Pliant Energy Systems

• Benjamin Pietro Filardo - Founder & CEO - Founder & CEO
• Daniel Zimmerman - Chief Scientist - Chief Scientist
• Carles Civit - Director of Engineering - Director of Engineering
• Matt DiCicco - Director of Robotics - Director of Robotics
• Michael Weaker - Director of Product - Director of Product
• Frank Filardo - Senior Consultant - Senior Consultant
• Manuel Marin - Robotics Engineer - Robotics Engineer
• Monse Garzon Navarro - Mechanical Engineer - Mechanical Engineer

Events

• 2026-04-09 - Contract Award - U.S. Army awards Pliant USD 249,996 xTechSearch SBIR contract

  Contract W51701-26-C-A089 supports a six-month Phase I research program. The award was recorded on April 9, 2026 and performance began April 13. The contract identifies Pliant as an xTechSearch 9 SBIR finalist selected through a 29-bid competition.

  Source
• 2025-12-10 - Award - Pliant Energy Systems selected for NATO DIANA's 2026 programme

  Pliant Energy Systems was named in NATO DIANA's 2026 company cohort. The selection provides access to accelerator sites, test centres and allied defence users. The company was selected in an autonomy, maritime, sensing, communications or related dual-use challenge area.

  Source
• 2025-08-12 - Contract Award - Self-charging C-Ray program receives USD 3.04 million Navy contract

  Contract N00014-25-C-2409 covers a vehicle able to recharge its batteries from environmental flow. The program also addresses mine-related missions and advanced manufacturing for the C-Ray platform. The award date was August 12, 2025 and the ceiling including options was USD 3,043,464.

  Source
• 2024-06-06 - Award - Pliant joins 2024 Offshore Wind Innovation Hub cohort

  Pliant was chosen from a pool of 78 applicants. The six-month program supported customer engagement and commercialization in offshore wind. Pliant used the cohort to refine plans for fielding robots with offshore-wind customers.

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• 2024-04-25 - Contract Award - ONR awards Pliant USD 8 million autonomous ocean-platform contract

  Contract N00014-24-C-2411 covers a stealthy autonomous propeller-less agile vehicle for mine countermeasures. The award began on April 25, 2024 with an USD 8 million ceiling. Pliant's first-party profile says the program will develop and field an autonomous open-ocean platform.

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• 2023-04-10 - Demonstration - C-Ray amphibious robot showcased at Sea-Air-Space 2023

  C-Ray uses an undulating propulsion system rather than propellers to move through surf. The vehicle can transition from swimming to crawling onto a beach. The showcase accompanied Pliant's selection to exhibit at the ONR and Naval Research Laboratory booth.

  Source
• 2021-08-17 - Contract Award - ONR awards Pliant USD 4.4 million AI amphibious vehicle contract

  Contract N00014-21-C-2040 covered development of C-Ray and AI-enhanced autonomous amphibious operation. The award carried a USD 4.4 million ceiling and began on August 17, 2021. Pliant described the program as funding development of its first C-Ray product.

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• 2020-07-14 - Award - DOE awards Pliant USD 1.15 million Phase II pump grant

  The project uses flowing streams and rivers to power a novel mechanical pump. Phase II work advanced the system toward a full-scale river test. Pliant identified irrigation as the first application, with desalination and power generation as longer-term uses.

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• 2020-04-22 - Award - Pliant selected for Prospect Mining Studio

  Pliant joined a 15-company studio focused on technologies for the mining industry. The program connected startups with industry partners for pilots and product development. Pliant brought its marine robotics and responsible-ocean-mining concepts into the cohort.

  Source
• 2018-12-10 - Demonstration - Velox demonstrates fin-driven mobility across ice and water

  Velox swivels its undulating fins to transition from swimming to ground locomotion. The proof-of-concept handled sand, snow, pebbles, paving and solid ice. Pliant identified polar science and amphibious resupply as potential applications for the multi-terrain design.

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• 2017-07-20 - Demonstration - Agile Amphibious Swimmer debuts at Naval Future Force Expo

  Pliant showed the AAS1 swimming through water and transitioning onto land using its undulating fins. The July 20-21 Navy expo presented emerging research to government, industry and academic attendees. The demonstration established the company's early multi-terrain propulsion platform before the later Velox and C-Ray vehicles.

  Source
• 2016-09-07 - Contract Award - ONR awards Pliant USD 1.45 million propulsion research contract

  Contract N00014-16-C-3042 covered research and development of an undulatory propulsion system. The award started on September 7, 2016 and ultimately reached USD 1,449,543. The work established the Navy research relationship behind Pliant's amphibious-vehicle development.

  Source

Relationships

• United States Army

  Army Research Customer - The U.S. Army awarded Pliant a USD 249,996 Phase I SBIR contract through xTechSearch 9.

• US Department of Energy

  Energy Research Customer - The U.S. Department of Energy awarded Pliant a USD 1,149,984 Phase II SBIR for the Traveling Wave Hydrokinetic Pump.

• United States Navy

  Naval Research Customer - The U.S. Navy, through the Office of Naval Research, awarded Pliant successive contracts for undulatory propulsion and C-Ray amphibious systems.

• NATO DIANA

  Programme Participant - Pliant Energy Systems selected through NATO DIANA.

• Offshore Wind Innovation Hub

  Offshore Wind Cohort Member - The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub selected Pliant for its 2024 accelerator cohort.

• Prospect Mining Studio

  Mining Technology Cohort Member - Vimson Group and Newlab selected Pliant for the Prospect Mining Studio.

• National Science Foundation

  Research Sponsor - Pliant Energy Systems lists National Science Foundation as research sponsor.

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Context tags

• Maritime robotics ecosystem - Stack Layer - Official profile evidence supports maritime robotics companies.
• Maritime autonomy companies - Stack Layer - Official profile evidence supports maritime autonomy companies.
• Maritime operations - Customer Environment - Official profile evidence supports maritime operations.

• U.S. Army awards Pliant USD 249,996 xTechSearch SBIR contract

  2026-04-09 · Order / contract · The U.S. Army awarded Pliant a USD 249,996 Phase I SBIR contract tied to the xTechSearch 9 finalist open-topic competition.

  Source
• Self-charging C-Ray program receives USD 3.04 million Navy contract

  2025-08-12 · Order / contract · The Office of Naval Research awarded Pliant a contract worth up to USD 3,043,464 to develop a self-charging C-Ray vehicle for maritime missions.

  Source
• ONR awards Pliant USD 8 million autonomous ocean-platform contract

  2024-04-25 · Order / contract · The Office of Naval Research awarded Pliant a contract worth up to USD 8 million for an autonomous open-ocean platform.

  Source
• ONR awards Pliant USD 4.4 million AI amphibious vehicle contract

  2021-08-17 · Order / contract · The Office of Naval Research awarded Pliant a USD 4.4 million contract for an AI-enabled autonomous amphibious vehicle.

  Source
• ONR awards Pliant USD 1.45 million propulsion research contract

  2016-09-07 · Order / contract · The Office of Naval Research awarded Pliant a contract worth up to USD 1,449,543 for undulatory propulsion research.

  Source