ZEBOX, a global accelerator gathering a network of entrepreneurs, industry leaders and ecosystem experts, has on Tuesday announced the launch of its Asia Pacific hub in Singapore.

All set to tap the vibrant and fast-growing Asian markets from Singapore, ZEBOX Asia Pacific will address business and sustainability challenges across a range of sectors, including supply chains, logistics, transport and energy, ZEBOX said in a statement.

With innovation hubs in Europe, North America, the Caribbean and West Africa, this new hub in the Asia Pacific region will uphold ZEBOX’s mission: connect startups and corporates to help them innovate together.

Home to over 4,000 startups and regional headquarters of global enterprises, ZEBOX said Singapore is synonymous with its pro-business policies cutting-edge digital infrastructure, and a robust pipeline of skilled talents.

With the support of Enterprise Singapore and the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), ZEBOX Asia Pacific will identify startups in Asia, notably in Singapore, and match them to corporate partners so that together, they can embark on co-innovation projects locally and across markets in the Asia Pacific, spanning Australia in Oceania; to Indonesia and Vietnam in Southeast Asia; to Japan and Korea in North Asia.

Meanwhile, ZEBOX’s community of partners add up to 20 with three new industry leaders

Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore, one of the world’s leading ship classification societies; PSA unboXed, PSA International’s innovation and corporate venture capital arm; and Synergy Marine Group, a leading ship manager have become corporate partners of ZEBOX Asia Pacific.

They join ZEBOX’s founding partner, CMA CGM and its circle of 16 other major partner groups to co-develop with startups game-changing solutions across four key areas: operational efficiency, assets optimization and decarbonization, workflow automation, and future of work.

“ZEBOX’s goal is to connect the most promising startups with industry leaders looking at innovation as a mean of progress and path toward a more sustainable economy,

“With Asia Pacific being one of the most, if not, the most, active region in the world, it simply made sense for ZEBOX to launch in Singapore.” said Gwen Salley, ZEBOX Chief Executive Officer.

With this regional presence, he said the firm will have the ability to unite ambitious corporate partners, and connect them with the global ecosystem, thanks to Singapore’s pro-business government, local talents, and vibrant tech support system.

Laurent Olmeta, Chief Executive Officer of CMA CGM Asia Pacific, said the group embraces innovation for excellence and sustainable transformation.

“From today, ZEBOX Asia Pacific will start initiating corporate-startup collaborations to future-proof tomorrow’s supply chain with resilience, agility and sustainability,” he added.

Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, said startups play a critical role in the transformation of the maritime sector by generating value through their innovative solutions.

“Through working with partners, MPA hopes to anchor more Marinetech startups in Singapore to develop, test and commercialize new products and services from Singapore to benefit the global maritime community,” he added.

Matthieu de Tugny, President of Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore, said that since 1828, Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore has pioneered the safety and performance of new technologies, and its mission has always been to support innovators.

“We believe talent will be at the heart of shipping’s transition. Joining ZEBOX is about empowering visionaries and supporting them to address the industry’s pain points,

“Our commitment to ZEBOX paves new paths to shape a better maritime world,” he added.

Ong Kim Pong, Regional Chief Executive Officer Southeast Asia, PSA International, said building on the group’s collaborative success in different domains and with this significant expansion of its relationship, PSA unboXed and ZEBOX will further align their business ingenuity with a strong commitment to energy transition, creating long-term value for their respective stakeholders.

Captain Rajesh Unni, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Synergy Marine, said that the fastest way the firm can transform maritime supply chains into dynamic and resilient sustainable structures that meet the world’s pressing need for decarbonized trade, is by identifying, collaborating and creating world class solutions to these challenges.

“ZEBOX brings together partners that understand where we are now and where we need to get to,

“With this cohort, we aim to supercharge freight and logistics technology innovations with transformative potential to accelerate industry adoption and drive impact where it’s most needed,” he added.

ZEBOX was founded in 2018 by Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group as a community of the most promising startups and large companies dedicated to accelerating decarbonization and operational optimization in the supply chain industry.

Today, the ZEBOX portfolio spans more than 130 early-stage businesses and has helped raise over $235 million in venture funding for the next generation of solutions.

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