'There's no silver bullet': What the world's largest maritime tech fund is looking to invest in

The maritime and shipping industry is estimated to contribute 3 percent of all global carbon emissions and has an even bigger impact on the world’s oceans.

Motion Ventures wants to spearhead the efforts to change that with a record-breaking $100m (€92m) fund focused on finding tech solutions that make the shipping industry more efficient and greener.

Motion Ventures founder Shaun Hon tells Impact Loop that the Singapore-based fund is casting a wide net in its search for companies to back.

"While we invest globally, our footprint aligns with maritime’s inherently international nature,” Hon says. “We’ve backed startups across Europe, the US, and Asia – wherever there’s strong potential for impact and scalability."

Hon says the fund is looking for both digital software solutions that can have an immediate impact on the maritime energy transition, as well as hardware solutions that could take longer to develop – but net greater long-term results.

"Digital tools deliver fast, measurable results with relatively low capital requirements, making them ideal for near-term adoption,” Hon says. “But to achieve deep decarbonisation, the industry must also embrace hardware innovation – whether that’s new propulsion systems, fuel types, or onboard energy storage. Our approach is to support companies that help the industry navigate this transition holistically, unlocking immediate efficiencies through digitalisation while laying the groundwork for long-term transformation through physical innovation."

Hon listed several areas the fund wants to invest in, including new energy and propulsion systems, operational automation, supply chain optimisation and improved environmental monitoring and compliance.

This is Motion Ventures’ second fund, and it has received the backing of more than 17 industry corporations.

The goal is to invest in at least 25 companies over the next two years, writing checks of between $250,000 and $10m (about €230,000 to €9m).

Three key focus areas

The maritime sector is the backbone of global commerce but is under mounting pressure to accelerate its sustainability transformation, with regulators and customers now demanding faster progress toward carbon neutrality.

Hon singled out three key areas where he sees the greatest potential for decarbonisation: alternative fuels, energy efficiency and electrification, and AI and digital optimisation.

"The path to net-zero in maritime is complex and multifaceted – there’s no silver bullet," he says.

Green fuels, onboard carbon capture and future propulsion systems “represent a foundational shift in how ships are powered,” but are long-term solutions that need time to scale and develop, Hon says.

Meanwhile, retrofitting existing fleets with hybrid propulsions and wind-assisted tech like rotor sails "can deliver immediate emissions reductions and serve as a vital bridge to future fuels," he adds.

As in all industries, AI will also play a part by improving fuel consumption analytics and predictive maintenance.

'Tackled a fundamental pain point'

The fund has already made two investments: in Hamburg-based OceanScore, which provides data-driven solutions for tracking emissions and compliance; and Munich-based Fernride, which develops autonomous vehicles for shipping yards and other logistics operations.

Another Germany company, Kaiko Systems, was part of Motion Ventures’ first fund and raised another €6m this week from other investors for its maritime intelligence platform.

"Kaiko is a great example of why we’re doubling down with Motion Ventures Fund II to back early-stage startups that can drive real operational change in maritime through digitalisation and automation," Hon says.

"Kaiko stood out because they tackled a fundamental pain point: turning manual, paper-based inspections into structured, real-time intelligence. … What we’ve seen with Kaiko is exactly what we set out to achieve, the early backing of high-impact solutions that gain rapid industry traction. With Fund I, we proved that these types of investments work. Fund II is about accelerating that success, with bigger checks and the ability to invest in both software and hardware innovations that push maritime’s transformation even further."