SEABUBBLES

Their core work

SeaBubbles is a French deep-tech startup that designs and commercializes electric hydrofoil water taxis for urban waterways. Their vehicles lift above the water surface on hydrofoils, eliminating wave drag and enabling quiet, zero-emission passenger transport on rivers and harbors. They are targeting the ride-hailing and public transit markets in water-rich cities, positioning their boats as an alternative to road congestion. Their H2020 journey followed a textbook SME Instrument path: feasibility in Phase 1, full product development and market launch in Phase 2.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

SeaBubbles has a compact but directional trajectory: their 2017 Phase 1 project was a feasibility and market validation exercise, proving that on-demand electric hydrofoil transport was technically and commercially viable. By 2019 they had advanced to full product development and market entry, with the Phase 2 project focused on actual delivery of the boats rather than concept exploration. The evolution is less about a shift in domain and more about a deepening of maturity — from idea validation to physical product and commercial launch within a two-year window.

SeaBubbles is moving toward commercial deployment and fleet scaling, making them most relevant as a technology provider or industry partner for smart city mobility projects, port authorities, and urban transit operators rather than a research collaborator.

How they like to work

SeaBubbles has only used the SME Instrument, which is a solo-company funding mechanism by design — both their projects were coordinated by them alone with no consortium partners. This means the absence of partners reflects the funding structure, not necessarily a preference for isolation. For future collaborations they are likely to engage as the technology provider and project lead, bringing a developed product to consortia focused on urban mobility, clean transport, or smart city deployment rather than joining as a junior partner.

Based on available H2020 data, SeaBubbles has operated entirely as a solo entity with no recorded consortium partners or cross-border collaborations through the EU program. Their network is likely built through commercial channels, investor relations, and city-level pilots rather than academic or research consortia.

What sets them apart

SeaBubbles occupies a rare niche at the intersection of maritime engineering, electric mobility, and urban ride-hailing — a combination virtually no other H2020 SME holds. They are not a naval shipyard or a generic cleantech firm; they are building a specific product category (flying electric water taxi) from scratch. For any consortium or city pilot focused on decarbonizing urban waterways, they bring a ready prototype and commercial intent that research groups cannot replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Seabubbles
  The largest project (€2.03M, 2019-2021) represents a full SME Instrument Phase 2 award — among the most competitive EU grants for a single company — confirming European-level validation of their electric hydrofoil concept.
• SeaBubble
  The 2017 Phase 1 feasibility grant (€50k) marks the starting point of their EU-funded journey and demonstrates successful conversion from Phase 1 to Phase 2, a milestone fewer than 20% of applicants achieve.