Inmarsat has collaborated with the start-up programmes, Rainmaking Trade and Transport Impact (T&TI) and Bluetech Accelerator, to support news businesses focused on the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data innovation in the maritime, ports and logistics supply chain.
The programmes will fund, support and mentor start-ups’ developing applications that aim to leverage the power of IoT and big data to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability. Inmarsat will work with these start-ups to find a route to market through its satellite communications infrastructure that connects ships, yachts, ports, road and rail networks.
The T&TI programme, launched by Hamburg-based Rainmaking, will help connect actors like Inmarsat, Cargotec and Wärtsilä with innovative start-ups, and work collaboratively to address the biggest commercial and operational challenges facing the global supply chain today.
The Bluetech Accelerator, sponsored by Portugal and based in Lisbon, was initiated at the end of January and will take on six business partners including Inmarsat to help select and finance the first set of winning start-ups, who will be chosen in the last quarter of 2019.
Ali Grey, Senior Director of Digital Incubation at Inmarsat, stated:
Unlocking the full benefits will require fresh perspectives on both longstanding and looming challenges. Start-ups are good at spotting opportunities that more established players miss, so it is important for the industry’s future that we offer a helping hand to nurture innovation
Inmarsat has already some experience in developing application-based solutions,as the Fleet Data is a bandwidth-inclusive IoT platform that enables ship operators to collect data from onboard sensors, upload it to a cloud-based platform, and interface with applications from third-party application developers.
