Underwater Data Centers

Will O'Brien discusses Ulysses, a company building autonomous robots for underwater operations with applications in ocean infrastructure maintenance, particularly for subsea data centers and internet cables.

Ocean Infrastructure and Data Centers

• Internet connectivity relies heavily on undersea cables originally built by telecom companies in the 1980s
• Big tech companies (FAANG) are now taking over this infrastructure buildout
• AI companies will likely be the next major investors in this space
• Microsoft has already experimented with underwater data centers
• A YC startup called Network Ocean (run by Sam Mendel) is building and operating subsea data centers

Benefits of Underwater Data Centers

• Cooling costs decrease significantly when placed in the ocean
• They become more efficient due to natural cooling
• Can be strategically placed closer to population centers

Ulysses' Business Model

• Position as a servicing partner for underwater infrastructure
• Provide maintenance, inspections, and "in-the-box solutions" for subsea operations
• Build autonomous robots (underwater and surface vehicles that dock together)
• Initially focused on seagrass restoration (collecting seeds, planting seeds, measuring growth)
• Generated $1 million in first-year revenue with a 5-person team

Growing Market Opportunity

• Protection of subsea cables is becoming critical (11 cables were cut by foreign actors in the Baltic Sea)
• China is publicly advertising deep-sea cable cutters
• Ocean infrastructure is increasingly important for:
  • Modern warfare (shifting from desert to ocean environments)
  • Climate solutions (ocean as carbon sink)
  • Food security
  • AI data infrastructure

Current Clients

• Contracts in Western Australia, Florida, and Virginia
• Revenue driven by compliance requirements and voluntary restoration projects