Twelve years ago, I stepped into the engine room of the Post-Panamax bulk carrier M/V Alam Pintar, starting my career in maritime. Surrounded by the noise, heat, and complexity of these vessels, I quickly learned how often machinery failures and reactive maintenance dictated operations. Later, even in the pristine engine rooms of the world’s largest superyachts, the same underlying issue persisted: critical decisions were being made without real-time, actionable data.
Despite the technological advancements aboard modern ships, maintenance remains largely reactive. Today, machinery breakdowns account for 45% of marine hull insurance claims, representing billions of dollars in losses each year. The problem isn’t a lack of information—it’s the inability to turn onboard data into proactive solutions.
At Ceto, we’re building the platform to change that: transforming raw sensor data into predictive insights that empower ship owners and operators to manage risk, optimize performance, and create a safer, more sustainable maritime industry.
"At Ceto, we aim to unite the power of AI with the indispensable human expertise at the heart of maritime. This kind of technology plays a critical role in identifying risk and improving decision making, ushering in a smarter era for shipping and finance."
Tony Hildrew
Founder & CEO, Ceto
The round was led byDynamo Ventureswith participation fromHowden Ventures,Signal Ventures,Motion Ventures,andChaucer. This investment, coupled with the expertise of our partners, positions us to scale faster, strengthen our collaborations across the maritime ecosystem, and deliver predictive technology that sets a new standard for maritime operations.
But raising capital is just the beginning. Real innovation happens out at sea, and that's where our focus remains: helping ship owners move from reaction to prediction—one vessel at a time.
Our continued collaboration withHowden,Chaucerand six other leading P&C insurance markets as well as partnerships with some of the largest ship owners, is particularly noteworthy and demonstrates the conviction and desire for the introduction of new solutions. Their expertise will be instrumental as we develop products that reward proactive risk management and operational excellence.
MV Alam Pintar, the post-panamax bulk carrier Tony sailed on in 2013.
Introducing Our Flagship Products
Maritime has long relied on reactive maintenance practices with planned maintenance systems (PMS) only really gaining in popularity from around the 17th Century although those systems looked very different to the PMS we’re used to seeing on modern day ships. Either way prevention is the first logical step however it was difficult to do this without having an idea on what information was important. Fast forward to modern day shipping and we have amassed a huge volume of operational data and there lies the key to transition the industry from those ancient reactive practices to the predictive solutions offered by Ceto today.
Ceto's suite of products is designed to address the multifaceted challenges of the maritime industry:
• Watchkeeper: A predictive maintenance tool that analyses high-frequency sensor data to anticipate machinery failures before they occur.
• CarbonID: An AI-driven emissions management platform that helps fleet owners monitor vessel performance and reduce their carbon footprint, aligning with evolving environmental regulations.
• Connected Insurance: A data-driven insurance solution that provides transparent premiums based on real-time vessel data and rewards proactive risk management.
These tools collectively empower ship owners and operators to make informed decisions, reduce downtime, and promote sustainable practices all in the pursuit of operational excellence.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, our focus remains on enhancing our platform's capabilities and forging partnerships that align with our vision of a safer, more efficient maritime industry.
We’d encourage ship owners, operators and technical managers to get in contact with us:info@ceto.ai
Our ship’s crew is growing, and we’d encourage anyone who wants to be part of an industry defining voyage to reach out through ouropen job posts,if you don’t sea an open role but align with our vision we want to talk to you, reach out by email:careers@ceto.ai
We're excited about the journey ahead and remain steadfast in our approach to driving innovation at the intersection of maritime operations and insurance. We’re looking forward to welcoming new partners and crew members onboard.
About Ceto
Ceto is a leader in predictive analytics for the maritime industry, developing products to prevent machinery breakdowns, reduce carbon emissions and deliver best in class risk insights. With a focus on technology, sustainability, and risk mitigation, Ceto is dedicated to empowering maritime professionals to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Media Enquiries
For all Media Enquiries relating to Ceto, please contact Tony Hildrew on the information below. Ceto's Media kit can be found here.
