Radical Builders is a Dutch applied R&D organisation building autonomous, unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and dual-use maritime hardware for defence and commercial customers. Based at the Marineterrein Amsterdam innovation district, the company was founded in 2023 by Bram Delfos—an offshore engineering graduate of TU Delft with prior experience at The Ocean Cleanup. Radical's core philosophy discards conventional shipbuilding: it designs large floating robots that perform tasks autonomously, cutting costs by eliminating crew requirements and dramatically compressing development timelines through large-scale additive manufacturing.

The company's completed projects include a solar-powered uncrewed kelp-harvesting vessel delivered to Kelp Blue (a world first), a relative autonomous positioning system for submarine sensor calibration validated with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, and modular 3D-printed hull structures under the MITR&D programme. Ongoing work includes an airborne subsea data collection system (grant-funded by Kansen voor West), a sea-state-tolerant stabilised USV mothership concept, and a subsea docking system for underwater vehicle recovery.

Radical Builders operates as both an applied R&D engine and a venture studio: promising technologies can spin out into dedicated companies. Two spin-off paths are already underway—FORYX (an aerial-subsea data collection drone company) and VALKYRY (vessel design and manufacturing for defence and leisure). Partners and collaborators include TNO, NLR, N-Sea, Kelp Blue, CEAD, Next Generation Shipyards, Cato Composites, and the Dutch Ministry of Defence.

In May 2025, Radical Builders was selected as one of 20 companies for the inaugural cohort of the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) Business Accelerator, receiving a €65,000 non-dilutive seed voucher and 300+ hours of tailored coaching focused on European defence market readiness.