HOUSTON, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (NASDAQ:KITT, ", Nauticus", or the ", Company", )), a leading innovator in autonomous subsea robotics and software solutions, today announced that it is actively pursuing opportunities to support next-generation autonomous ocean sensing infrastructure through its flagship Aquanaut^® platform.

As governments, research institutions, and commercial organizations seek improved methods for monitoring the world's oceans and critical subsea infrastructure, Nauticus believes autonomous robotic systems can significantly reduce the cost and complexity of deploying, inspecting, maintaining, and monitoring persistent subsea sensing networks. These networks have the potential to provide continuous streams of environmental and geophysical data while enabling greater visibility into changing ocean conditions and critical subsea assets.

The world's oceans remain significantly under-sensored despite their increasing importance to environmental stewardship, offshore energy, subsea communications, scientific research, national security, and critical infrastructure protection. Nauticus believes this presents an emerging opportunity for autonomous subsea robotics to support the deployment and long-term operation of continuous ocean sensing infrastructure, creating a new class of persistent underwater monitoring capabilities. Recent advances in distributed fiber optic sensing, autonomous robotics, artificial intelligence, and subsea communications are enabling continuous ocean monitoring at a scale and cost that was previously impractical.

The Company is currently participating in multiple collaborative proposal efforts with government agencies, commercial organizations, and academic institutions to evaluate future autonomous subsea sensing solutions. These opportunities include government- and commercially-sponsored feasibility studies focused on the deployment, monitoring, and long-term operation of continuous ocean sensing infrastructure. The proposal efforts span multiple geographic regions and are intended to support persistent monitoring of critical subsea infrastructure, environmental conditions, and other emerging ocean intelligence applications.

Nauticus believes the Aquanaut platform is uniquely positioned to support these emerging applications through its ability to autonomously perform complex subsea operations while minimizing reliance on traditional surface vessel-intensive activities. The Company is collaborating with prospective industry participants possessing expertise in fiber optic technologies, deployment systems, offshore operations, geophysical analysis, and data acquisition to evaluate integrated solutions capable of enabling persistent subsea monitoring. By bringing together specialists across multiple disciplines, Nauticus believes autonomous robotics can serve as a foundational component of a scalable ocean sensing ecosystem that delivers continuous, high-quality subsea data while reducing operational costs and vessel dependence.

"We believe autonomous robotics will play a transformative role in the next generation of ocean intelligence," said John Gibson, President and CEO of Nauticus. "The world's oceans remain one of our least continuously observed environments, yet they are becoming increasingly important to global infrastructure, environmental monitoring, scientific research, resource management, and national security. We are encouraged by the collaborative discussions currently underway and believe Aquanaut is uniquely positioned to help enable a new generation of persistent, cost-effective ocean sensing solutions. The breadth of engagement we are seeing from government, commercial, and academic organizations reinforces our confidence that autonomous subsea operations will become an increasingly important part of future ocean infrastructure. We believe this represents the beginning of a significant long-term market opportunity for autonomous subsea robotics, and we intend for Nauticus to be at the forefront of enabling persistent ocean sensing infrastructure around the world."

While these activities are currently in the proposal and evaluation stage, and there can be no assurance they will result in awarded projects or commercial agreements, Nauticus believes its differentiated autonomous technology, growing industry engagement, and expanding ecosystem of collaborators position the Company to participate in this emerging market as it develops.

About Nauticus Robotics

Nauticus Robotics, Inc. develops autonomous robots for the ocean industries. Autonomy requires the extensive use of sensors, artificial intelligence, and effective algorithms for perception and decision allowing the robot to adapt to changing environments. The company's business model includes using robotic systems for service, selling vehicles and components, and licensing of related software to both the commercial and defense business sectors. Nauticus has designed and is currently testing and certifying a new generation of vehicles to reduce operational cost and gather data to maintain and operate a wide variety of subsea infrastructure. Besides a standalone service offering and forward-facing products, Nauticus' approach to ocean robotics has also resulted in the development of a range of technology products for retrofit/upgrading traditional ROV operations and other third-party vehicle platforms. Nauticus' services provide customers with the necessary data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets while reducing their operational footprint, operating cost, and greenhouse gas emissions, to improve offshore health, safety, and environmental exposure. https://nauticusrobotics.com/

Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), and are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Act as well as protections afforded by other federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: the expected timing of product commercialization or new product releases; customer interest in Nauticus' products; estimated operating results and use of cash; and Nauticus' use of and needs for capital. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events, or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be preceded by, followed by, or include the words "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "forecasts," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "plans," "scheduled," "anticipates," "intends," or "continue" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results, or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Nauticus' management's current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. There can be no assurance that the events, results, or trends identified in these forward-looking statements will occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Nauticus is not under any obligation and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter, or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers should carefully review the statements set forth in the reports which Nauticus has filed or will file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for a more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and that could cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated in the forward-looking statements made by the Company, in particular the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in documents filed from time to time with the SEC, including Nauticus' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC from time to time. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties, or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, or expected. The documents filed by Nauticus with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

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SOURCE Nauticus Robotics, Inc.