Autonomy at Sea: Panel & Happy Hour at SFCW
90% of global trade moves by ship — yet maritime remains one of the hardest sectors to modernize. Legacy vessels, opaque operations, extreme environments, and fragmented infrastructure have slowed both decarbonization and digitization.
That’s changing. A new generation of founders is rebuilding the maritime stack from the battery module to the hull to the autonomous control system — accelerating the shift toward cleaner, more intelligent ocean infrastructure.
Join Obvious Ventures and Propeller Ventures during SF Climate Week for a conversation with leaders transforming how we power, move, and operate at sea.
Featured Speakers:
Nelson Mills, CEO, Vatn Systems | Developing autonomous underwater vehicles for defense, sensing, and maritime operations
Sampriti Bhattacharya, Founder & CEO, Navier | Building general marine vessel platforms that enable scalable maritime solutions for commercial and defense use
Steven Henderson, Co-Founder & CEO, Fleetzero | Building modular battery systems to electrify long-haul cargo shipping
Moderated by: Caitlin Hardy, Founder and Managing Director, Ness Sea Consulting.
The Run:
4:00 PM | Arrival & Check-in
4:30 PM | Panel Discussion
5:00 PM | Happy Hour & Networking
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This event is part of a 3-part series hosted by Obvious Ventures during SF Climate Week 2026, exploring how autonomy and electrification converge to bring us an abundant, cleaner future:
April 23: Autonomy at Sea
Space is limited so please only RSVP if you intend to join. Priority will be given to founders, operators, and investors in the climate and autonomy space.
By registering for this event, you agree to share your registration information with the organizers of SF Climate Week.
Special thank you to Orrick for sponsoring the event series.