Ship management group Columbia has set up a venture capital entity to act as a “melting pot” for shipping innovation.
The company, part of shipowner Schoeller Holdings, said Galactic Beacon Ventures (GBV) will help transform cutting-edge ideas into viable businesses across the maritime, logistics, energy and leisure sectors.
Projects must be true to the operations’s sustainable credentials, Columbia added.
The company has not disclosed any financial targets, but said GBV will be backed by the group’s “vast” network of clients, partners and industry contacts.
GBV chief investment officer Kyriakos Vlachos said: “We are seeing a lot of innovative and interesting ideas coming to us from new start-ups and we wanted to launch a platform where we and our partners can get involved and support from the very beginning.
“We thrive on challenging conventional wisdom, spotting potential early on and backing visionary founders with conviction, long before the more cautious investors catch on.”
The idea is to assess opportunities meticulously, Vlachos said, to “create pathways for high growth and scalability”.
“We pride ourselves on leaving a legacy of innovation, progress and positive impact. With our global perspective, we connect diverse expertise, networks and ideas to exploit synergies, accelerate growth and shape industries,” he added.
Mark O’Neil, chief executive of Columbia Group, said: “GBV, powered by the Columbia Group, provides a guiding light and support for entrepreneurs worldwide.”
