Colm O’Brien, MSc Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Co-Founds Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering

The School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin is proud to celebrate the achievements of alumnus Colm O’Brien, who graduated from Trinity in 2023 and recently co-founded Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering, along with Will O’Brien, Akhil Voorakkara, and Jamie Wedderburn. Ulysses is an innovative startup developing autonomous marine drones aimed at tackling global biodiversity challenges.

The company, headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, focuses on restoring critical marine ecosystems, particularly seagrass populations, which play a vital role in carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and biodiversity support.

Irish Roots: From Dublin to Global Impact

While now based in California, Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering's first office was located in Dublin’s iconic St. Stephen’s Green, a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship in the city. This connection to Ireland remains strong, as the company’s first two internship hires were Trinity Engineering students, reflecting the startup’s commitment to fostering homegrown talent.

Innovative Approach to Marine Restoration

At the heart of Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering’s mission is a fleet of autonomous, AI-driven marine drones capable of mapping, monitoring, and restoring seagrass meadows in coastal regions. By leveraging advanced robotics, the company aims to scale ecosystem restoration in ways previously deemed impossible.

“We not only need to mitigate the damage that climate change has done to ocean ecosystems—we need to reverse it,” said Colm O’Brien, Ulysses' Chief Engineer.

“Our solution is a fully autonomous marine platform from which ocean ecosystems can be monitored, preserved, and restored. This enables coastal stewardship on an unprecedented scale, a task that would have been prohibitively expensive without autonomy and advanced robotics.”

A Bright Start and Global Recognition

Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering has already made waves in the startup ecosystem, securing €2 million in pre-seed funding from prominent venture capital firms, including backing from one of the largest climate-focused investment funds, Lowercarbon Capital, led by renowned investor Chris Sacca. The funding will support the expansion of their operations and further development of their ocean stewardship technology.

The company has garnered significant media attention, with features in prominent publications such as RTÉ, The Irish Times, and TechCrunch, highlighting its innovative approach and the urgent need for marine biodiversity restoration.

Career Opportunities for Engineering Graduates

With the startup rapidly expanding, Ulysses is actively recruiting top talent, particularly in Go-To-Market and Electronic Engineering roles. These positions are based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with opportunities for both US citizens and residents.

For Trinity Engineering students and alumni interested in contributing to cutting-edge technology that addresses environmental challenges, Colm encourages them to apply at ulysses.eco/jobs or reach out via colm@ulysses.eco.

Bridging Academia and Industry

Reflecting on his time at Trinity College Dublin, Colm emphasised how the Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering programme and his involvement with Formula Trinity provided him with the critical skills to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions.

“Trinity introduced me to the idea of linking engineering with entrepreneurship,” O’Brien said.

“The MME course taught me the prerequisite knowledge to succeed in both areas and acted as a launchpad into the fast-paced world of startups. Formula Trinity then put those lessons into practice, teaching me how to build anything on any budget and make it work.”

The School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin congratulates Colm O’Brien and his team at Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering for their innovative work and looks forward to following their continued success in the years to come.

For more information on Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering and their mission to restore marine ecosystems, visit ulysses.eco.