What it is
Quartermaster (Quartermaster AI Inc) is an Arlington, Virginia company building a distributed maritime sensing network. Its stated mission is to connect every vessel on the water to create a comprehensive, real-time picture of the oceans. Rather than deploying dedicated platforms, it turns existing civilian and commercial vessels into sensing nodes that combine onboard sensors, satellite communication and AI analysis.
What it builds
The core product is SmartMast, a monitoring system that installs on vessels over 20 gross tons with a mast or superstructure. According to the products page, it combines an optical and infrared camera array with 360 degree rotation and 31x zoom, dual software-defined radios that detect AIS, ADS-B, VHF voice and radar signals, an onboard AI computer that detects and classifies vessels, and satellite communications. Customers access a real-time tracking dashboard showing location, heading and identification data, along with timestamped, location-authenticated video records.
Who it is for
The company lists coast guards, navies, insurers and researchers as target customers. It has dedicated solutions for offshore energy (environmental monitoring, infrastructure protection, oil theft detection and fleet optimization) and for oceanography, where it offers data products such as geo-referenced imagery, iceberg and hazard detections, cetacean sightings and sea-state observations to federal science agencies, EU programs and regional fisheries bodies. A separate program recruits vessel owners as hosts: Quartermaster says installation is free, takes a few hours, and includes maintenance plus up to 60GB per month of onboard connectivity.
Stage, team and traction
The company is led by CEO Neil Sobin, COO Matt Beck (a US Navy veteran and reservist who previously led Navy growth at Scale AI) and CGO Steve Ribaudo (formerly VP of Growth at Anduril, with prior experience at DARPA). Its website reports more than 600 sensors deployed across more than 25 countries, more than 400,000 vessels identified without AIS, and over 10 million miles traveled by the SmartMast fleet. Quartermaster is hiring and posts open roles on its Ashby careers board.
How founders and partners can engage
Prospective customers and partners can reach the team through the contact form. Vessel owners interested in hosting a SmartMast can submit vessel details through the mariners page. For DMV founders working in defense, maritime security, climate data or dual-use hardware, Quartermaster is a local example of a company selling sensing infrastructure to both government and commercial buyers.
