Innovation often begins with a simple observation of an overlooked problem. For Sarthak Vaishnav, Founder of Mafkin Robotics, that moment came during the COVID-19 pandemic waiting for his uncle to return back to India on time. Who has been a captain of Oil Tankers in the marchant Navy, whose ship got delayed due to maintenance delays in Canada. Exposed him to the challenges of underwater ship maintenance. What started as curiosity soon evolved into a deep-tech startup that is developing autonomous underwater robotic solutions capable of inspecting and cleaning ship hulls more efficiently, safely, and sustainably than conventional methods.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Startup Times, Sarthak shared the journey behind Mafkin Robotics, the challenges of building underwater robots from scratch, and his vision of making India a global leader in marine robotics.
From Freelancing to Marine Robotics
Sarthak began his career by dropping off the college placement to specifically look for jobs in Industrial Robotics. After working for an year in company developing AMRs for warehouse automation, his itch for creative innovation didn’t satiate, making him to resign and start freelancing with different companies working towards developing Defence Drones, electric vehicles and brain wave capturing technologies. Although the experience helped him understand robotics & automation, he wanted to create something that addressed a real-world industrial challenge with significant impact.
During the pandemic, while staying in Bengaluru, he spent considerable time researching emerging technologies that had the potential to solve problems unique to India. It was then that a discussion about the high cost and complexity of underwater ship maintenance sparked an idea that would eventually become Mafkin Robotics.
The concept was both ambitious and unconventional. Instead of relying on divers for underwater inspection and cleaning, why not build autonomous robots capable of performing these tasks continuously and safely?
To validate the opportunity, Sarthak connected with scientists at NIOT Chennai and diving companies. Their feedback bolstered industry’s pain points and strengthened the conviction to build a solution specifically for this sector.
Building Mafkin Robotics from the Ground Up
Launching a deep-tech startup without external funding is never easy. Mafkin Robotics remained bootstrapped for nearly two and a half years, during which the team focused entirely on research, rapid prototyping, and product development.
The startup also received an early boost through grants from govt of India, CSL (Cochin Shipyard), alongside incubation support from IIM-K, VIT, SIST. Allowing Sarthak bandwidth to build the company’s first prototypes.
Over the next three years, the team developed two robotic products designed for inspection and cleaning of Industrial Mega-Structures, including
1) Noah Designed for underwater biofouling removal and NDT/class inspection including UT guaging, corrosion mapping, coating failures of vessel hulls.
2) Angad Designed to perform high pressure cleaning, and Non- destructive (NDT) inspections including UT guaging, corrosion mapping, coating failures, shell deformation for confined spaces of the megastructures above the water level with minimal setup downtime & cost.
Today, these robots are being piloted with leading organizations, including Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), validating both the technology and its commercial potential.
Reinventing Underwater Ship Maintenance
Traditional underwater ship maintenance depends heavily on professional divers. While effective, the process is expensive, time-consuming, weather-dependent, and inherently risky.
Mafkin Robotics has developed magnetic crawler robots that attach themselves securely to a ship’s hull. Equipped with advanced inspection gauges, rotating brushes, and high-pressure water jets, these robots perform cleaning and inspection tasks without risking safety of human divers.
Unlike manual operations, the robots can work around the clock, are unaffected by challenging underwater conditions, and significantly reduce operational downtime.
This continuous operation allows shipping companies to maintain vessels more efficiently while minimizing disruptions to their schedules.
Driving Sustainability Through Robotics
One of Mafkin Robotics’ strongest value propositions lies in sustainability.
Marine organisms gradually accumulate on ship hulls, increasing drag and reducing hydrodynamic efficiency. This forces ships to consume more fuel, resulting in higher operating costs and increased carbon emissions.
By enabling frequent and efficient cleaning less time consuming, Mafkin Robotics helps vessels maintain optimal hydrodynamic performance. According to Sarthak, regular maintenance can reduce fuel consumption by nearly 15 percent, while simultaneously lowering emissions.
As the global shipping industry moves toward stricter environmental regulations, technologies that improve operational efficiency while reducing environmental impact are becoming increasingly valuable.
Solving Complex Engineering Challenges
Developing robots capable of operating underwater presented a completely different set of engineering challenges.
One of the biggest hurdles involved ensuring complete waterproof sealing while protecting sensitive electronics under high-pressure underwater conditions. Every design iteration required extensive testing, modifications, and real-world validation.
Beyond technology, assembling the right team proved equally challenging.
Since the company was bootstrapped, Mafkin Robotics relied heavily on engineering interns and young innovators from colleges. Sarthak emphasized that building a deep-tech company requires people who are genuinely passionate about solving complex problems rather than simply seeking internships or certificates.
Creating a mission-driven team became one of the company’s greatest strengths during its early growth.
Learning Beyond the Laboratory
Prototype development is only one part of building industrial robotics. The real learning begins during field deployments.
Pilot demonstrations with major organizations exposed the team to practical challenges that could never be replicated inside a laboratory. Logistics, underwater visibility, varying environmental conditions, and operational requirements all influences product improvements.
Each deployment provided valuable insights that helps refine the robots’ capabilities, improve reliability, and shape Mafkin Robotics’ long-term product roadmap.
The company has also received support through Government of India grants, startup incubators, and industry mentors who played an important role in accelerating product development.
Scaling Across India and Beyond
Looking ahead, Sarthak envisions Mafkin Robotics becoming a major player in the global marine robotics industry.
The immediate priority is to establish a strong presence across India’s major ports before expanding into international maritime markets and trans-shipment hubs.
Rather than selling robots outright from the beginning, Mafkin Robotics plans to adopt a service-first business model. Companies will initially lease robotic services, allowing them to experience measurable operational savings before making long-term investments.
This approach not only lowers adoption barriers but also enables the startup to continuously improve its products using real customer feedback.
The Importance of India’s Startup Ecosystem
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Sarthak acknowledged the significant role played by India’s rapidly evolving startup ecosystem.
Incubation centres, government initiatives, grants, mentors, and innovation programs have made it substantially easier for deep-tech entrepreneurs to transform ideas into commercial ventures.
He believes the ecosystem has matured considerably over the past few years, providing founders with resources that were previously difficult to access.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For aspiring founders, Sarthak’s advice is simple: start early, build quickly, and learn through experimentation.
He encourages entrepreneurs not to wait for perfect conditions before launching their ideas. Instead, they should develop a minimum viable product (MVP), identify early adopters, gather market feedback, and iterate rapidly.
According to him, continuous learning and the willingness to fail fast are essential ingredients for building successful technology startups.
Looking Ahead
As global industries increasingly embrace automation, robotics, and sustainable operations, Mafkin Robotics represents a new generation of Indian deep-tech startups solving complex industrial problems through innovation.
By combining autonomous robotics with environmental sustainability, the company is redefining how underwater inspection and ship maintenance are performed.
With successful pilots underway, growing industry validation, and ambitious expansion plans, Sarthak Vaishnav and Mafkin Robotics are well positioned to place Indian marine robotics on the global map.
Interview By: Arushi Agarwal
