French Wave Energy Firm Closes Multi-Million-Dollar Fundraiser

(Credit: Seaturns)

French company Seaturns has raised $2.9 million to industrialize its wave energy technology and accelerate large-scale deployment.

The funding round, carried out primarily through the Keenest platform, also received strong support from long-standing shareholders Team For The Planet and Sébastien Duez, as well as the entry of Lawrence Sigaud, deputy CEO of Seaturns, into the company’s capital.

Seaturns’ wave energy technology is designed as cylindrical floater that moves horizontally under the action of the wave swell. The back-and-forth movement is called surge. Using its anchoring system, Seaturns’ device converts the surge movement into pitch.

Inside the floater there is a water pendulum and two air-filled chambers at the top, separated by an axial vertical divider. The rotation of the floater combined to the water pendulum creates pressure cycles of the two air chambers.

The air flow generated rotates a turbine directly coupled to a generator to produce electricity

Seaturns tested a 1:4 scale prototype device for 18 months at Ifremer in Brest, until February 2025, validating the robustness and efficiency of the concept and paving the way for its industrialization.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the 1,543 investors who have placed their trust in us. This support is crucial for launching our full-scale demonstrator and accelerating our industrial development,” said Vincent Tournerie, Founder & President of Seaturns.