Timeline
2021
Now, in 2021, Kraken continues its expansion by announcing that is has entered into a LOI to acquire PanGeo Subsea of Newfoundland and that it has acquired 13 Robotics, a company in Brazil.
View Highlights2021 Highlights
Other milestones include the announcement that it has successfully achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for Quality Management Systems and news of successful trials of it’s SeaPower pressure tolerant batteries installed on Dive Technologies Large Displacement Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (DIVE-LD). Kraken will take ownership of a DIVE-LD vehicle equipped with Kraken’s AquaPix MINSAS and SeaPower Batteries in 2021.
- Aug 2021 – Kraken Closes Acquisition of PanGeo Subsea
- Apr 2021 – Kraken Enters into Letter of Intent to Acquire Subsea Services Company
- Apr 2021 – Kraken Closes Acquisition of Brazilin Underwater Robotics Company
- Mar 2021 – Kraken Announces $2.2 Million of Subsea Batteries and Sonar Contracts & Project Funding
- Feb 2021 – Kraken Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Quality Management Systems
- Feb 2021 – Kraken Announces $3.5 Million of Contract & Funding Awards
2020
In 2020, Kraken announces that it has signed contracts with two NATO-allied navies, the Royal Danish Navy and the Polish Navy.
View Highlights2020 Highlights
Under these contracts, Kraken will deliver its KATFISH™ towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar, Tentacle® Winch, and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS). Kraken also announces $2.9 million in research and development funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). This funding will be used to support the development of Kraken’s seabed resident ThunderFish® XL Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (TFXL AUV).
- Sep 2020 – Kraken to Supply Minehunting Systems to Polish Navy
- Sep 2020 – Kraken Signs $36 Million Danish Navy Contract
- Jul 2020 – Kraken Announces $1 Million of Defense Contracts
- Apr 2020 – Kraken Announces Partnership Agreement with Greensea Systems
- Mar 2020 – Kraken Announces $2.8 Million of Contracts and Provides Corporate Update
- Jan 2020 – Kraken Awarded $0.5 Million SeaVision Contract from Government of Canada
2019
In 2019, Kraken announced its launch of the OceanVision™ project with funding support from Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.
View Highlights2019 Highlights
OceanVision™ is a three-year, $18 million project focused on the development of new marine technologies and products to enable an underwater data acquisition and analytics as a service business. OceanVision™ accelerates Kraken’s strategy from sensors and system sales to becoming an integrated provider of Robotics as a Service (RaaS) and Data as a Service (DaaS).
- Dec 2019 – Kraken Acquires Remaining 25% of Kraken Power
- Nov 2019 – Kraken Announces Major Subsea Battery Milestone With Ocean Infinity
- Oct 2019 – Kraken Receives $750,000 of Innovation Funding
- Oct 2019 – Kraken Notified of Successful Bid on International Mine Hunting Upgrade Program
- Sep 2019 – Kraken Awarded $2.9 Million KATFISH Contract from ThayerMahan Inc.
- Sep 2019 – Kraken Launches OceanVision Project
- Aug 2019 – Kraken Awarded $2 Million Deep Sea Battery Contract
- Aug 2019 – Kraken Awarded $1.8M in Project Funding to Develop Mooring Chain Laser Inspection Sensor
- Jul 2019 – Announced appointment of Joe MacKay to CFO, Greg Reid to COO, Dave Shea to Senior VP Engineering, Tina Sainsbury to VP Finance
- Jun 2019 – Announced conditional approval of funding for $20M Ocean Supercluster Project called OceanVision
- Jun 2019 – Awarded $0.9M FCT contract from US Navy for SAS for 2 man-portable AUV
- Jun 2019 – Awarded $2.1M KATFISH contract from ThayerMahan Inc.
- Jun 2019 – Established Unmanned Maritime Vehicles Facility at COVE in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- Apr 2019 – Awarded $0.6M contract for subsea battery solution for military customer
- Apr 2019 – Awarded $1M funding contribution to support initial phase of OceanVision project
- Apr 2019 – Awarded $1M contract for ThunderFish AUV from Government of Canada
- Mar 2019 – Announced AquaPix MINSAS-240 sensor
- Mar 2019 – Received $2.3M from exercise of warrants by Ocean Infinity
- Feb 2019 – Awarded $1.7M contract from Ocean Infinity
- Jan 2019 – Awarded $0.5M contract under Canada’s Defence Innovation Research Program
- Jan 2019 – Announced completion of majority acquisition of Kraken Power GmbH
2018
Kraken announced that it established a team to focus on acoustic signal processing applications targeting anti-submarine warfare (ASW) applications in 2018.
View Highlights2018 Highlights
Located in Ontario, Kraken’s new Acoustic Signal Processing Group has 80+ years of combined experience in sonar systems development and integration.
- Dec 2018 – Completed $6M bought deal equity financing
- Dec 2018 – Completed successful sea tests of KATFISH with Elbit Systems
- Nov 2018 – Awarded $0.5M contract from Canadian Department of Defence
- Sep 2018 – Announced co-operation agreement with Leeway Marine for SeaScout RaaS offering
- Sep 2018 – Awarded $1.0M software contract from international defence contractor
- Sep 2018 – Completed successful showcase of SeaScout RaaS offering with Thayer Mahan during U.S. Navy exercise
- Aug 2018 – Announced CRADA with US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Aug 2018 – Received $1.0M from exercise of warrants
- Aug 2018 – Awarded $0.5M AquaPix contract with international defence customer
- Aug 2018 – Commenced testing of KATFISH with US Navy
- Aug 2018 – Awarded $9M deep sea batteries contract from Ocean Infinity Ltd
- Jul 2018 – Announced establishment of Acoustic Signal Processing Group in Toronto
- Jul 2018 – Signs Strategic Alliance MOU with Ocean Infinity Ltd
- Jun 2018 – Obtains DTC eligibility of common shares
- Jun 2018 – Kraken completes $2.3M equity raise with Ocean Infinity Ltd.
- Jun 2018 – Awarded $0.9M contracts for evaluation of SeaVision sensors and AI software
- Jun 2018 – Kraken pre-qualifies SeaVision for Canada’s BCIP program
- May 2018 – Announced KATFISH has achieved MIL-STD certification
- May 2018 – Announced AquaPix Multispectral SAS
- Apr 2018 – Announced Dr. Jeremy Dillon as Chief Scientist
- Apr 2018 – Kraken pre-qualifies ThunderFish for Canada’s BCIP program
- Feb 2018 – Kraken completes $1.5M equity raise
- Feb 2018 – Kraken announces strategic alliance with ThayerMahan
- Feb 2018 – Ocean Supercluster selected as one of 5 Government of Canada innovation superclusters and will receive part of $950 million in federal funding
- Jan 2018 – Awarded repeat contract with leading military customer for Kraken SAS sensor.
- Jan 2018 – Kraken wins international offshore wind energy competition (Carbon Trust Offshore Wind Accelerator competition)
- Jan 2018 – Kraken real time sonar deployed on U.S. Navy AUV
2017
In 2017 Kraken changed its name from Kraken Sonar Systems Inc. to Kraken Robotics Inc. to help reflect Kraken’s continued growth as it evolved from manufacturing sensors to supplying complete robotic systems, software, and services in the global Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS) market.
View Highlights2017 Highlights
This year also saw the expansion of two offices in Germany, Kraken Robotik GmbH in Rostock and Kraken Power GmbH in Bremen.
- Nov 2017 – Awarded contract to develop underwater sensors & robotics to advance digitalization of integrated operations within offshore oil & gas sector
- Oct 2017 – Announced partnership with Avitas Systems, a GE Venture, to advance subsea robotic inspection
- Oct 2017 – Appointed retired Admiral Michael J. Connor, United States Navy, to Kraken Board of Directors
- Sep 2017 – Announced public company name change to Kraken Robotics Inc. (from Kraken Sonar Inc.)
- Sep 2017 – Announced historic Avro Arrow discovery using Kraken technology
- Sep 2017 – Awarded multiple SAS sensor contract from Ocean Infinity
- Aug 2017 – Awarded contract with Atlas Elektronik of Germany to integrate our SAS sensor on their AUV
- Aug 2017 – Announced addition of key team members at Kraken Robotik GmbH
- Jul 2017 – Announced Avro Arrow search job with OEX Recovery Group, first RaaS contract
- Jul 2017 – Kraken takes delivery of THUNDERFISH® AUV from Fraunhofer
- Jun 2017 – Awarded contract from ECA Robotics of France for our SAS sensor for their AUV
- Jun 2017 – Announced teaming agreement with Atlas Elektronik GmbH. Partnering on Canadian RMDS program and the large Indian Navy MCM bid.
- Jun 2017 – Announced support in sea trials for Belgian and Dutch navies. Kraken SAS was on Atlas SeaCat AUV and an AUV from an unnamed Israeli company.
- May 2017 – Announced $0.8M grant from Newfoundland’s Research and Development Corporation for underwater robotics development
- May 2017 – Announced strategic investment in ENITECH Subsea GmbH of Rostock, Germany and renamed Kraken Power GmbH.
- May 2017 – Exited minority investment in Square Robot Inc.
- Apr 2017 – Completed $2.1M equity raise for Kraken Robotics Inc.
- Apr 2017 – Kraken Robotik GmbH awarded its first contract, to build a custom 6000m version of SeaVision from the Alfred Wegener Institute
- Mar 2017 – Finalized exclusive licensing agreement with Fraunhofer ISOB for underwater robotics
- Mar 2017 – Received $1.5M grant from Canadian government for underwater robotics development
- Mar 2017 – Announced SeaVision™ 3D Laser System, the world’s first RGB underwater laser imaging system.
- Mar 2017 – Announced partnership to supply SAS sensors to US-based Riptide Autonomous Solutions.
- Mar 2017 – KATFISH™ completes successful sea trials
- Jan 2017 – German subsidiary, Kraken Robotics GmbH, begins operations.
2016
Kraken continued its growth plan in 2016 by opening the Unmanned Maritime Vehicles Facility in Nova Scotia with a team of former engineers from Rolls-Royce Naval Marine.
View Highlights2016 Highlights
This office would be responsible for developing a smart winch known as Tentacle Winch® to communicate with Kraken’s new KATFISH™ towed underwater vehicle. Kraken also announced several partnerships and product orders throughout that year.
- Dec 2016 – Announced hire of Jeff Bartkowski, Director of Business Development
- Nov 2016 – Announced addition of Shaun McEwan to Board of Directors
- Nov 2016 – Announced $0.5M grant from the Canadian government for autonomous LARS development.
- Oct 2016 – Announced addition of Larry Puddister to Board of Directors
- Sep 2016 – Signed MOU with Fraunhofer to license and develop 6000M AUVs that would include a full suite of Kraken sensors.
- Aug 2016 – Completed $1.1M non-brokered private placement
- Jun 2016 – Kraken and Square Robot Inc. sign a strategic partnership agreement for confined area inspection robots.
- May 2016 – Announced $0.4M proceeds for a major European defense contractor
- Apr 2016 – Announced contract for 6000M rated sensor with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
- Feb 2016 – Announce to supply Elbit Systems of Israel with KATFISH™ product
- Feb 2016 – Announce $0.5M grant from the Canadian government for KATFISH™ development.
- Jan 2016 – Opened Nova Scotia Handling Systems division to focus on launch and recovery systems. Staffed by ex-Rolls Royce Marine engineers.
2015
In 2015 Kraken became a publicly-traded company on the TSX trading under the stock symbol PNG.V (Ping!) as a strategic move to raise capital to grow its portfolio, enabling them to compete on the global stage.
View Highlights2015 Highlights
During this year they also opened a new office in the United States, known as Kraken Underwater Systems, LLC.
- Dec 2015 – Release SOUNDPIX for next-generation seabed mapping in conjunction with Caris limited.
- Nov 2015 Acquired technology and IP from Marine Robotics Inc.
- Nov 2015 – Awarded $750,000 grant from Newfoundland’s RDC to fund KATFISH™ development.
- Nov 2015 – Announced awarded $1.5M order from major defense contractor for KATFISH™
- Aug 2015 – Announced $0.4M sensor contract wit ECA Robotics of France
- Aug 2015 – Kraken and TriTech announce AQUATRAK® correlation velocity log (CVL) product, a derivative of Kraken’s SAS technology, targeted at the oil and gas sector for ROVs.
- Jul 2015 – Announce addition of Dr. Tom Tureaud and Gina Miller as VP Underwater Systems and Project Manager.
- Jun 2015 – Announce addition of Greg Reid as CFO
- Apr 2015 – Established US-subsidiary, Kraken Underwater Systems, LLC.
- Mar 2015 – Announce delivery of first 6000M rated MINSAS sensor to Fraunhofer Institute
- Mar 2015 – Announce addition of Roman Kocur to Board of Directors
- Mar 2015 – Announces $0.5M grant from the Canadian government for INSAS sensor development.
- Feb 2015 – Kraken Sonar Systems Inc. completes RTO of Anergy Capital to become publicly-traded company (Kraken Sonar Inc. on TSX-V).
2014
The next member of the AquaPix® family, the Miniature Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (MINSAS) was released in 2014.
View Highlights2014 Highlights
This model was designed for smaller diameter autonomous underwater vehicles. Kraken was also chosen that year to provide technology and expertise for the search for the lost Franklin mission ships in the Canadian arctic.
- October 2014 – Completed $2.3M private placement
- August 2014 – Kraken named to MTR 100
- June 2014 – Announced that chosen to provide technology and expertise for the search for the lost Franklin mission ships in the Canadian artic.
- May 2014 – Delivered RTSAS to Australia’s Defense Science and Technology Organization (DSTO)
- May 2014 – Delivered AquaPix® SAS to DRDC in Canada.
- Kraken announced the AquaPix® MINSAS, a next generation Miniature Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar designed for smaller diameter AUVs.
2013
In 2013, Kraken acquired the intellectual property rights from Marport Deep Sea Technologies Inc. for their Synthetic Aperture Sonar technology and shortly thereafter contracts for AquaPix®️ were announced.
View Highlights2013 Highlights
AquaPix®️ became the word’s first Synthetic Aperture Sonar priced under $150,000.
- Oct 2013 – Announced world’s first synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) priced under US$150,000
- Aug 2013 – Kraken named to MTR 100
- Aug 2013 – Kraken announced DataPod product
- May 2013 – Announced delivery of InSAS product to DSTO Australia
- May 2013 – Completed successful trials with U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC)
- Feb 2013 – Kraken and Triton Imaging announce OEM agreement to bundle Triton software with Kraken’s SAS
- Jan 2013 – Awarded Canadian government grant to support development of correlation velocity log (CVL)
2012
In 2012, Kraken Sonar Systems Inc. was created as a spin-out from Marport Deep Sea Technologies Inc. comprising only 8 employees, all with the goal of commercializing Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS).
View Highlights2012 Highlights
Up until then, SAS was extremely costly making it almost impossible for commercial operators to own. With this in mind, Kraken set out to make a commercially available SAS that offered the highest resolution pixel commercially available at the lowest per pixel cost.
- Dec 2012 – Kraken acquires SAS IP from Marport Deep Sea Technologies Inc.
- Sep 2012 – Kraken Sonar Systems Inc. established as a spin-out of Marport with 8 employees to commercialize synthetic aperture sonar.
