Seaqualize and Reefy selected for 6th Rotterdam PortXL Program
The contenders for the 6th PortXL acceleration program were announced. Fifteen innovative entrepreneurs from all over the world have been selected. Among these are the Dutch companies Reefy and Seaqualize. The selected companies will take part in the program in Rotterdam from 6 September to 2 December this year.
PortXL is the world’s first port accelerator. PortXL was launched in 2015, and has the ambition is to bridge the gap between innovative entrepreneurs and the established port industry and accelerate innovative technologies for the green energy, maritime, logistics and process industry in port regions across the world. PortXL facilitates the signing of paid pilot contracts, leading to entrepreneurs validating their technology while corporations can test the latest solutions at competitive prices. The 2019 edition saw 29 contracts signed by the 16 participants.
This year’s selection was held digitally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 150 partners, mentors, industry experts and former program participants joined to assist in evaluating the candidates during two days. The selected companies were announced by representatives from lead partners: Daan Baljedt, Manager RD and Innovation at Van Oord and Vivienne de Leeuw, CFO at Port of Rotterdam.
The selected innovative companies are from 11 different countries across 3 continents and cover a wide variety of technology solutions, from floating solar panels to air quality sensors to mental health support to balanced heave compensation.
Among them are Dutch Seaqualize, public winner of the 2019 Offshore Wind Innovators Award, with their smartly balanced heave compensation systems that reduce heave motions and set down-velocities by up to 95% and Reefy, winner of the 2020 Offshore Wind Innovation Challenge, with their artificial reef structures to protect marine life and the coastline.
Next step
The companies will each send up to 2 representatives to take part in the program in Rotterdam, which will feature many workshops, partner meetings and extensive networking to facilitate the signing of paid pilot contracts. Of the selected companies, 4 are start-ups and will participate in the acceleration track and 11 are scale-ups that will be taking part in the business fast track. Both tracks happen concurrently and are tailored to the needs of a start-up or scale-up. Signings will occur at a ceremony at Shakedown. The aim is to introduce and implement as many as possible within the Rotterdam port area and beyond, growing the economy while sustaining the ecology.
Source: PortXL and Windpowernl
