Singapore-based venture capital firm Studio 30 50 has launched its first European cohort in Copenhagen, welcoming back previous cohort-founded startups Orbital Wave and Vanguard alongside emerging maritime entrepreneurs and startups.
Studio 30 50 said in a statement Copenhagen’s proximity to major European markets, access to international shipping lanes and advanced innovation culture, positions it as a natural hub for MaritimeTech from the Baltic Sea region.
Supported by favourable regulations, it said the city’s ecosystem of shipping firms, maritime research centers, and technology advancements, solidifies the port city’s global role in shaping the industry’s future.
It is noted that more than 40 entrepreneurs and startups have applied to be a part of the selection process for Studio 30 50’s May 2024 cohort sprint in Copenhagen.
The firm’s previous cohorts were based in Singapore, the world’s busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage, with an annual average of 140,000 vessel calls.
Going forward, Studio 30 50 will run cohorts in Copenhagen and Singapore.
“With maritime’s global value chain, running cohorts internationally offers innovators unrivaled access to key industry stakeholders and leaders,
“Copenhagen is the strategic choice for our first European cohort – not only is it an existing startup hub but many industry leaders are located either in Copenhagen or within a short distance,” said Shanker Pillai, Head of Studio 30 50.
According to him, this cohort will further benefit from hands-on access to real-world assets and data to develop better products, complemented by the commercial expertise of
mentorship from prospective future customers.
“Our previous cohorts have proven our end-to-end venture studio model is bringing MaritimeTech to life in a new way: connecting founders, creating spaces for experimentation and development, and accelerating the iteration cycle, which is driving startup formation,” he added.
Studio 30 50 is an end-to-end venture studio scaling MaritimeTech solution.
The studio brings together corporate partners and ecosystem players to offer founders unrivalled and unprecedented access to decision-makers, industry leaders, and the
data, insights and assets to finesse their products.
Launched in 2023 in collaboration with Hafnia, DNV, IMC Ventures, Microsoft and Wilhelmsen, Studio 30 50 works with founders across the startup lifecycle to unlock the entire maritime value chain.
Instead of running one-off programs based on a specific vertical or growth stage, Studio 30 50 runs cohorts who then benefit from learning and engaging with their peers throughout the sprint cycle, in addition to expert mentorship, access to corporate partners and investors, real-world data and assets and expert support.
Each Studio 30 50 cohort is made up of pre-idea founders and early-stage startups, as well as returning entrepreneurs from previous cohorts, whose equity commitments reduce each cohort they participate in.
The end-to-end model is focused on building and scaling solutions to maritime innovation hurdles, encouraging repeat engagement to ensure commercially viable businesses.
Since launching in Singapore in 2023, Studio 30 50 has worked with 19 pre-idea founders and six pre-revenue startups, developing solutions in crew training, safety and engagement; predictive vessel maintenance; marine insurance and circular economy in maritime operations.