UniSea Acquires Berlin AI Startup Kaiko Systems
Left to right: Eddy del Valle Pino, co-founder and CTO of Kaiko Systems; Fabian Fussek, co-founder and CEO of Kaiko; Kurt Roar Vilhelmsen, founder and CEO of UniSea; and Jørgen Møinichen, Director at Adelis Equity. © Moment Studio
Berlin-based maritime tech company Kaiko Systems has been acquired by Norwegian fleet management software provider UniSea. The deal, signed on May 29, creates a combined group supporting more than 4,000 vessels worldwide.
According to the company's press release, Kaiko Systems brings AI-powered inspection tools to UniSea's existing platform, which already covers safety, maintenance, procurement, and drydocking for over 3,000 ships. Kaiko's mobile-first SaaS platform supports vessel inspections, SIRE 2.0 self-assessments, and port state control preparation across more than 1,000 vessels, with clients including Columbia Group and OSM Thome.
UniSea CEO Kurt Roar Vilhelmsen described the acquisition as a natural next step in the company's evolution from an HSEQ specialist to a full-suite fleet management system provider. Kaiko Co-Founder and CEO Fabian Fussek said the goal was always to make structured digital inspection data the standard for the maritime industry.
Kaiko Systems was founded in 2020 by Fussek and Eddy del Valle Pino, with backing from maritime company builder Flagship Founders. It had raised €9 million in external funding, including a €6 million Series A in March 2025 led by Hi Inov and Flashpoint. The acquisition was financed through a capital injection by Swedish private equity fund Adelis Equity, which has backed UniSea since 2022.
Kaiko will continue to operate as a separate product with its own team and roadmap. The two platforms will offer integration points, but customers are not required to change their workflows.
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