Drift Energy is a British startup focused on pioneering a new form of mobile renewable energy. The company is developing a fleet of high-tech sailing vessels equipped with underwater turbines and onboard megawatt-class electrolyzers to harness ocean winds and produce green hydrogen. Using artificial intelligence routing algorithms, such as their “Goldilocks” system, these vessels optimize their locations to capture ideal wind conditions, generating and storing gigawatts of clean energy. Founded by Ben Medland in 2021, Drift Energy aims to support the global energy transition, particularly for industries like shipping and small island nations, with a long-term goal of abating one gigatonne of CO2 by 2050. The startup has gained recognition for its sustainability efforts, winning the Startups 100 Sustainability Award in 2025 and a COP 28 award, and recently raised £4.65 million to expand its innovative fleet.
