CLIPPERSHIP
Autonomous, wind-powered cargo vessels.
Clippership transports palletized (LCL) marine freight quicker and more cost-effectively than existing methods. We do this by designing, building, and operating a fleet of autonomous sail-powered cargo vessels, that leverages advancements in robotics, aerodynamics, weather forecasting, and satellite connectivity. Palletized cargo will be handled at optimized terminals, avoiding containerized cargo logistics bottlenecks.
FOUNDING TEAM
We’re a group of engineers and operations specialists with a singular mission: to improve ocean and waterway freight by deploying wind-powered cargo vessels.
Nico Cymbalist, CEO
Nico has experience bringing high-risk, high-reward engineering efforts through to fruition across a range of industries. At Tesla, he led a joint SpaceX & Tesla team to design and build aerospace-derived vehicle prototypes. As a member of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, he developed experimental aerodynamic systems and won the 2019 and 2020 World Championships. He holds a PhD in Aeronautics from Caltech. A lifelong sailor, he has extensive offshore experience including an Atlantic crossing.
Kai Matsuka, Autonomy
Kai turns all types of vehicles into robots. At NASA JPL, Kai worked on controls for precise formation flying of spacecraft swarm. At Tesla, Kai developed vision-based localization and navigation for the Optimus humanoid robot. He holds a PhD from Caltech, where he led a team from the Aerospace Corporation and JPL to build CubeSats to perform autonomous on-orbit servicing.
Tae Rugh, Robotics
Tae works across the full stack of engineering disciplines. He has designed and built linear induction motors, EV battery testing machines, and numerous components of an EV manufacturing line. At Tesla, he built sensor and telemetry systems for new vehicle prototypes and applied robotics to aerodynamic testing. Prior to joining Clippership full-time, he was a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University engaged in research on robotic manipulation, and optimal control and routing of autonomous sailboats.
Luca Cymbalist, Operations
Luca is an operations specialist with 16 years of military experience. He has deployed overseas multiple times with the Canadian Special Operation Forces Command executing complex tasks in various operational theatres. His expertise integrating and collaborating with government agencies offers a nuanced perspective on the rigorous evaluation that auditors apply to experimental technologies. Luca is a lifelong sailor and has crewed a variety of high-performance sailing yachts.