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Vessev

Vessev designs and builds electric hydrofoiling vessels that lift their hulls clear of the water on foils, cutting energy use dramatically while producing almost no wake and very little noise.

Category
Deep Tech
Fund
NZVC I
Website
www.vessev.com
On TechMates
1 episode
Eric Laakmann, founder and chief executive of Vessev, on the dock beside a VS-9.
Eric Laakmann, founder and chief executive of Vessev, on the dock beside a VS-9.

What Vessev does

The VS-9 runs at speed with only its foils left in the water.
The VS-9 runs at speed with only its foils left in the water.

Vessev's first craft, the VS-9, is a nine-metre carbon-fibre catamaran now in commercial passenger service with Fullers360, New Zealand's largest ferry operator. The Auckland company is expanding into tourism and passenger transport markets in Europe and beyond.

The secret

Electric boats do not fail on batteries, they fail on drag. Lifting the hull clear of the water cuts the energy a vessel needs by enough that a 50 nautical mile range and 25 knots become commercially useful, which is how the VS-9 got onto a real ferry route rather than a demonstration run.

Why NZVC invested in Vessev

Vessev in pictures

NZVC invested in Vessev from NZVC Fund I. We file the company under Deep Tech on the portfolio wall.

We backed Vessev because efficient electric marine transport is a large opportunity, and hydrofoiling is the approach that makes battery-powered range and comfort work on the water. The team has taken a certified vessel into real commercial service rather than staying in demonstration, which shows they can build and ship hard hardware. As operators face pressure to cut emissions and fuel costs, quiet, efficient electric craft are moving from novelty to a serious commercial option.

Watch: Electric hydrofoiling vessels for a more liveable world | Vessev

Vessev in the press

Vessev on TechMates

TechMates episode: Flying Boats: the Future of Moving on Water
Watch on TechMates

Flying Boats: the Future of Moving on Water

Eric Laakmann, CEO of Vessev · 16 January 2025

You hear an Apple engineer explain why he left to build boats that fly above the water. Eric Laakmann lays out the hard parts of making an electric hydrofoil carry passengers, and where the technology goes next.

  • How his engineering journey at Apple influenced his vision for innovation.
  • The challenges of building Vessev and bringing hydrofoiling boats to life.
  • His passion for sustainability and how it drives his mission to transform maritime transport.

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