At Singapore Maritime Week 2025, Michael Gryseels, Founder and Managing Partner of Antares Ventures, joined a panel hosted by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) to explore how deep-tech innovation is reshaping the maritime industry across Southeast Asia.
With Southeast Asia managing over 25% of global trade and the maritime sector contributing 15% of regional GDP, the region is under increasing pressure to adopt smarter, more sustainable solutions. Issues such as port congestion, rising environmental concerns, and tightening regulatory standards are creating a clear demand for innovation—and setting the stage for a new era of transformation powered by deep technology.
In a discussion titled “Opportunity in Maritime: Why SEA, Why Now?”, Gryseels highlighted the region’s strategic role in global shipping, noting that the Straits of Malacca alone facilitate a quarter of the world’s trade. Despite this significance, maritime tech investment remains relatively modest compared to sectors like fintech or enterprise AI—pointing to both a gap and a unique opportunity for early movers.
“Port congestion across Southeast Asia leads to 32% longer vessel waiting times,” Gryseels remarked. “The inefficiencies are real—but so are the opportunities for technology to redefine operations, sustainability, and resilience.”
The presentation outlined four major innovation themes that are already gaining traction across the region:
1. Green Shipping & Clean Energy
Electric propulsion, carbon capture, and next-generation fuels such as ammonia and methanol are becoming critical components of decarbonization strategies.
2. Supply Chain Digitalization
Technologies like IoT, AI, and blockchain are enabling smarter port operations and real-time supply chain visibility.
3. Autonomous & Remote Operations
Emerging tools—from uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) to AR-powered remote inspections—are set to revolutionize how fleets are managed and maintained.
4. Marine Biodiversity & Ocean Intelligence
Innovations in ocean monitoring, sustainable aquaculture, and pollution mitigation are essential to preserving Southeast Asia’s fragile marine ecosystems.
Antares Ventures, a Singapore-based venture capital firm focused exclusively on deep-tech, is actively investing in early-stage startups addressing these maritime challenges in the Asia Growth Market. Its portfolio includes:
1. Open Ocean Robotics: USVs enabling remote ocean data collection
2. Photon Marine: Electric propulsion systems for workboats and ferries
3. enaDyne: Power-to-methanol technology supporting green shipping fuels
4. Umami Bioworks: Cultivated seafood solutions for resilient food systems
Despite growing interest, maritime deep-tech remains underfunded relative to its potential impact. According to Gryseels, achieving scale will require more than startup innovation—it will take committed collaboration between investors, corporate partners, and regulators to drive adoption at an ecosystem level.
Antares Ventures continues to play a catalytic role in this space, leveraging its deep-tech expertise and strong regional networks to accelerate the commercialization of transformative solutions for Southeast Asia and beyond.
Learn more about our deep-tech investments and market focus in Asia Growth Markets in Michael’s presentation below
