Swiss robotics technology company Tethys Robotics develops underwater inspection robots to automate the inspection of underwater facilities | Top 100 Swiss Innovators

Image source: Tethys Robotics

The robotics technology company Tethys Robotics was founded in 2024 and is committed to developing underwater inspection robots. Relying on acoustic detection technology, these robots can perform precise navigation and positioning in water environments with low visibility, and complete high - difficulty autonomous inspection, mapping, search and rescue operations.

Tethys Robotics is a spin - off company from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, jointly founded by Jonas Wüst, Pragash Sivananthaguru, Johannes Lienhart and others. Jonas Wüst is the CEO of the company, holding a master's degree in robotics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. He was previously a researcher at the foundation of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Pragash Sivananthaguru is the CTO of the company, with a master's degree in biomedicine from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Johannes Lienhart is the COO of the company, holding a master's degree in robotics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

Image source: Tethys Robotics

The high turbidity and low visibility in oceans, lakes, and rivers, along with limited working spaces, make search, inspection, and monitoring operations extremely difficult and dangerous. Currently, the common method for underwater inspection or search is to hire professional divers, but this poses risks of permanent or fatal injuries to divers, including decompression sickness, carbon dioxide poisoning, drowning, cold, nitrogen narcosis, and significant psychological and physiological stress. Another option in the market is semi - automatic diving robots, but these devices often have poor underwater visibility and limited navigation accuracy due to the lack of GPS signals. In terms of market space, the annual compound growth potential in the fields of underwater industrial inspection and search and rescue exceeds $8 billion. Among them, driven by the growing demand for sustainable asset monitoring in renewable energy and critical infrastructure, the global seabed inspection market is worth over 5 billion euros annually.

Image source: startupticker

Tethys Robotics has developed the world's first underwater inspection robot that can operate autonomously in high - intensity water currents. Relying on special acoustic sensors, this robot can navigate precisely in turbid waters and complete high - precision automatic inspections, search and rescue, and structural mapping in environments where traditional remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and divers struggle.

Tethys Robotics' underwater inspection robot can perform high - precision positioning and environmental detection in environments with almost zero visibility. The robot is equipped with a DVL (Doppler Velocity Log), side and front sonar sensors. The DVL is an acoustic sensor that uses long pulses along at least three acoustic beams to estimate the water flow velocity relative to the seabed. The acoustic sensing data combined with self - developed algorithms enables the robot to have 360 - degree terrain perception and positioning and navigation capabilities, supporting autonomous area coverage or structural scanning operations. At the same time, the robot has 360º roll, pitch, and yaw motion control capabilities and can perform fixed - point inspection operations in water currents with a speed of up to 3.5 knots.

Tethys Robotics' underwater inspection robot has two operating modes: remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and fully autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). It weighs only 35 kilograms, has an operating time of 4 hours, a working range of 2 kilometers, and can be deployed in an underwater environment up to 300 meters deep within 10 minutes. The robot adopts a modular design, allowing seamless integration of various payloads such as sensors, high - definition cameras, metal detectors, and manipulators. It can provide high - resolution data collection and real - time 3D mapping. By integrating environmental data such as metal detection, current, pressure, temperature, oxygen content, thickness, and non - destructive testing (NDT), the accuracy of the 3D model can be further improved. In addition, the built - in grabbing device of the robot has a lifting capacity equivalent to that of a fully equipped diver, enabling easy interaction with the environment. This helps the robot conduct equipment structure inspections in harsh underwater environments, reducing human risks and improving the safety of equipment maintenance.

Tethys Robotics' underwater inspection robots target two major markets: industrial inspection and search and rescue, mainly for the regular inspection and maintenance of underwater infrastructure. Currently, Tethys Robotics has collaborated with archaeologists, hydropower plant operators, and public management departments that need to inspect facilities such as bridge piers. In the future, the robots will focus on underwater inspection and search operations in various environments such as hydropower, offshore wind power, and oil and gas platforms.

In September 2023, Tethys Robotics received a 150,000 Swiss franc grant from Venture Kick. The funds will be used to accelerate the company's pilot projects with its first customers and enhance the company's international demonstration and promotion efforts.

Tethys Robotics is one of the companies on the "TOP100 Swiss Startups" list in 2025. The "TOP100 Swiss Startups" list brings together the best Swiss - made startups and growing technology innovation companies and is the most internationally influential benchmark list in the field of Swiss technology innovation. Since 2011, this list has annually selected 100 of the most innovative and market - promising Swiss innovation companies and 25 Swiss growing companies with unicorn potential across the country, covering fields such as life sciences, engineering machinery, robotics, information and communication, low - carbon technology, and food technology. The "TOP100 Swiss Startups" and related brand activities are iconic events in the Swiss innovation ecosystem, representing the highest level of Swiss innovation and the forefront of international investment and financing.

The Chinese version of the "TOP100 Swiss Startups" in 2025 is honorably released by Insight Tech. Insight Tech is the Chinese authorized partner of the "TOP100 Swiss Startups", responsible for the operation and promotion of the list in China and assisting the list projects in business cooperation with China. Insight Tech is a service provider for China - Europe (Switzerland) industrial innovation cooperation, committed to promoting the localization of Swiss innovation in China and the internationalization of Chinese industries through innovation accelerators, equity investment, and business consulting services.

To obtain the full list and industry lists of the "TOP100 Swiss Startups", please visit the official account or website of Insight Tech.