through the ECF programme, we continue to support potential high-growth companies like sees.ai so as they can continue to grow in the UK and solve real-world issues. - Mark Sims Senior Director, Funds at the British Business Bank
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