Splash recently caught up with the organisers of The Captain’s Table to see how Hong Kong’s inaugural pitch competition for the maritime and logistics industry is progressing.
A glance at the shortlist for The Captain’s Table, the new maritime start-up competition, shows what a global reach this Hong Kong initiative has evinced in its first year. The shortlist features pitches from 14 different countries. The finalists are set to be announced later this month and the winner will be selected at a live televised show, carried by Splash, during Hong Kong Maritime Week on the afternoon of November 19.
“We knew the standard of these applications would be high, but the sheer variety of problem statements and solutions, with different sector focuses has been fascinating. It is evidence that innovation is happening in the industry, and that the way we do business will be disrupted,” comments Su Yin Anand, one of the competition’s organisers.
The organisers have been busy over the past couple of months sifting through all the pitches to get to a shortlist and then meeting with the people behind the innovative ideas, whose breadth of experience and background has come as a surprise to Anand.
“What’s been interesting is that they are not all fresh out of school 20 year olds; some are very experienced industry veterans who are using their experience to drive change in the industry,” Anand says.
Splash will reveal the finalists later this month. The lucky few will then be flown to Hong Kong ahead of the finals show where they will be given advice on how to take their product forward.
“The differentiating factor of The Captain’s Table from other pitch competitions is our ability to tailor the ecosystem to startup. This includes mentorship, consulting on strategy, legal advice and introduction to partners and investors,” Anand says.
The Captain’s Table judges are six leading industry figures in technology, venture capital and the maritime industry. “They will be sharks,” Anand warns, “so the finals should be entertaining, insightful and interesting.”
Splash readers will be able to watch the finals live on November 19. Stay tuned!
