In conversation with ... SEA.AI

Global Impact from the Tabakfabrik: SEA.AI Revolutionizes Safety and Whale Conservation at Sea

SEA.AI, headquartered in the Tabakfabrik in Linz, develops AI-based systems with color and thermal cameras that detect objects floating at sea—such as people, whales, containers, or buoys—and warn the crew of potential dangers. The goal is to protect life at sea and prevent collisions, such as with whales. The company’s philosophy is to use innovative technology to preserve human and animal life on the water. The company sees itself as a global player headquartered in Linz and employs over 70 people internationally, including around 30 in the provincial capital.

The City of Linz’s Department of Economy and Innovation (Patrick Kastl) met with Philipp Stampfl, the company’s Global Head of Product, for a discussion.

Patrick Kastl: “Hello Philipp, it’s great to be here with you today at the Tabakfabrik. The goal of our conversation is to share success stories from Linz and shed light on projects that often don’t get much attention in everyday life. Why don’t you tell us what SEA.AI does and what you stand for!”

Philipp Stampfl: “The company has made it its mission to protect life at sea, and it uses artificial intelligence to do so. Using color and thermal cameras—the latter for night vision—the system detects all objects floating on the water, whether they’re people, whales, containers, other ships, tree trunks, or fishing buoys. The AI supports the work of a captain or operator and warns the crew of dangerous objects in the ship’s path. The idea stemmed from a real-world problem: the founder, a French-born engineer, was sailing across the Atlantic with his father and was frustrated that he couldn’t see what lay ahead at night. After extensive experimentation, he decided to solve this problem using thermal cameras and artificial intelligence—similar to how automakers use cameras and AI to monitor the surrounding environment.”

Global Presence Despite Being a Landlocked Country

Kastl: “When you think about your company and look at your product portfolio, the question inevitably arises: Where do you sell your equipment? After all, we unfortunately don’t have access to the sea in Austria.”

Stampfl: “SEA.AI is a purely export-oriented company. While we do have some Austrian customers, their boats are based at the coast. The company exports worldwide—to Europe, America, and Asia—and has branches in Miami, Australia, Greece, Italy, and France. Internationally, we employ over 70 people from about 20 different countries. The company doesn’t see itself merely as a Linz-based or Austrian firm, but as a global enterprise.”

Safety at Sea and Whale Conservation

Kastl: “That sounds really exciting and is sure to open up some great areas of application. Can you tell us where your products are used at sea and what kind of impact they have?”

Stampfl: “Unfortunately, collisions between boats that result in loss of life, or difficulties in sea rescue operations when someone has fallen overboard, occur time and again at sea. SEA.AI offers a solution here and considers itself the global market leader in this field by international standards. Another important issue is whale protection. Large tankers and smaller boats often strike these animals with their propellers, causing life-threatening injuries. With SEA.AI’s technology, such collisions can be avoided. To this end, the company is collaborating with universities in Spain and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group to collect data and train the AI—not only to protect human life, but also animal life.”

Linz Location: Coincidence, Opportunities, and Networking

Kastl: “You’re clearly a niche champion in this field—it’s surprising that such innovative maritime technology is being developed in Linz. Why are you based here, and what does SEA.AI value about the Linz location?”

Stampfl: “Funnily enough, it was more of a coincidence, since the French founder was living in Linz at the time. What was particularly exciting for us was the move within Linz from Kleinmünchen to the Tabakfabrik two and a half years ago; that marked a whole new chapter in the company’s size and growth. I would definitely say that the Tabakfabrik is a unique location that offers not only top-notch office space but also networking opportunities and a kind of ‘spirit of optimism.’ Of course, the Linz region and Upper Austria are also advantageous because there are many suppliers and trusted partners who assist with product development, production, and the supply chain.”

Future Prospects

Kastl: “What would you wish for the future of this location?”

Stampfl (augenzwinkernd): “Direct access to the sea would be nice. But if we were located by the sea, I’d probably spend more time on a sailboat and less time in the office.”

Kastl: “I can understand that, but I was thinking more in terms of location factors that are less difficult to implement…”

Stampfl: “SEA.AI is an international company with colleagues from about 20 different countries. Getting people to come to Linz can be difficult at times. Linz has its roots as an industrial city, but it must constantly reinvent itself. There’s already a lot happening with other companies and universities in the field of AI, and the location is good, but in addition to business and technology, you also have to offer quality of life. Linz is by no means bad in this regard, but there’s certainly room for improvement. It’s also crucial not to think purely locally, but internationally and on a European scale. A purely city- or border-centric mindset only works to a limited extent and isn’t necessary in all aspects. SEA.AI is a good example of how European and international cooperation can work well.”

Kastl: “Thank you very much for the interview. I wish you continued success with your innovative product. In the future, I’ll be on the lookout for your devices on ships and boats and think to myself, ‘Cool, that’s from Linz!’”

Success stories "made in Linz"