Innovations on the maritime horizon: Techseed 2025 Program Finale

Today marked Demo Day – the finale of the 6th edition of the Techseed pre-acceleration program. Five innovative teams, which had been working under the guidance of mentors since October 2025 on solutions for the maritime industry, had the opportunity to compete for the main prize of PLN 20,000. The prize is funded by the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation Starter, and the project is co-financed by the City of Gdańsk.

Techseed is a pre-acceleration program that develops innovative solutions in areas such as sustainability, renewable energy, and modern maritime technologies. Over the past eight months, the finalists took part in an intensive series of business workshops, individual consultations with experts, and worked on refining their investor presentations, known as pitch decks.

“Techseed responds to the growing demand for new ideas and solutions in the maritime industry,” says Magdalena Wójtowicz, President of the Management Board of the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation STARTER. “We see a significant need to support startups and young entrepreneurs who want to develop their business competencies in such a specific and demanding sector. Through our program, we accelerate the development of their skills by offering them free access to knowledge from top experts, as well as the opportunity to establish cooperation with industry contacts.”

During today’s event, the projects presented by teams were addressing challenges in the maritime and defence sectors. The finalists included:

• Jastrząb – a drone detection system designed to protect critical infrastructure.
• Nanomilitary – breakthrough nanotechnology-based solutions for the defence and space sectors.
• Raylock System – a platform for tracking drone flight paths.
• Raywatch – an intelligent IoT system for the early detection of electrical system failures on vessels.
• Subsee – autonomous underwater vehicles and robots designed to enhance the overall safety of maritime operations.

The projects were evaluated by a jury composed of representatives of Starter, Gdynia Maritime University, Infoshare, Bitdefender, a global cybersecurity company, and Cobin Angels, a network of business angels, i.e. investors interested in innovation. The main evaluation criteria were the attractiveness of the idea and its readiness for market launch.

The winner of the 6th edition of the Techseed program was the SUBSEE team, which presented a solution enabling the assessment of contamination levels on vessel hulls before they enter port. The key innovation of the project is the full automation of the service.

Hull contamination, known as biofouling, is a significant challenge for both the maritime industry and the natural environment. Organisms that accumulate on hulls may contribute to the spread of invasive species, posing a threat to local fauna, flora, and aquatic ecosystems. Regular and effective assessment of hull condition helps reduce this risk, while also supporting shipowners and ports in better managing environmental requirements and biosecurity procedures.

Demo Day is not only a competition for the prize, but above all an opportunity to build relationships with investors, developers, and representatives of the entire startup ecosystem.

Project is co-funded by the City of Gdańsk.