SubSea Craft makes multi-million-euro investment in UK battery specialist LORILLION, acquiring 40% stake

In a multi-million-euro investment, Portsmouth-based maritime technology company SubSea Craft has acquired a 40% stake in London-based engineering and R&D firm LORILLION. The investment aims to bolster the UK's capacity to design, industrialise, and produce specialised battery systems for defence, marine, and automotive industries.

LORILLION CEO Richie Frost expressed that the strategic partnership with SubSea Craft will hasten the creation of crucial battery technologies and a dedicated battery-pack manufacturing capability, resulting in a vital sovereign capability within the UK. The infusion of capital will enable LORILLION to expand its engineering team, accelerate its proprietary battery-management technology, and support a new production facility in the Midlands, set to open the following year.

Founded in 2023, LORILLION provides bespoke battery development services for the defence, marine, aerospace, and automotive sectors, delivering end-to-end solutions from initial battery concept to certified production. SubSea Craft, established in 2014, aims to supply maritime and amphibious forces with an operational advantage through the rapid research, development, and delivery of maritime technology.

The company's advanced dual-domain maritime platform, VICTA, can transition between high-speed surface transit and covert subsurface operation for operator and equipment delivery. The investment in LORILLION will help develop a pressure-tolerant battery system for the VICTA vessel, designed to function at depths surpassing 50 meters.

SubSea Craft CEO Camilla Martin highlighted that modern defence capability depends heavily on the industrial base behind it, with the investment not only securing batteries but also engineering knowledge, manufacturing capability, and supply chain resilience.