IQUA ROBOTICS SOCIEDAD LIMITADA

Their core work

IQUA Robotics is a Spanish SME based in Girona that designs and builds underwater and surface autonomous vehicles for marine inspection, research, and industrial applications. They provide AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle), ROV (remotely operated vehicle), and ASV (autonomous surface vehicle) solutions used in ocean observation, deep-sea research, and offshore infrastructure inspection. Their work spans from supporting marine research vessel operations to developing robotic platforms for wind farm maintenance.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IQUA Robotics entered H2020 with a focus on supporting marine research infrastructure — providing AUV and ROV capabilities for ocean observation, deep-sea research, and scientific vessel operations (EurofleetsPlus, 2019). By 2020, their focus shifted decisively toward industrial applications, particularly offshore wind farm inspection using multi-platform robotics including UAVs and ASVs (ATLANTIS). This pivot from pure research support to industrial inspection robotics represents a clear commercialization trajectory.

IQUA Robotics is moving from single-vehicle marine research tools toward multi-platform (AUV+ASV+UAV) industrial inspection systems, positioning themselves for the growing offshore renewable energy maintenance market.

How they like to work

IQUA Robotics primarily joins projects as a specialist technology partner (2 out of 3 projects as participant), contributing their robotics hardware and expertise to larger consortia. They coordinated one SME Phase 1 project (SOUNDTILES) to define their own business strategy. With 53 unique partners across 24 countries from just 3 projects, they operate within large international consortia — typical for infrastructure and platform-testing projects where many end-users and technology providers collaborate.

Despite only 3 projects, IQUA Robotics has built a broad network of 53 partners across 24 countries, reflecting the large-consortium nature of marine research infrastructure projects. Their reach spans most of Europe and likely includes key marine research nations along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

What sets them apart

IQUA Robotics combines deep expertise in underwater robotics with a demonstrated ability to expand into multi-domain autonomous systems (underwater, surface, and aerial). Based in Girona — home to the University of Girona's renowned underwater robotics lab — they benefit from a strong local talent pipeline and research ecosystem. For consortium builders, they offer a rare SME profile: a small company that can deliver operational autonomous vehicles for both scientific and industrial marine applications.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ATLANTIS
  Their largest project (EUR 398,125) focused on maritime robotics testing for offshore wind farm inspection — represents their commercial pivot toward industrial applications.
• EurofleetsPlus
  Major European marine research infrastructure alliance where IQUA contributed AUV/ROV capabilities for ocean observation across a broad international consortium.
• SOUNDTILES
  SME Phase 1 project where IQUA was coordinator, used to define their business strategy — signals entrepreneurial ambition beyond pure technology development.