Weather-Independent
Underwater Transport Infrastructure
Challenges We Tackle
The movement of people and goods will not slow.
No matter how far technology advances.
Yet every mode of transport we depend on carries one unavoidable problem.
Weather Dependency
ROBUNC is committed to resolving it at its root.
By breaking this dependency, we tackle the challenges below.
Island Infrastructure Fragility
Island communities rely heavily on sea and air transport for the foundations of daily life, so the weather-dependency of these transport modes translates directly into the fragility of every layer of island infrastructure. The impact reaches beyond daily inconvenience and economic harm — for patients, the elderly, and expectant mothers, it becomes a matter of life itself.
Logistics & Transport Network Fragility
Today's globally connected logistics and transport networks are highly optimized, yet remain vulnerable to localized, sudden disruptions — and the transport modes essential to these networks depend on weather that shifts moment to moment. As the scope and speed of impact propagation grow, so do the costs of responding.
Labor Shortage
Aging populations across developed nations, compounded by labor regulations and workstyle reforms, are accelerating workforce shortages. Responding to localized, sudden disruptions caused by weather-dependent transport demands far more manpower and cost than normal operations — so as labor shortages deepen without resolving weather dependency, sustaining everyday services becomes increasingly difficult.
Rising Weather-Related Disasters
As extreme weather events grow more frequent around the world, the weather-dependency of transport is drawing more attention than ever. The impact of climate change is especially visible across island regions in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Caribbean — where population growth outpaces infrastructure development and the resulting setbacks are holding back economic progress.
The Physical Phenomenon We Focus On
Most of the atmosphere's force stays at the boundary with water
Due to the large density difference between water and air, atmospheric energy struggles to propagate from the surface into the water below.
Energy that does enter the water diminishes rapidly with depth
The fluid-dynamic properties of water cause kinetic energy to diminish exponentially in the vertical direction.
In other words, the influence of weather is dramatically reduced underwater.
Our Solution
Underwater transport infrastructure powered by AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles).
Building fully autonomous, never-stopping transport — unaffected by weather or surface conditions.
Fully Autonomous Navigation
Fully autonomous navigation enabled by AI and swarm coordination — requiring no surrounding infrastructure.
Transport-Optimized Vehicle
A vehicle purpose-built for transport — high speed, long range, and large capacity.
Connection Platform
A mobile, flexibly deployable docking platform that autonomously connects underwater and land — independent of surface or port conditions.
Vision & Mission
Vision
Enriching Life.
Enriching Economy.
Mission
Create a world where everyone can thrive wherever they choose to be.
Founder
Sekito Shinjo
Representative Director and CEO
I want to protect what makes life truly rich.
People leave places blessed with beautiful nature and warm communities — simply because life there is inconvenient. I wanted to change that reality.
I aim to build a world where everyone can live where they choose, enriched both in spirit and in livelihood.
What caught my attention was the untapped potential of the subsea environment. Not a temporary workaround, but fundamental infrastructure that frees people from the constraints of weather.
Background
Born in Okinawa, Japan. Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, majoring in Computer Science. Selected as a semifinalist at TOKYO STARTUP GATEWAY 2023 with the idea that led to founding ROBUNC. Gained experience as an intern at two tech startups during university. After graduation, studied robotics and cybersecurity through the AI+X Research program in collaboration with MIT before founding ROBUNC Inc.
Company Information
| Company Name | ROBUNC Inc. |
| Representative | Sekito Shinjo / Representative Director and CEO |
| Location | Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | January 2026 |