MarkSetBot, the award winning US startup, is transforming sailboat racing with its patented robotic buoys while remaining a true family run business.
Founded by brothers Kevin and Matthew Morin and operated alongside their father Michael and Kevin’s wife Marcie, the company blends a passion for sailing with cutting edge technology. Their flagship self propelled, GPS enabled buoys offer a precise, eco-friendly alternative to traditional anchored race marks, and when combined with technology like Vakaros RaceSense, they are streamlining every aspect of race management.
Expanding beyond sailing, they’ve also introduced GolfShotBot, an innovative pop up golf target with biodegradable balls.
Lifelong sailors, the Morin family understands the challenges of setting racecourses. The idea for MarkSetBot came while Kevin was sailing on Michigan’s Cass Lake, where tricky winds and waters with inconsistent depth made anchored marks difficult to manage. Inspired by a family friend’s advice, he developed self propelled buoys that simplify race management while reducing environmental impact.
The team sees clear parallels between sailboat racing and running a business: “You have to prepare properly to do your best. You have to want to hear the bad news because your response to those situations define you,” said Matthew. “You also better love what you’re doing because it’s going to be really, really hard.”
Kevin added, “We’ve always loved racing together. In the end, we have each other’s backs, and in business, it’s no different. We’re lucky to do this as a family.”
Since launching, MarkSetBot has undergone five major iterations and 400+ upgrades, proving its durability in winds up to 30 knots and 5-6 meter swells, including at the 2023 Pan American Games. Its patented design with a submerged motor, positioned three feet below the surface, maximises stability and holding power. Controlled via a mobile app, race organisers can set and adjust courses in real time from the committee boat, clubhouse or anywhere in the world.
Sustainability is at the core of MarkSetBot. Traditional race mark setting requires fuel-consuming boats and can damage seabeds, while MarkSetBot eliminates anchoring, reducing environmental impact. A study by Earth to Ocean confirmed its benefits, including zero carbon emissions. The company has earned Sailors for the Sea’s “Clean Regatta” Certification for four years and was a finalist for the 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award.
MarkSetBot has received multiple industry accolades, including the US Sailing One Design Creativity Award for technological advancement and the ICAS Pinnacle Award for innovation in air show safety. It is also a finalist in the University of Toronto’s Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a global startup accelerator for science-based companies.
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