# Sampriti Bhattacharyya

> Sampriti Bhattacharyya is the founder and CEO of Navier, the company building America's first all-electric hydrofoiling boat. She grew up in Kolkata, India, arrived in the US at 20 with $200, and went on to earn a PhD in mechanical engineering from MIT. After her first venture — Hydroswarm, an underwater drone startup — she co-founded Navier in 2020 with MIT engineer Reo Baird. Their flagship product, the N30, is a 30-foot, eight-passenger electric foiling yacht that glides four feet above the water at 35 knots, runs 10 times more efficiently than gas-powered boats, and delivered its first customer unit in October 2024. Navier's investors include Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Android co-founder Rich Miner.

- **Role:** CEO and Co-founder at Navier
- **Organizations:** Navier, Hydroswarm, MIT, NASA, Fermilab, TIFR
- **From:** Kolkata, India
- **Nationality:** Indian-American
- **Education:** Undergraduate degree, West Bengal University, Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Ohio State University, PhD, Mechanical Engineering, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
- **Known for:** Co-founded Navier and built America's first all-electric hydrofoiling boat (N30), Raised $7.2M in seed funding from investors including Sergey Brin (Google co-founder) and Rich Miner (Android co-founder), Built the world's longest-range electric boat, rated 10x more efficient than gas-powered vessels

## Career timeline

- **~2004** — Sent 540 internship applications from Kolkata; secured a summer position at Fermilab with just $200 to her name
- **~2006-2008** — Completed Master's in Aerospace Engineering at Ohio State University
- **~2008-2012** — Worked at NASA Ames Research Center on autonomous aircraft; also worked at Fermilab and TIFR
- **2012-2017** — PhD in Mechanical Engineering at MIT, focused on underwater drone robotics
- **2014** — Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappearance sparked her focus on maritime technology and ocean exploration
- **2017-2020** — Founded and ran Hydroswarm, an underwater drone startup; company ultimately closed due to IP and visa complications
- **2020** — Co-founded Navier with MIT engineer Reo Baird to build electric hydrofoiling boats
- **2022-02** — Raised $7.2M seed round, with investors including Sergey Brin and Rich Miner
- **2022-10** — First sea trial of the N30 prototype
- **2024-03** — Launched pilot water shuttle service for Stripe employees between Larkspur and South San Francisco
- **2024-10** — Delivered first N30 Pioneer Edition to customer in California
- **2025-05** — First commercial delivery milestone reached

## Achievements

- Co-founded Navier and built America's first all-electric hydrofoiling boat (N30)
- Raised $7.2M in seed funding from investors including Sergey Brin (Google co-founder) and Rich Miner (Android co-founder)
- Built the world's longest-range electric boat, rated 10x more efficient than gas-powered vessels
- Launched first commercial electric hydrofoil water shuttle service for Stripe employees
- First customer delivery of N30 Pioneer Edition in October 2024
- Previously founded Hydroswarm, pioneering underwater drone technology
- Research at NASA, Fermilab, and TIFR spanning aerospace and maritime robotics
- PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT (2017)
- Advocate for women in STEM and Code.org initiatives

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — Navier reaches first commercial delivery milestone with N30
- **2024-10** — First N30 Pioneer Edition delivered to customer in California
- **2024-03** — Launched Stripe employee water shuttle pilot between Larkspur and South San Francisco
- **2024-01** — Featured in AP Insider Q&A covered by MIT News

## Links

- Website: https://navierboat.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sampriti-bhattacharyya-40368a3
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/sampritibh
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sampriti_bh/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/NavierBoat/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/sampriti-bhattacharyya
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-13