To succeed & flourish. Celebrating a decade of innovation with PortXL

by Mano Szollosi, Marketing & Communications, PortXL

PortXL was founded in 2015, when there were virtually no accelerators in the industry, to be an independent, yet interconnected beacon of innovation within the Port of Rotterdam ecosystem. With the crucial support of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Van Oord, the City of Rotterdam, and many other key industry players over the past decade, 132 start-ups have been part of PortXL's acceleration program with an impressive 83% survival rate, and over €191+ million of funding has been raised by the alumni, figures that contradict the ephemeral trajectory that disruptive companies usually experience.

"The maritime stakeholders knew that innovation was important and that you had to start working with start-ups to keep the business relevant - but no one knew how to do it. That is why many parties wanted to be involved from the beginning," recalls Christel Pullens, ad interim director of PortXL. The newborn, inspired by the Dutch new tech accelerator HighTechXL, became the first one to specialize in start-ups within the maritime and port sectors.

Adjusting the focus

PortXL provides an intensive three-month acceleration program for a select cohort of 8-15 start-ups chosen from a competitive pool of several hundred applicants. For the 2024 cohort, approximately 800 companies underwent validation. The selection is predicated upon alignment with the strategic priorities and operational challenges identified by PortXL's partners, which reflect the broader maritime-port exigencies.

PortXL's annual cycle begins with individual consultations with each partner to identify their upcoming goals and key challenges. This information is then used to determine the program's focus for the year. These strategic priorities are synthesized into a comprehensive framework, addressing salient issues such as sustainability, energy transition, and operational efficiency within the maritime and port industries.

The more, the better

The landscape has changed substantially since 2015. Virtually all the world’s leading ports now have their own accelerator or associated programs. In the case of PortXL, some of the partners that were initially part of its founding parties have even created their in-house start-up programs, such as Boskalis and Van Oord. "Our mission is to positively impact the maritime industry, so the more accelerators that focus on driving sustainable practices, the better. We actively collaborate with many around the world and also exchange start-ups," Pullens says. Although the network of accelerators has grown in the past 10 years, PortXL remains attractive to start-ups. According to Pullens, it is a question of reputation and the accelerator's neutral character: PortXL does not intervene in the start-ups' shareholding or impose quotas in the event of their success. "We want to see start-ups succeed and their innovation flourish," she underlines.

Innovator in a Day

During the accelerator's 10-year course, Pullens has recognized the corporation's struggle with innovation implementation. As such, PortXL has developed a dedicated training - Innovator in a Day - for maritime companies interested in setting up a structural innovation process and collaborating successfully with start-ups or scale-ups.

Doctor Antri Theodorou, Senior Associate Scientist at the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), shared her thoughts in this area, "PortXL is known for its strong, meaningful partnerships and collaborations within the maritime industry. The insights gained from the Innovator in a Day program are particularly valuable, complementing the ongoing efforts of CMMI in the realm of blue ocean innovation. PortXL's strategic approach to innovation and collaboration with start-ups will significantly contribute i4Sea (2021). i4Sea monitors maritime and weather forecasts (incl. global-to-hyperlocal sea conditions), also providing climate risk management, all to systematize operations and establish responses for each case. Among others, the company analyzed wind records, measured via sensors, in the Port of Rotterdam for 2007-21. to our ability to harness industry expertise, fostering valuable connections for start-ups in Cyprus and beyond."

Always open to innovation

The 10th anniversary of PortXL also represents the opportunity to refine the role of the accelerator in the entire innovation ecosystem. "Should we continue down this path or expand into other areas? The answer to these questions is up in the air, but we are at an ideal time to consider what we want to do in the next decade," shares Pullens. For PortXL's CEO, there is no single definition of innovation, as it depends on how companies perceive themselves. With our accelerator, the approach is based on open innovation because PortXL firmly believes that there is a world out there full of ideas and learnings that can benefit many players in the industry.

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PortXL was founded in 2015 in Rotterdam, with the vision of cultivating a spirit of innovation within the global maritime industry. PortXL accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies in port regions globally, with a focus on addressing sustainability, decarbonization, and energy transition challenges within the maritime, logistics, and process industries. To achieve the mission, PortXL is building and fostering an ecosystem of start-ups, scale-ups, corporate partners, and mentors - all change makers, creative thinkers, and problem solvers who work collaboratively to disrupt the status quo. Visit portxl.org to uncover more.