Pliant Energy Systems

Pliant Energy Systems develops amphibious robots and propulsion systems based on undulating flexible surfaces. Its platforms can swim, crawl and transition between water, sand, snow and ice for nearshore sensing, inspection and mine-countermeasure missions.

Facts

Segment: Maritime Robotics
Country: United States
Website: https://www.pliantenergy.com/

5 commercial events; 5 contract awards; latest event 2026-04-09

2026-04-09 - Contract award - U.S. Army awards Pliant USD 249,996 xTechSearch SBIR contract - source: highergov.com
2025-08-12 - Contract award - Self-charging C-Ray program receives USD 3.04 million Navy contract - source: highergov.com
2024-04-25 - Contract award - ONR awards Pliant USD 8 million autonomous ocean-platform contract - source: federalcompass.com

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Market context

Comparable profiles and adjacent companies connected by shared workflow, capability, or stack position.

Oceano Robotics - comparable profile - peer: Maritime Autonomy Companies
Orpheus Ocean - comparable profile - peer: Maritime Autonomy Companies
HyperKelp - comparable profile - peer: Maritime Autonomy Companies

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Timeline

2026-04-09 - Contract Award - U.S. Army awards Pliant USD 249,996 xTechSearch SBIR contract - Contract W51701-26-C-A089 supports a six-month Phase I research program. The award was recorded on April 9, 2026 and performance began April 13. The contract identifies Pliant as an xTechSearch 9 SBIR finalist selected through a 29-bid competition. - source: highergov.com
2025-12-10 - Award - Pliant Energy Systems selected for NATO DIANA's 2026 programme - Pliant Energy Systems was named in NATO DIANA's 2026 company cohort. The selection provides access to accelerator sites, test centres and allied defence users. The company was selected in an autonomy, maritime, sensing, communications or related dual-use… - source: diana.nato.int
2025-08-12 - Contract Award - Self-charging C-Ray program receives USD 3.04 million Navy contract - Contract N00014-25-C-2409 covers a vehicle able to recharge its batteries from environmental flow. The program also addresses mine-related missions and advanced manufacturing for the C-Ray platform. The award date was August 12, 2025 and the ceiling… - source: highergov.com

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Team

Benjamin Pietro Filardo - Founder & CEO - Founder & CEO
Daniel Zimmerman - Chief Scientist - Chief Scientist
Carles Civit - Director of Engineering - Director of Engineering

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Relations

United States Army - Army Research Customer - The U.S. Army awarded Pliant a USD 249,996 Phase I SBIR contract through xTechSearch 9.
US Department of Energy - Energy Research Customer - The U.S. Department of Energy awarded Pliant a USD 1,149,984 Phase II SBIR for the Traveling Wave Hydrokinetic Pump.
United States Navy - Naval Research Customer - The U.S. Navy, through the Office of Naval Research, awarded Pliant successive contracts for undulatory propulsion and C-Ray amphibious systems.

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