Nauticus Robotics, Inc. and Strangeworks Collaborate on AI-Optimized Deployment of Undersea Fiber-Optic Sensing Networks

Collaboration explores how AI-driven mission planning and autonomous subsea systems can improve the deployment of distributed underwater sensing infrastructure.

HOUSTON and AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (NASDAQ: KITT) ("Nauticus" or the "Company"), a developer of autonomous subsea robots and autonomy software, and Strangeworks, an advanced compute optimization company that transforms complex operational challenges into production decision systems, today announced a collaboration to explore optimization of the deployment of distributed fiber-optic sensing networks for maritime infrastructure protection.

The collaboration combines Nauticus' autonomous subsea robotics, autonomy software, and mission expertise with Strangeworks Aura™, an intelligent optimization platform that applies classical optimization, artificial intelligence, quantum-inspired algorithms, and quantum computing where appropriate to solve highly complex planning and operational problems. Nauticus contributes operational expertise in autonomous subsea missions, helping define the real-world constraints and objectives that make these optimization problems meaningful.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) transforms standard fiber-optic cable into thousands of virtual acoustic sensors. Designing an effective sensing network, however, is not as simple as finding the shortest route. Each path affects coverage, sensing density, equipment requirements, and the network's ability to detect and track activity under different operating conditions. Aura™ will evaluate customized deployment strategies using the computational methods best suited to the problem, with the objective of placing sensing capacity where conditions require it while reducing unnecessary fiber, interrogator equipment, and deployment complexity.

The collaboration may also help identify future opportunities to apply advanced computational techniques beyond deployment planning. As distributed sensing networks generate increasingly large volumes of data, future efforts may explore how these same computational approaches can help process, organize, and interpret information collected from those systems.

"Aquanaut® and our Nauticus ToolKITT™ autonomy platform, combined with Strangeworks' advanced optimization capabilities, have the potential to dramatically improve how distributed sensing networks are designed, deployed, and maintained while reducing installation time and cost," said John Gibson, President and CEO of Nauticus.

"Autonomous systems create the most value when intelligent planning and execution work together," said Dr. Kjerstin "Kj" Easton, Vice President of Autonomous Software at Nauticus. "This collaboration will let us explore how advanced computational planning can complement autonomous subsea operations and help us better understand where these techniques can improve real-world deployment challenges. It also opens the door to future opportunities for making sense of the enormous amounts of data these sensing systems can generate."

"Aura™ was built to help organizations solve complex optimization problems by selecting the most appropriate computational approach for each challenge," said William Hurley, CEO of Strangeworks. "Working with Nauticus gives us an exciting opportunity to explore how those capabilities can support autonomous underwater systems tackling some of the world's most demanding operational problems."

The companies believe intelligent optimization is likely to become increasingly important as governments and commercial operators expand investments in protecting ports, subsea communications cables, offshore energy infrastructure, and other critical maritime assets. The collaboration is expected to explore future applications across port security, offshore energy, subsea telecommunications, environmental monitoring, and defense.

About Strangeworks

Strangeworks turns difficult optimization challenges into live, maintained decision systems. Its specialists use Strangeworks Aura™ and a broad catalog of quantum, quantum-inspired, high-performance, and classical computing resources to deliver operational outcomes.  https://strangeworks.com/

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.

SOURCE Nauticus Robotics, Inc.