In a significant move reshaping the maritime landscape, Ceto, a UK-based data intelligence platform for commercial shipping, has secured $4.8 million in a funding round. The investment, led by Dynamo Ventures, includes participation from Howden Ventures, Signal Ventures, and Motion Ventures.
The funding will help Ceto scale its global operations, grow its engineering and sales teams, and enhance the predictive AI powering its platform. The company also plans to onboard more international fleets and expand its data integration capabilities, aiming to make commercial shipping safer, greener, and more cost-effective.
A Smarter, Connected Future for Maritime Operations
Founded in 2020 by Tony Hildrew, Ceto was born from a clear gap in maritime tech: while ships generate vast amounts of performance and environmental data, most of it remains unused. Hildrew, drawing on his background in shipping, insurance, and data science, built Ceto to unlock this data and connect it directly to operational outcomes and insurance models.
Ceto’s platform captures high-frequency data from vessels, turning it into actionable insights for shipowners and insurers. This data is fed into an intuitive dashboard that tracks machinery health, route efficiency, emissions, and fuel consumption. With this transparency, shipping companies can identify early risks, reduce breakdowns, and improve sustainability—all while accessing dynamic insurance products tied directly to performance. “Maritime is one of the world’s oldest industries, yet still relies heavily on outdated processes,” said Hildrew. “At Ceto, we’re pairing modern AI with maritime expertise to deliver smarter, faster decision-making across the board.”
Ceto’s standout product, Connected Insurance, is the first solution of its kind. It tailors insurance premiums and coverage terms based on how ships actually perform. Well-maintained, efficient vessels benefit from lower premiums and better terms, while underperforming assets are flagged for improvement.
This model incentivizes fleet operators to improve operations while giving insurers a clearer, more data-driven view of risk. The result is a win-win: enhanced safety at sea and smarter underwriting on land.
Tools Designed for Modern Shipping
Ceto’s platform includes three core products that deliver real-time insights and long-term value:
- Watchkeeper: An AI-powered monitoring tool that detects machinery anomalies and performance deviations, enabling predictive maintenance and reducing costly breakdowns.
- CarbonID: Helps fleets track and manage emissions in line with global sustainability standards. It also optimizes fuel consumption, supporting regulatory compliance and environmental targets.
- Connected Insurance: The revolutionary policy system that links vessel performance directly to insurance pricing and terms.
These tools are already being used by fleets around the globe, including a large Japanese shipping company, a mid-sized Singapore operator, and a UK firm with a fleet of eight vessels. Ceto’s scalability has allowed it to service fleets ranging from a few ships to over 400 vessels.
One of Ceto’s key differentiators is its unmatched onboarding speed. New customers can be fully operational in just 1–2 days, and companies with existing data infrastructure can integrate their entire fleet in as little as 2–4 hours. This rapid deployment allows operators to gain real-time insights and begin optimizing their operations almost immediately. “An industry that moves 80% of global trade is still insured using analog practices from a century ago,” said Santosh Sankar, Managing Partner at Dynamo Ventures. “Ceto’s platform is not only innovative—it’s essential to the future of global logistics and trade.”
As the shipping industry faces mounting pressure to digitise, decarbonise, and derisk, Ceto sits at the intersection of these transformations. By connecting operational data directly to insurance, it is redefining how risk is managed, how decisions are made, and how fleets operate on a daily basis.
Backed by strategic investors and built by experts across shipping, tech, and insurance, Ceto is paving the way for a more transparent, efficient, and sustainable future in maritime.
