PortXL, the Rotterdam-based maritime startup accelerator, has presented the 11 startups and scale-ups selected for its 2026 acceleration program. The cohort was chosen after vetting a global pool of more than 250 applicants, spanning three focus areas relevant to the future of port and maritime: Maritime & Offshore, Energy & Infrastructure, and Dual Use.
About PortXL
Since its founding in 2015, PortXL has connected startups and scale-ups with corporate partners, investors, and mentors across the maritime, energy, logistics, and chemical industries. Over the past ten years, 141 startups have taken part in PortXL’s acceleration program, with an impressive 76% survival rate, and alumni have raised more than €202 million in funding.
Koen Vogel, Director of PortXL, framed this year’s cohort: “PortXL’s second decade starts with a cohort that reflects where the sector is heading. Resilience, security and the energy transition are converging in the port and maritime sector, and these startups & scale-ups work right where they meet. Our shared goal over the coming weeks is to turn introductions into tangible value for both our partners and the founders.”
The Program
The 2026 cohort will take part in an accelerator program running in Rotterdam from October 6 to December 3. The program focuses on access to market, access to capital, and building a network of peers and mentors. During this period, the cohort will come together in Rotterdam for three separate weeks to work with mentors and explore opportunities with lead program partner Port of Rotterdam Authority, alongside various innovation partners such as the Ministry of Defence and the Municipality of Rotterdam.
PortXL is also welcoming new innovation partners this year, including Damen and Royal IHC, to which the startups will be introduced.
The 2026 Cohort
Maritime & Offshore
- Bluefins (France) — A retrofittable auxiliary propulsion system for ships, shaped like a whale’s tail, that reduces fuel consumption by up to 20%, targeting a three-to-five-year return on investment.
- BioHalo (Denmark) — Non-PFAS, biodegradable surface-modifying ingredients for coatings, including a biotech-based antifouling paint component that couldn’t previously be synthesized chemically.
- Elnav (Croatia) — Human-in-the-loop maritime AI technology for moments where onboard systems, procedures, and professional judgement must align, including active watchkeeping support and emergency leadership training.
- Marine Weather Intelligence (France) — Weather routing and forecasting for shipping, offshore, heavy transport, towage, and yachts, aimed at reducing fuel use, emissions, and operational risk.
- Shipsonic (Netherlands) — Ultrasonic antifouling technology that uses vibrations to keep ship hulls free of fouling without maintenance or chemicals, already in use by shipowners across the Netherlands.
Energy & Infrastructure
- CLHYNN (France) — A fuel cell with its own integrated hydrogen source, built without rare metals, other critical raw materials, or PFAS, positioned as a new form of decentralized energy.
- Meterspersecond (Netherlands) — Vertical wind turbines with double the energy density of conventional designs, developed as an alternative to diesel generators for powering dockside operations.
- PointCanvas (United Kingdom) — Turns 3D site scans of complex infrastructure into usable spatial insights within hours instead of weeks, already piloted in the Scottish oil and gas sector.
Dual Use
- Aetherion Defence (Luxembourg) — An EU-sovereign distributed radar mesh that detects low-altitude drones around ports, critical infrastructure, and defence sites, using distributed sensors to reduce the risk of individual sensor failure.
- Cleardrop (France) — Keeps optical sensors clear of rain, snow, salt residue, sand, and mud using acoustic waves and minimal power, allowing autonomous systems to keep operating in conditions that would otherwise blind them.
- Copsys (Canada) — A digital, self-sensing coating for ship hulls and infrastructure that supports antifouling, corrosion detection, and proactive maintenance, reducing the need for manual visual inspection.
