Idan Ofer’s Eastern Pacific Shipping and startup specialists Techstars have launched a shipping startup accelerator in Singapore.
The EPS MaritimeTech Accelerator Powered by Techstars will be based in Eastern Pacific’s headquarters in Singapore.
“The merchant maritime industry is one of the oldest in the world, yet advancements in the business come slowly, lagging behind the latest technological trends that other mature industries readily adopt,” said Gil Ofer, Eastern Pacific’s business development manager and son of Idan Ofer. “Eastern Pacific Shipping aims to address this long-standing issue by partnering with Techstars to launch the world’s first global MaritimeTech accelerator to cultivate and mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs in an industry that is ripe for disruption.”
From April this year, the EPS MaritimeTech Accelerator Powered by Techstars will accept applications from startups around the world and ultimately select 10 companies – including the most promising Singapore and regional early-stage ventures – to participate in the inaugural class. In November this year, the class will gather in Eastern Pacific’s headquarters in Singapore for a three-month programme of research and development, mentorship, and collaboration. The accelerator will culminate in February 2020 with a demo day wherein every startup will pitch its newly polished business to an audience of venture capitalists, corporate innovation leaders and industry experts.