Opentop, Valenciaport’s open innovation hub, launches its first startup incubation call with four challenges in the port sector

The call for Opentop’s incubation program will remain open from today until July 31st, 2022

Opentop proposes four interesting challenges to the startups to try to bring ports closer to the citizenship; create the containers of the future, move towards a zero-net emissions port, and improve the exchange of information between the agents of the logistics chain.

Participants will enjoy a 3-month customized incubation program, hand in hand with Telefónica Open Future: access to the best experts in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, to Port of Valencia business cluster to validate their projects, and to investment opportunities from key industry stakeholders.

Valencia, 22 June 2022. – Opentop, Valenciaport’s open innovation hub, opens today the call for its I Startup Incubation Program with the launch of four challenges related to the port logistics sector.

This initiative, led by the Fundación Valenciaport with the support of Telefónica Open Future, aims to be the gateway for technology startups seeking for powerful connections with leading companies in the port-logistics sector in the Port of Valencia. The aspirations are clear, and it is sought that every synergy created in the ecosystem has an international impact, so as to also become an open innovation hub of reference in the sector.

Opentop is located in the Port of Valencia, the best strategic environment to develop its activities. The Port offers the most efficient maritime trade service in southern Europe, with connections to more than 1,000 ports around the world, being also the leader in container traffic in Spain, and fourth in Europe.

With such attributes, Opentop hopes and aspires to attract all the talent in the sector to promote it in the best of scenarios.

With this objective, Opentop opens the call for its I Startup Incubation Program, which will remain open until July 31st, 2022.

The initiative looks for early-stage startups that meet the challenges to access an incubation program that will begin in October and will last for 3 months. The Port Authority of Valencia and TransBase SOLER have proposed two of the four challenges of this call, completed with two other “Opentop” challenges. These are the four challenges faced by interested startups:

Port Authority of Valencia CHALLENGE: Engaging ports and citizens through gamification

The huge impact that ports have on personal wellbeing and the business fabric that surrounds us is not sufficiently present in the collective knowledge. Neither are there great connections between the citizenship and port facilities, which hampers the establishment of stable and durable links between the port ecosystem and the ordinary citizen.

We are looking for startups that help bring the Port closer to citizens through the use of gamification: immersive, interactive, fun and attractive games to reinforce and improve the knowledge about the Port. The objective is to promote the port, its stakeholders, activities and objectives.

TransBase SOLER CHALLENGE: The container of the future

There is an extremely high percentage of empty shipping containers on the move caused by commercial imbalances that generate a great negative impact both economically and environmentally. Containers have not evolved much since their appearance in 1950, and it is time to address this serious problem.

We are looking for early-stage startups to develop a new concept of container, that is smarter, more efficient, both single-use and recyclable and sustainable, and with new manufacturing and recycling processes such as 3D printing, to avoid as much as possible the movement of empty containers.

Towards the net-zero emission port

The European Commission is committed to reducing emissions by at least 55% in the transport sector by 2030. We want to go a little further and reach net-zero emissions by that date

We are looking for early-stage startups with technological solutions that can make a significant breakthrough to reach this goal: CO2 capture or offset systems, micro/mini renewable energy generation, optimization and management of the energy mix, transport and storage of alternative fuels, monitoring of environmental performance data to optimize ship operations, etc.

Enhancing information exchange between logistic chain agents

The transport logistic chain involves a massive number of stakeholders, with virtually each using different platforms, messages and languages, despite the international efforts to maintain international guidelines.

We are looking for early-stage startups with technological solutions capable of understanding any type of communication protocol and standards, as well as processing, classifying, storing and transforming it to send the information to different recipients, regardless of the standard they use.

The projects that apply for this call will be evaluated in different areas by a committee of experts that will carry out a first pre-selection between the candidates. Those startups that make the first cut will pitch in front of a professional jury made up of specialists from the logistics-port, venture capital, product, sales…sectors, on Pitch Day on September 19th.

During the three months of the incubation program, the startups will have access to expert and qualified mentors from the port-logistic industry; personalized and specific training in areas such as business, communication, sales, media impact, etc.: everything that it is necessary to push the project.

In addition, the incubated companies will have at their disposal Telefónica Open Future’s investment ecosystem to find funding support, as well as access to Port of Valencia’s business cluster to validate their projects.

Both Opentop, Fundación Valenciaport and Telefónica Open Future expect a great impact of this call, and encourage registration through their website: https://opentop.es/.