Quartermaster Raises $140M Series B Led by Insight Partners for Maritime Surveillance

Arlington, Virginia-based maritime surveillance startup Quartermaster closed a $140 million Series B, led by Insight Partners, to scale its ocean data network. The round includes $100 million in equity from Insight, Overmatch Ventures, and First Round Capital, plus a $40 million debt facility from Stifel. The company's "SmartMast" hardware integrates cameras and radios on ship masts to transmit real-time maritime data, supplementing the standard Automatic Identification System. Founder and CEO Neil Sobin said geopolitical tensions, including the war in Iran and resulting shipping disruptions, accelerated investor conviction. More than 650 vessels across 25 countries now carry SmartMast, with over 800 units shipped. Quartermaster has doubled manufacturing capacity to meet demand as it begins fleet-wide deployments. Each unit records tens of gigabytes daily, serving governments, shipping firms, and insurers.