Finnish Maritime Accelerator programme accelerated new co-operation

Leading international maritime industry companies Royal Caribbean, Wärtsilä and Meyer Turku chose their favourites among new partners at the completion of Finland’s first maritime industry business accelerator programme. From among more than 500 international startups, the partner companies participating in the accelerator programme found new, innovative opportunities to promote their own competitiveness and the future of the industry on the whole.

Serving the maritime industry, the Maritime Accelerator programme started in the summer as the partner companies got to look into the 500 startups selected for them. The companies on the list were compiled by Avanto Ventures which contributed to the implementation of the programme as a partner of Turku Science Park Ltd.

After three joint meetings held during the autumn, only the most potential startups remained. At the closing event arranged in the Helsinki Fair Centre on 4 December, the six most promising ones presented themselves. At the same time the partners announced their own favourites of the startups that made the programme final. The recognitions were granted to Vital Vio, Thermal Radar and Delta Cygni Labs.

Vital Vio was chosen by Royal Caribbean. The American health care startup’s business idea is to protect ship passengers through continuous disinfection LED technology that kills bacteria, mould and mildew. Wärtsilä’s favourite startup Thermal Imaging Radar provides a continuous 360 degree sensor for thermal monitoring of equipment.

Meyer Turku was impressed by the know-how of Delta Cygni Labs. The only company in the closing event with a Finnish background provides augmented reality solutions for industrial production processes. At the same time, Delta Cygni Labs is the first Finnish company participating in the European Space Agency ESA’s business accelerator programme. The company’s POINTR mobile application enables various servicing tasks via remote connection also in difficult places, such as in the middle of the ocean.

The awarded companies also got to give a pitch in the Breaking Waves conference arranged on the same day.

“It’s been great to watch innovative startups and large leading companies of the global maritime industry meeting and finding co-operation potential in each other. And increasing co-operation – especially the interdisciplinary kind – is our main task”, says Senior Advisor Jukka Laiterä from Turku Science Park Ltd.

“It’s not easy to see into the maritime industry from the outside. That’s why the ideas created outside it only occasionally end up to benefit the industry. More systematic use of external expertise is, however, a key factor for the future success of the maritime industry. That’s also at the core of the Maritime Accelerator programme”, Mr Laiterä continues.

The planning of the Maritime Accelerator programme for 2019 has already begun.

“We have started the planning with the partners, but there’s still room for a few new partners. The partner companies will be named by the end of April 2019. The themes specified on the basis thereof will guide the search for suitable startups”, says Program Manager Sofia Tuominen from Turku Science Park Ltd.
 

PHOTO: Finland's first Maritime Accelerator programme had the final meeting as a side-event of SLUSH event in Helsinki.  

Further information:

Sofia Tuominen, Program Manager, Turku Science Park Oy
+358 44 295 7767, sofia.tuominen@turkubusinessregion.com

Jukka Laiterä, Senior Advisor, Turku Science Park Oy
+358 400 523 173, jukka.laitera@laitera.fi

Camilla Karhukorpi, Chief Corporate Venturing Programs, Avanto Ventures Oy
+358 40 867 4383, camilla.karhukorpi@avantoventures.com