MPA, Plug and Play team up to boost maritime innovation in Singapore

April 1, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Plug and Play, an innovation platform based in Silicon Valley, has partnered with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to accelerate innovation, digitalization, and decarbonization in the maritime sector.

Illustration. Source: Flickr under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license. Image by Kees Torn

As informed, the collaboration aims to strengthen Singapore’s maritime innovation ecosystem by supporting maritime startups, fostering stronger corporate engagement, and building a community of innovators and stakeholders.

Through the partnership, MPA will be able to tap into Plug and Play’s network and expertise to identify promising startups, introduce emerging technology solutions, and reinforce Singapore’s position as “a leading innovation hub”.

The partnership will strengthen Port Innovation Ecosystem Reimagined @ BLOCK71 (PIER71), a maritime innovation ecosystem-building initiative led by MPA and the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) entrepreneurial arm, NUS Enterprise. Plug and Play’s expertise and network will drive stronger corporate participation and complement PIER71 efforts to attract promising startups, facilitate industry collaborations, and accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge maritime solutions.

View on Offshore-energy.

The collaboration is expected to further integrate Singapore’s maritime ecosystem with global innovation networks, creating more opportunities for startups to test and scale their solutions.

“Since 2021, Plug and Play’s Maritime program has driven innovation in smart shipping, sustainability, supply chain optimization, safety and wellbeing, and smart infrastructure. Having identified and worked with over 500 leading startups, we are now expanding our Maritime program to Singapore in partnership with MPA, further strengthening our global presence in one of the world’s leading maritime hubs,” Jupe Tan, Managing Partner, APAC – Plug and Play Tech Center, commented.

“The maritime industry is undergoing rapid transformation and innovation is key to ensuring Maritime Singapore remains competitive and sustainable. Our partnership with Plug and Play will strengthen Singapore’s maritime innovation ecosystem by broadening access to global networks, testbeds, and funding opportunities,” Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry & Transformation), MPA, said.

“By connecting startups with industry players, and supporting the development of promising solutions, we aim to accelerate digitalisation, decarbonisation, and efficiency across the sector.”

In related news, MPA and NUS Enterprise have renewed their partnership for another three years to further develop Singapore into a ‘leading’ maritime technology startup hub through the PIER71 program.

Since its launch in 2018, PIER71 has nurtured over 140 MarineTech startups. These startups have raised over S$100 million ($74.44 million) in investments since the initiative was launched in 2018, with 14 startups raising close to S$28.9 million in 2024. MPA has awarded grant funding to 61 startup projects, with over 27 technologies developed through these projects being deployed in the maritime industry to date.