Solar-electric catamaran builder Zen Yachts announced that it closed on $5.9 million in Series A funding provided by Ocean Zero, a firm that invests in companies that focus on “decarbonizing transportation” on the world’s waterways.
“Ocean Zero seeks visionaries who have a realistic shot at making a significant leap in scale and impact to change the overall emissions of CO2 and other pollutants incurred by sea shipping, ferries and recreational boats,” Stephen Petranek, operating partner of the fund, said in a statement.
“This is a significant milestone for Zen Yachts, and we are honored to have received the trust and support of Ocean Zero and to be part of the amazing ecosystem of seven other disruptive startups the fund has invested in,” naval architect and Zen50 designer Julien Mélot said in the statement.
Mélot added that the Zen50 is “the first high-performance luxury catamaran yacht able to operate continuously, day and night, without a single drop of fossil fuel on board. She is completely self-sufficient, relying only on sustainable sources of energy.”
The first four Zen50 production slots are reserved. The carbon hulls will be built by an industrial composites partner in southern Spain , and the yachts will be finished at Zen’s assembly yards.
The builder intends to debut at the International Multihull Show, scheduled for April 12-16 at La Grande-Motte in France.
