Nemo Power Tools
An American power-tools company specializing in pressurized tools for underwater, clean-room, and other demanding environments.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Nemo Power Tools is an American power-tools company focused on equipment that can operate in environments where conventional electrically powered tools are impractical or unsafe. Its defining technology is a line of pressurized underwater tools designed for boating, scuba diving, marine repair, scientific work, and other deep-sea activities. The company describes itself as the first and only manufacturer of a complete line of power tools pressurized for underwater use. The business began in 2010 after founder Nimo Rotem was approached by the Israeli military to develop an underwater drill. Rotem was not initially a certified diver, so he obtained PADI Open Water certification during the development process. He built the first drill from the ground up around a die-cast aluminum body, two 18-volt lithium-ion batteries, a keyless metal chuck, and a rotating seal modeled on sealing arrangements used in boat drive shafts. The original tool was designed for operation at depths of up to 165 feet, positioning it for underwater construction, vessel maintenance, diving, and research applications. In 2013, Rotem and Oleg Zhukov expanded the concept from a military-development project into a commercial product business. Nemo subsequently broadened its underwater range to include drills, grinders, saws, a hull-cleaning tool, and a 15,000-lumen underwater floodlight. The company also developed a freshwater version suitable for chlorine-water operation. A separate special-operations range included a hammer drill and angle grinder designed for salt-water resistance, subdued appearance, and operation at depths of up to 328 feet. These products were intended for specialist users rather than the general consumer power-tools market. Nemo applied the same sealed-tool engineering to clean-room applications. Its Clean Room Drill uses a sealed internal compartment and operates without internal ventilation, reducing the release of airborne particles. According to the referenced description, independent laboratory particle-count analysis found that the drill met the particulate requirements for an ISO Class 7 clean room at particle sizes of 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 micrometers under operating conditions. Potential applications include medical laboratories, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other controlled industrial environments. The company also developed GRABO, a portable battery-powered vacuum lifter using sealing and fabrication techniques derived from marine-tool development. GRABO was developed beginning in 2019 and separated from the Nemo Power Tools brand as an independent product line in 2020 because it did not fit the underwater-tool brand architecture. GRABO products are designed to lift materials such as tile, glass, metal, pavers, plywood, drywall, and certain porous stones. Their dual-seal system is intended to maintain grip on uneven, textured, wet, dusty, and porous surfaces. The GRABO product line later entered a licensing partnership with Stanley Black & Decker for a DeWalt GRABO product. Nemo tools have also received media exposure, including prominent use by Dustin Hurt on Discovery Channel's Gold Rush: White Water. Available reference material does not establish the company's headquarters, ownership structure, revenue, public listing, or current executive roster beyond the founders. Its present status is therefore best described as active, with a specialist positioning centered on sealed, pressurized, and application-specific tools.
History
Nemo Power Tools originated in 2010 when Nimo Rotem was asked by the Israeli military to develop an underwater drill. The project required Rotem to learn diving and obtain PADI Open Water certification while developing a tool that could operate in a marine environment. He designed the initial drill independently, using a durable die-cast aluminum housing, two 18-volt lithium-ion batteries, a keyless metal chuck, and a rotating seal inspired by boat-drive-shaft sealing systems. The tool was intended to operate at depths of up to 165 feet. The initial work was subsequently commercialized. In 2013, Rotem and Oleg Zhukov expanded the business into commercial applications, targeting divers, boat-repair specialists, researchers, and other users needing powered equipment underwater. Nemo built a broader underwater portfolio that included drills, grinders, saws, a hull cleaner, and a high-output underwater floodlight. The company also developed a freshwater and chlorine-water version and a special-operations range. The latter included a hammer drill and an angle grinder with salt-water-resistant finishes, minimal branding, and reported operating capability at depths of up to 328 feet. Nemo later adapted its sealed-tool technology to controlled industrial environments. The Clean Room Drill was designed with a sealed internal compartment and no internal ventilation, reducing airborne-particle generation during operation. The referenced material reports that independent laboratory testing found the drill compliant with the particulate requirements associated with an ISO Class 7 clean room at 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 micrometers under operating conditions. This extended the company's technical proposition beyond marine work into medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial manufacturing settings. Beginning in 2019, Rotem and Zhukov used techniques developed for the Nemo tools to create GRABO, a portable battery-powered vacuum lifter. GRABO used a dual-seal arrangement and a continuously running vacuum motor to maintain adhesion even when air could pass through porous materials. The tool was designed for glass, tile, metal, pavers, plywood, drywall, and selected porous stones, including uneven or textured surfaces. Because the product did not align closely with Nemo's underwater-tool identity, GRABO became a separate product line in 2020. The GRABO business later entered a licensing partnership with Stanley Black & Decker for a DeWalt GRABO product. The GRABO PRO received recognition in the referenced material through Popular Mechanics' Tool Awards 2025, while GRABO HIGH FLOW was launched in 2025 and received recognition from Pro Tool Reviews' Pro Tool Innovations Awards. Nemo's underwater equipment has also appeared on television, including prominent exposure through Dustin Hurt on Discovery Channel's Gold Rush: White Water. Available reference material does not document a headquarters address, ownership structure, revenue, public-market listing, or a full current management team. The brand is best characterized as an active specialist manufacturer whose core differentiation is the adaptation of sealed and pressurized tool technology to underwater and controlled industrial environments.
- 2025
GRABO HIGH FLOW launch and product recognition
[1]GRABO HIGH FLOW was launched, while GRABO products received recognition cited from Popular Mechanics and Pro Tool Reviews.
- 2024
DeWalt GRABO licensing partnership
[1]GRABO entered a licensing partnership with Stanley Black & Decker to create and distribute a DeWalt GRABO product.
- 2020
GRABO becomes a separate product line
[1]GRABO was separated from the Nemo Power Tools brand because its vacuum-lifting application did not fit the underwater-tool portfolio.
- 2019
GRABO development begins
[1]The founders began developing a portable vacuum lifter using technology and fabrication methods associated with Nemo's marine tools.
- 2013
Commercial-market expansion
[1]Nimo Rotem and Oleg Zhukov expanded the underwater-tool concept into commercial markets.
- 2010
Underwater-drill project begins
[1]Nimo Rotem began developing an underwater drill after being approached by the Israeli military.
Products and positioning
A specialist engineering brand for power tools used in underwater, marine, clean-room, and other environments where conventional ventilated electric tools are unsuitable.
Underwater power tools · 2010
Underwater Drills
Nemo's underwater drills are sealed and pressurized for operation in marine environments. The original drill used a die-cast aluminum body, two 18-volt lithium-ion batteries, a keyless metal chuck, and a rotating seal influenced by boat-drive-shaft engineering. Its reported operating depth was up to 165 feet, supporting diving, vessel repair, underwater construction, and scientific work.
Specialist underwater power tools
Special-Operations Underwater Tools
The special-operations range includes an underwater hammer drill and angle grinder. These tools were developed with salt-water-resistant finishes, minimal or absent visible branding, and reported operation at depths of up to 328 feet. The range addresses specialist users requiring underwater cutting, drilling, and grinding capability.
Underwater power tools
Underwater Saws and Hull Cleaner
Nemo expanded beyond drilling and grinding into underwater sawing and hull maintenance. These products are intended for marine repair and vessel-care tasks where powered work must be performed in or around water.
Underwater lighting
Underwater Floodlight
The company produces an underwater floodlight rated at 15,000 lumens for illuminating work areas beneath the surface. It complements Nemo's underwater tools by improving visibility during marine repair, diving, and other submerged operations.
Clean-room power tool
Clean Room Drill
The Clean Room Drill adapts Nemo's sealed-tool approach for controlled industrial environments. Its internal compartment is sealed and lacks conventional internal ventilation, a design intended to minimize airborne particles during use. The referenced material reports independent testing against ISO Class 7 clean-room particulate requirements at 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 micrometers.
Battery-powered vacuum lifter · 2020
GRABO
GRABO is a portable battery-operated vacuum lifter for glass, tile, metal, pavers, plywood, drywall, and selected porous stones. Its dual-seal design is intended to work on uneven, textured, wet, dusty, and porous surfaces. A continuously running vacuum motor compensates for air loss through porous materials, and the product line is described as capable of lifting up to 375 pounds.
Battery-powered vacuum lifter · 2025
GRABO HIGH FLOW
GRABO HIGH FLOW is a later vacuum-lifting product designed to maintain suction on especially porous materials. The referenced material presents it as a battery-operated suction tool with unusually high airflow capability and identifies its 2025 launch as a milestone for the GRABO line.
Brand decisions
2024
License GRABO technology for a DeWalt productM&ABackground
GRABO pursued broader distribution through a relationship with Stanley Black & Decker.
Action taken
The parties entered a licensing partnership to create and distribute the DeWalt GRABO.
Aftermath
The partnership extended the GRABO concept into Stanley Black & Decker's DeWalt product ecosystem. Financial terms are not documented in the supplied material.
2020
Separate GRABO from the Nemo brandStrategyBackground
The GRABO vacuum lifter used technology developed through Nemo's marine-tool work but served construction and material-handling applications rather than underwater users.
Action taken
GRABO was split off from Nemo Power Tools as its own product line.
Aftermath
The vacuum-lifting business developed its own product identity and later entered a licensing partnership for a DeWalt GRABO product.
2013
Move from military development to commercial marketsStrategyBackground
The company originated with an underwater-drill project connected to the Israeli military and then sought broader applications for its sealed power-tool technology.
Action taken
Nimo Rotem and Oleg Zhukov expanded the business into commercial underwater tools for marine repair, diving, research, and related specialist uses.
Aftermath
Nemo developed a broader portfolio that included drills, grinders, saws, hull-cleaning equipment, and underwater lighting.
Recent events
- 2025
GRABO HIGH FLOW launches[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The GRABO HIGH FLOW was described as a battery-operated suction tool designed to maintain grip on highly porous materials.
- 2024
Stanley Black & Decker enters licensing partnership for DeWalt GRABO[1]
M&A · Product launch
GRABO entered a licensing partnership with Stanley Black & Decker to create and distribute a DeWalt-branded GRABO product.
- 2020
GRABO separates from Nemo Power Tools as an independent product line[1]
M&A
The GRABO vacuum-lifter business was separated from the Nemo Power Tools brand after development using marine-derived sealing and fabrication technology.
- 2013
Nemo Power Tools develops commercial underwater-tool range[1]
Other
Nimo Rotem and Oleg Zhukov expanded Nemo's underwater-tool work from its earlier military-development origins into commercial markets.
Sources1 sources
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