Bedrock Ocean Exploration, Richmond, Calif., has appointed Matthew Tirman as its new chief executive officer as the autonomous subsea data company expands operations across global offshore markets.
Tirman brings more than two decades of experience scaling deep-technology companies in geospatial intelligence, data platforms, and global commercial operations. Most recently, he helped guide satellite imagery firm Satellogic, Davidson, N.C., from early commercial traction to a public market debut, growing the company to tens of millions in revenue while delivering data and imagery products to defense and intelligence customers worldwide, including a broad area maritime constellation.
Founder Charles Chiau, who previously held both the CEO and chief technology officer roles, transitions to a dedicated CTO position, where he will focus on hardware and software development as Bedrock moves into its next phase of growth.
"The opportunity ahead is massive," Tirman said. "It's similar to the early days of the space economy, where access to high-quality data unlocked entirely new markets. Today, we support sustained operations in complex offshore environments across the Gulf of Mexico, U.K., and North Sea, and we are experiencing exceptionally strong demand across government and commercial sectors."
Bedrock is developing what it describes as the largest private fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles, serving the offshore energy, hydrographic mapping, and maritime security sectors. The company's platform is designed to deploy without specialized infrastructure across a range of vessel types, from small boats to large ships. Its Mosaic platform provides data access, visualization, and collaboration tools, while Trident handles remote fleet operations and mission coordination.
Chiau said the leadership shift allows him to focus on the company's technical roadmap. "With Matt leading go-to-market, I'll be focusing on advancing our dual-use technical roadmap to continue to increase speed to insight for our customers," he said.
Greg Sands, founder and managing partner at investor Costanoa, Palo Alto, Calif., pointed to growing demand across multiple sectors as a driver of the company's trajectory. "Accessing high-quality seafloor data has historically been slow, expensive, and complex," Sands said. "As demand accelerates across energy, defense, and environmental monitoring, Bedrock is redefining what's possible with a faster, safer, and more cost-effective approach to subsea intelligence."
