Funding
Two rounds.
Two stages.
A hybrid financing model — institutional seed funding, citizen capital and scientific partnerships — to build the boat and industrialise the exoskeleton.
Two rounds.
Two stages.
A first round closed to put L'Hydronaute into service. A second round planned to industrialise the exoskeleton and adapt it to river freight — the high-impact market.
Réseau Initiative Nantes laureate · France Active
Nantes Transition loan · Bpifrance PL2I grant
Eligible · IR-PME · Madelin scheme
Laureate · Réseau Initiative Nantes · France Active
Backers · Bpifrance PL2I · Nantes Transition loan
Institutional supporters
Fuel the mission
The boat funds the mission. Direct support accelerates it.
Hydronaute is built on a simple principle: the boat funds the mission. Every navigation helps finance the development of a solar-electric river laboratory dedicated to ecological navigation, microplastic monitoring, public education, environmental data and the retrofit of existing boats. But the mission is larger than the boat.
As an ESS / ESUS-oriented company, BIUTOPIC puts economic activity at the service of environmental, social and scientific utility. Direct support accelerates the parts of the project not fully covered by rentals: scientific equipment, sensors, sampling protocols, educational access, open environmental data, public workshops, and the development of the modular exoskeleton.
This support helps turn one boat on the Erdre into a model that can be replicated on rivers, canals and coastal waters elsewhere.
Citizen contribution
For individuals who want to directly support the scientific, educational and ecological development of Hydronaute.
Fuel the mission →Mission partner
For companies, foundations, institutions and local actors wishing to fund a scientific, educational or ecological action.
Become a partner →Scientific support
For universities, laboratories and researchers wishing to use Hydronaute as a field platform.
Propose a scientific mission →Impact investment
For investors wishing to back the development and replication of the modular retrofit system.
Invest in the platform →Your support can fund:
- Scientific sensors
- Microplastic sampling equipment
- Water-quality monitoring
- Educational access for schools and local groups
- Open environmental data
- Prototype development
- Modular exoskeleton testing
- Public workshops and river-awareness events
BIUTOPIC is a mission-driven ecological and social company, not a charity. Contributions made through this page are not presented as tax-deductible donations unless explicitly stated. They directly support Hydronaute's scientific, educational and ecological work.
Request the investor briefing
Looking to invest, co-finance or support the project? Tell us who you are — we reply within 48 h with the project briefing.
Or directly: hydronaute@biutopic.com →