Startup Recovery plan for port of Rotterdam

Startup Recovery Program

Startups and scale-ups are having a hard time. Influenced by the corona crisis, innovation budgets in the maritime and logistics industry are under pressure. As a result, many innovation projects with startups and scale-ups have been stopped or shelved. This can result in loss of innovation, while innovations are badly needed for the port's digital and energy transition. That is why PortXL presented the Startup Recovery Plan during Shakeup. In this plan, which starts in September, every company in the port can contribute its innovation challenge. Subsequently, PortXL searches for and presents solutions worldwide. With support from an 'innovation stimulus budget' pilots (=innovation projects) are financially supported. In this way, market parties and startups are easily brought into contact with each other with the aim of facilitating and accelerating innovation projects in the port.

The digital event concluded with an optimistic outlook for the coming year. Alderman Barbara Kathmann of the Municipality of Rotterdam and CFO Vivienne de Leeuw of the Port of Rotterdam Authority encouraged the participating companies.

"PortXL's startup recovery plan once again shows that Rotterdam is the breeding ground for maritime innovation and this will continue during Corona. By bringing international innovations to Rotterdam and working together with entrepreneurs in the maritime cluster here, we are stimulating the innovations that the city and port desperately need. I would therefore like to call on companies in the region to submit their innovation challenge to PortXL. If they meet the 100 challenges, which are part of their recovery plan, we will also strengthen our position as Maritime Capital of Europe. According to Barbara Kathmann, alderman for the Municipality of Rotterdam."

Vivienne de Leeuw, CFO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority: 'It is impressive to see that in times of enormous uncertainty we are able to join forces in this way to continue to offer oxygen to much-needed innovation. I am very curious to see what innovative solutions we will be able to bring to Rotterdam in the coming months and how they can support the port in its transition'.