Impossible Metals
"We Selectively Collect Critical Metals. While Preserving and Protecting the Ocean."
AI-guided underwater robot startup selectively harvesting seabed battery metals via its EUREKA collection system.
Impossible Metals is a Y Combinator-backed (YC W22) startup, indicating a founding around 2022, that develops AI-driven underwater robotic systems for the selective collection of polymetallic nodules from the deep ocean floor. Its core product, the EUREKA collection system, is an autonomous underwater robotic platform that uses computer vision and AI to individually detect and identify seafloor nodules before picking them up one at a time, in contrast to conventional deep-sea mining approaches that dredge or vacuum large sections of the seabed. The company states this selective, vision-guided collection method is designed to avoid disturbing surrounding sediment and marine life, positioning the approach as a lower-impact alternative to bulk seabed mining. The nodules targeted contain critical battery and electronics metals including nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese, which the company frames as necessary inputs for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy infrastructure. Impossible Metals is led by co-founder and CEO Oliver Gunasekara, an entrepreneur with more than 30 years of technology industry experience, including a role at ARM starting in 1994 where he helped lead mobile business development during a period of significant market share growth. The company holds Certified B Corporation status, a third-party certification for balancing profit with social and environmental performance. Impossible Metals has publicly stated more than $500 million in off-take letters of intent for the metals it plans to recover, and has formed partnerships including a global offshore logistics company holding seabed mining exploration permits. In July 2026 the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Deep Sea Minerals Corp, and it previously partnered with Aqua Metals in September 2025, both relating to processing or offtake of recovered seabed minerals. The company also announced plans to launch an Advanced Marine Robotics Hub in Pittsburgh in July 2026 to support autonomous deep-sea mineral mining research and engineering. Impossible Metals maintains active company accounts on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube, and has a listed Crunchbase profile. The company's detailed headquarters street address, employee headcount, and full leadership roster beyond the CEO are not published on its public website pages accessed for this research.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
Eureka II
- Model: Eureka II
- Launch Year: 2024
Untethered AI-guided autonomous underwater vehicle that selectively harvests deep-sea polymetallic nodules at 4,000-6,000m.
Contact Impossible Metals
WEBSITE
https://impossiblemetals.com/PHONE
+1-725-254-9233HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
2022
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
Certifications & Memberships
Impossible Metals' Eureka II Achieves Autonomous Recovery from Ocean Surface
Impossible Metals has released new footage demonstrating its underwater vehicle, Eureka II, autonomously locating and recovering its surface vessel from beneath the ocean waves. This significant achievement showcases the vehicle's ability to align, attach, and return to the deck without any human intervention, marking a crucial step towards scalable ocean robotics. The successful autonomous recovery of Eureka II is important as it addresses one of the major challenges in ocean technology, paving the way for more advanced and efficient underwater operations. This capability could enhance various applications, including marine research, resource recovery, and environmental monitoring, by reducing the need for human oversight. Looking ahead, industry observers will be keen to see how Impossible Metals continues to develop its ocean robotics technology and what further advancements will be made in autonomous underwater operations. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
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Impossible Metals, a US mining technology company, has announced plans to establish an Advanced Marine Robotics Hub in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This facility will focus on developing autonomous marine systems for the deep-sea collection of critical minerals, creating over a dozen high-paying engineering and science jobs. The hub aims to enhance US capabilities in marine robotics and critical mineral technologies through collaboration with local universities and researchers. The significance of this initiative lies in its potential to redefine deep-sea mining practices. According to Mike Regan, Chief Growth Officer at Impossible Metals, the hub will enable swarms of autonomous robots to harvest critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese with minimal environmental impact. This approach not only promises to produce the lowest-cost critical metals on Earth but also aims to strengthen the US supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign sources of essential materials. Looking ahead, the Advanced Marine Robotics Hub will serve as the primary research center for advancing the Eureka autonomous underwater platform and Smart Launch and Recovery Systems. The company plans to continue developing dual-use technologies that cater to both commercial and naval applications. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
AI and Robotics
Impossible Metals Announces New Advanced Marine Robotics Hub in Pittsburgh for Mineral Robotics Development
Impossible Metals has unveiled plans to establish an Advanced Marine Robotics Hub in Pittsburgh, aimed at developing dual-use autonomy for ocean science and naval systems. This initiative is part of a broader effort to create a China-free critical-mineral supply chain, leveraging the region's expertise in robotics. The new hub will not only foster innovation in mineral robotics technology but also generate over a dozen high-paying engineering and science jobs in Pennsylvania. This move underscores the importance of local talent in advancing the United States' capabilities in marine robotics and autonomy. Looking ahead, stakeholders should monitor the hub's progress and its potential impact on the critical-mineral supply chain. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
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