SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gulftainer, one of the world’s leading privately held port operators, today announced that it has shortlisted 10 highly disruptive start-ups from six continents to compete for the latest supply chain innovations at its ‘Future of Ports 2021’ event. Marking the end of the Future of Ports Startup Challenge that aims to identify promising, cutting-edge startups with the potential to disrupt the ports and logistics sector, the event will bring together industry leaders and innovators to discuss the future of the industry before a live virtual global audience.
The selection process saw Gulftainer, in partnership with global innovation platform OneValley, evaluate over 2,000 applicants with an aim to shortlist 250 most relevant technology solutions from over 200 cities. Applications came from companies operating across various stages of maturity, while the focus of the competition was on earlier stage companies that are set to benefit from Gulftainer’s operational expertise through proof of concepts to further develop their product offerings.
The rigorous selection process successfully narrowed down the list to the top 10 start-ups that demonstrated the strongest potential while presenting their projects to Gulftainer’s senior executives and global industry thought leaders.
Charles Menkhorst, Group CEO of Gulftainer, said: “We are on a mission to identify the very best entrepreneurs and thinkers whom we can potentially partner with to redefine the future of shipping and logistics industry. The caliber of start-ups and emerging technology companies we have seen throughout the challenge has been truly outstanding. These innovations can have a lasting impact on the industry’s future, and Gulftainer is excited to lead the way. We are committed to developing long-term partnerships with top technology companies that will define the future of the industry.”
“Gulftainer’s incredible call to action for entrepreneurs with a vision to transform the port and logistics landscape helped us identify some up-and-coming innovative companies from around the world. The process has gone through thorough assessments and in-depth interviews. Therefore, it is not surprising that our list of finalists features the most exciting, and potentially disruptive, technologies emerging globally,” said Nikhil Sinha, CEO of OneValley.
The ‘Future of Ports 2021’ event provides the shortlisted companies a virtual global platform to present their groundbreaking solutions across IoT and Robo-Doctors, AI and Autonomous Drones, Big Data and Advanced Analytics, and Blockchain for a chance to win cash prizes and the opportunity to explore the deployment or co-development of their technology solutions with Gulftainer.
The 10 start-up finalists are:
- Artemis Robotics
- Authenticiti
- Creation Labs
- Docktech
- eYARD
- IronYun
- Moeco
- Morpheus.Network
- ThroughPut
- Zainar
The ‘Future of Ports 2021’ will take place virtually March 18 at 7 p.m. (GST) in the UAE, and at 7 a.m. (PDT) and 10 a.m. (EDT) in the United States. Apart from product showcases by the shortlisted start-ups, the event will feature talks from industry thought leaders on disruptive innovation and technology within the supply chain and logistics ecosystem, and what the future holds for the industry. Badr Jafar, chair of the Executive Board for Gulftainer and CEO of Crescent Enterprises, the parent company of Gulftainer, will be delivering the opening remarks, followed with sessions by senior members of Gulftainer’s leadership, Nikhil Sinha, CEO of OneValley, and a panel of supply chain innovation thought leaders.
To learn more about the Future of Ports Challenge and Gulftainer, or to register to attend the Future of Ports 2021, visit FOP.GULFTAINER.COM.
About Gulftainer
Established in 1976, Gulftainer is a privately owned, independent port management and 3PL logistics company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and for more than 40 years it has been delivering a world-class performance to its customers. Its global footprint including operations in the UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the USA.
Gulftainer is excited to create an open, collaborative platform to lead the port industry’s revolution, engaging startups, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders to create the future of the ports and logistics industry. For more information on Gulftainer, visit www.gulftainer.com.
About OneValley
OneValley, formerly GSVlabs, is a global entrepreneurship platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, that supports entrepreneurs, accelerates startups, and empowers organizations across the world that foster innovation communities. OneValley directly supports over 40,000 members and indirectly another 175,000+ through our enterprise partnerships and platforms, powered by our online platform Passport, the world’s most comprehensive innovation platform connecting Silicon Valley to the World and the World to Silicon Valley. For more information about OneValley, visit www.theonevalley.com.