Autonomous Underwater Robotics to Safely Investigate Water Infrastructure with Sunfish's Alberto Lopez

In this Interview, we meet Alberto Lopez who is the CEO of Sunfish, an Underwater Robotics Company based in Austin, Texas. Sunfish develops advanced robotic systems designed to access and inspect hard-to-reach underwater environments, primarily for water infrastructure inspections and resource management.

ONE-LINER:

"Sunfish is transforming how we inspect and manage water resources with autonomous robots designed for the toughest environments."

Pitch/Reverse Pitch:

Don’t miss Alberto’s Pitch for Sunfish, which you can find on the video from [4:56] to [16:37].

Discussion:

After the pitch, we discuss:

• The development of Sunfish’s autonomous underwater robots, which originated from NASA-funded technology designed for space exploration and have since been adapted for Earth’s challenging underwater environments.
• The critical need for inspecting and maintaining water infrastructure, including pipelines and reservoirs, to prevent failures and manage water resources more effectively.
• The versatility and maneuverability of Sunfish robots, which can operate in confined spaces and challenging conditions, providing vital data for water authorities, environmental agencies, and federal governments.

Insights:

At [32:34], Alberto shares the importance of pilots in demonstrating the technology’s effectiveness and discusses the opportunities and challenges of bringing deep tech innovations from concept to commercial application.

Advice:

At [47:13], Alberto advises water tech entrepreneurs to be resilient, patient, and proactive in networking, emphasizing the importance of building relationships and seeking guidance from experienced industry professionals.