CyberOwl

CyberOwl provides cyber risk monitoring and managed security services purpose-built for ships and maritime fleet operators, a segment with operational technology and connectivity constraints that generic enterprise security tools handle poorly. Its Medulla platform gives vessel operators visibility into onboard IT/OT networks and prioritizes cyber risk across a fleet, paired with managed services to help operators without dedicated onboard security staff respond to incidents.

Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from Coventry University’s Research Centre for Future Transport and Cities, CyberOwl is headquartered in London and raised roughly $8.8 million in venture funding over several rounds, including a Series A round in 2022, before being acquired by DNV — the Norwegian classification society and maritime risk assurance giant — in a deal announced in September 2024. The acquisition combined CyberOwl’s fleet monitoring technology with DNV’s existing DNV Cyber business (itself built from earlier acquisitions of Nixu and Applied Risk), creating one of the largest specialist maritime cybersecurity operations globally, spanning hubs in Oslo, London, Singapore, Hamburg, and Piraeus.

The maritime cybersecurity focus is a real and underserved niche — the industry reports a typical 30-vessel fleet now sees roughly 80 cyber incidents a year — and CyberOwl’s backing by DNV gives it access to a large existing base of ship classification and risk-assessment relationships. As with any recently acquired company, prospective customers should confirm current product roadmap and support commitments now that Medulla operates under DNV’s broader Cyber division rather than as a standalone venture-backed startup.