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Ocean Autonomy Cluster helped highlight innovation and entrepreneurship during EMRA and MIR 2025. Member companies from both OAC and NORDSEC were strongly represented.

Trondheim transformed into Europe’s marine robotics capital during the first week of June, as both EMRA (European Marine Robotics and Applications) and the MIR Annual Symposium were held in close collaboration with NTNU. Ocean Autonomy Cluster (OAC) played a central role in both events, acting as session chairs, contributors and facilitators connecting startups, established industry and European innovation networks.

Robotics and AI in a maritime context

MIR, the Marine and Maritime Intelligent Robotics Master, is an Erasmus Mundus programme that combines robotics and artificial intelligence in a maritime context. It educates future specialists in autonomous ocean systems. The symposium gathered students and researchers from across Europe to share insights, demonstrate technologies, and engage with industry.

Linda Cathrine Hald, Ocean Autonomy Cluster. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset

Where research meets future business

EMRA is known as a key arena for EU-funded marine technology projects, while the MIR symposium gives the next generation of engineers an opportunity to meet future employers and partners. The co-location of the two events offered a unique opportunity to demonstrate how education, research and business can align. This is precisely the core of Ocean Autonomy Cluster’s mission.

Linda Cathrine Hald from Ocean Autonomy Cluster chaired the EMRA industry session, where attendees gained insights into technologies already in use and met the companies behind them.

Maritime Robotics opened with their experience from the SMAUG project, demonstrating how their autonomous vessels are used in both research and operational settings. Blueye Robotics followed with their underwater drone platform and insights from the EU-funded BUGWRIGHT2 project, which explores robotic ship maintenance.

Maritime Robotics' Otter and MilliAmpere2. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

From idea to prototype and demonstration in water

Evologics from Germany highlighted the importance of stable underwater communication and acoustic positioning, showcasing technologies used in several European projects. The energy peaked during the startup pitch session. Clean Sea Solutions demonstrated their autonomous unit for removing plastic waste in ports, while F&Z Solutions shared their experience developing a lightweight surface drone for environmental research.

Water Linked attracted attention with their underwater positioning sensor, offering high accuracy in challenging environments. Ocean Access presented their submersible communications buoy, enabling smarter data collection from the water column. These solutions were later demonstrated live in the Brattøra harbour basin, offering the European audience a close-up look at both technology and test environments.

Jonas Follesø (Blueye Robotics), Torbjørn Houge (Maritime Robotics), and Andrea Faltynkova (F&Z Solutions). Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

The next wave of European maritime tech

In a second session chaired by Hald and NTNU, the spotlight turned to technologies bridging the gap between R&D and the market. Kongsberg Discovery presented their capabilities in subsea autonomy and data-driven seabed mapping, showing how Norwegian technology leads the way across the ocean space.

Develogic from Germany showcased subsea systems for data collection and monitoring, while IN2 Group from Croatia demonstrated how digitalisation and IoT are driving the development of smart ports. Fameline Energy from Cyprus shared their experience in training and supporting the energy transition, underlining the importance of competence in green innovation.

Participants at MIR/EMRA 2025 in front of Rockheim. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

From science to scaling with OAC as enabler

EMRA and MIR 2025 clearly showed the value of tighter integration between academia and industry. For the MIR students, meeting the OAC companies was a highlight. Many of them initiated conversations about internships, thesis projects, and startup opportunities.

This is at the heart of what Ocean Autonomy Cluster aims to do: give entrepreneurs and early-stage companies a platform, connect them with test facilities and partners, and help move technologies from labs into real-world use. Whether it starts as an idea in a lecture hall or as a research project, the road to market is shorter with the right ecosystem in place.

Trond Larsen, Blueye Robotics. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

Trøndelag as Europe’s autonomy testbed

With more than 150 participants from over 20 countries, including researchers, investors, technology developers and representatives from the European Commission, EMRA and MIR 2025 made Trondheim and Trøndelag stand out as a testbed for Europe’s autonomous future. Technology was tested in water, ideas exchanged through conversation, and networks built that will create impact long after the banners are taken down.

Ocean Autonomy Cluster will continue to be a catalyst for collaboration, scaling and export, and work to make Trøndelag Europe’s most complete test arena for autonomous systems in the ocean space.

Apoorva Sinha, Ocean Access. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

Strong connections to clusters and innovation ecosystems

All participating companies — Maritime Robotics, Kongsberg Discovery, F&Z Solutions, Ocean Access, Water Linked, Clean Sea Solutions and Blueye Robotics — are members of Ocean Autonomy Cluster. In addition, Maritime Robotics, Kongsberg Discovery and Blueye Robotics are also members of NORDSEC Defence and Security Cluster. Clean Sea Solutions, Maritime Robotics, F&Z Solutions and Ocean Access are part of the FI Ocean Space Incubator, supporting early-stage ventures within marine and maritime technology.

Pictures from MIR/EMRA

Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster