All data has a value - even the data about the waves

Liquid Robotics Inc.

The company developed an unmanned seagoing craft propelled by the power of ocean waves, a system that allows it to remain at sea for long stretches. The craft, called a Wave Glider, consists of a surface buoy and a submerged glider with wing-shaped panels. It converts the up-and-down motion of waves into forward thrust, propelling the buoy indefinitely without relying on batteries or other power sources.

Where Are They Now? After hiring a new chief executive and raising $22 million in June, Liquid Robotics has decided to focus on selling the data the robots provide, rather than the product itself. The company has embarked on a wide range of projects, among them pipeline monitoring, acoustics, mammal studies and oil-leak detection. One of its biggest current projects involves mapping new northern shipping lanes in North America.

Liquid Robotics has picked up new oil and gas clients in addition to BP PLC last year. It is also in talks with wind-farm-analysis and shipping companies, where the robots would be used for communication and information, "like cellphone towers at sea," Chief Executive Bill Vass says.