Our Innovation Thesis

Maritime is undergoing a rapid recalibration and Studio 30 50 finds itself right at the center of it. 

As new technologies, AI,  heightened sustainability targets, and emerging revenue models collide, we’ve reached a pivotal moment to clarify who we are, what we stand for, and how we’re driving industry-wide impact. 

This innovation thesis captures our catalyst for that clarity: we’ve owned our evolution, embraced a broader mission, and are now charting a path that better serves the maritime sector’s most pressing needs.

Below is our story, our vision, and the story that will guide us—and the innovation ecosystem—towards a more agile, resilient, and opportunity-rich future.

2030 & 2050: Milestones that demand action

No milestones demand as much urgent innovation as the 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation targets set on our industry by the International Maritime Organisation.  “Studio 30 50” is not just a nod to that goal, but it speaks to a broader reality for our industry: the maritime sector’s evolution isn’t just about cutting emissions; it’s about embedding innovation at every level. 

Our focus on near-term feasibility (2030) and longer-term change (2050) reflects the urgency of the sector’s challenges while honoring its legacy of high-stakes problem-solving. We believe the sector’s future hinges on the convergence of multiple forces: AI-powered efficiencies, digitized trade and supply chains, resilient business models, and forward-thinking operational strategies.

We believe maritime’s future demands fresh thinking and proactive leadership, and that’s exactly what Studio 30 50 delivers.

How we got here

Studio 30 50 did not begin as a one-size-fits-all venture factory. 

We started with a clear intent:
Help maritime stakeholders tackle their toughest problems by blending deep domain know-how with creative innovation strategies. Early on, we recognised that no existing venture model captured our ambition, so we set out to chart our own course—we weren’t just a conventional venture builder, and we weren’t only an incubator either. Over time, we proved ourselves a team of problem-solvers capable of adapting to any number of venture structures—be it an internal corporate program, a spin-out, or an entirely new start-up.

As our work gained momentum, we encountered questions that challenged our identity—an experience that forced us to refine our story and clarify our mission. 

All these moments became our catalyst for clarity: we owned our evolution, took stock of our successes, and recognized that the maritime industry needed a truly adaptive solutions partner for this next wave of high-impact innovation.

In parallel, the industry itself continued to evolve. While decarbonization remains a cornerstone of maritime’s ambitions, AI, digitalization, and new revenue models have also begun to transform shipping, bunkering, and logistics. We recognized that “30 50” wasn’t only about sustainability; it was a rallying cry for tackling all near- and long-horizon challenges across maritime.

We are the Venture Growth Team for maritime

Today, Studio 30 50 has embraced its identity as a “Venture Growth Team.” 

Depending on who you ask, we might still be labelled an incubator or a corporate venture builder. That’s fine—those labels simply reflect how different stakeholders experience our work. In truth, we exist to solve maritime’s most pressing venture hurdles, using whichever innovation model makes the most sense—spin-outs, internal ventures, or joint programs. 

We bring to the table our “A-team” for each challenge, drawing on specialized expertise, networks, and technology to transform good ideas into real-world impact.

Our guiding principle is straightforward: maritime success is no longer about chasing theoretical unicorns or niche pilot projects. It’s about igniting robust, profitable ventures that address the industry’s greatest pain points (and opportunities), whether those involve optimizing ports, digitizing maritime trade, re-inventing maritime operations using AI or meeting decarbonization targets.

A pragmatic vision for maritime’s next wave

The shifts in global trade, environmental policies, and technology adoption have forced maritime to question long-held assumptions. The sector needs partners that combine insider knowledge with an agile, experimental mindset. 

Studio 30 50 fills that gap, offering a bold approach to innovation that is at once pragmatic and complimentary to the vision maritime’s first-movers already have.

By transcending the classic venture studio model, we position ourselves as the go-to for maritime leaders who know that incremental change won’t suffice:

We collaborate deeply with partners,
We give ventures access to almost every corner of maritime’s global innovation ecosystem (whether that’s prospective founders, corporates, tech partners or academic institutions)
We provide temporary resource augmentation when speed is essential,
We co-create solutions that deliver tangible value,
And always keep one eye on the grand horizon of what maritime could be in 2030, 2050, and beyond.

Our narrative is, at its core, a call to action. Studio 30 50 stands ready to steward a generation of maritime ventures that both future-proof the sector and accelerate its most essential transformations. Whether we’re partnering with global corporations on internal venture programs or spinning out new start-ups to address emerging demands, our commitment is unwavering: we are here to make maritime innovation happen—faster, smarter, and with greater market impact.

Studio 30 50 is proud to lead that charge—uniting future imperatives, operational excellence, and creative thinking into a new standard for how maritime ventures come to life. Together, we’ll shape the next horizon of maritime innovation and prove that fresh ideas, powered by the right team, can transform one of the world’s longest-standing industries into its most dynamic frontier.