Singapore-based Motion Ventures, Rainmaking’s corporate innovation and venture development arm, has launched its second fund, a US$100 million initiative dedicated to maritime technology.
The fund will target solutions that digitise and decarbonise the global maritime supply chain. It will support startups developing more asset-intensive hardware solutions, reflecting the growing demand for tangible progress in sustainability, vessel operations, and port modernisation.
Over the next 18 to 24 months, Motion Ventures Fund II plans to invest between US$250,000 and US$10,000,000 in at least 25 companies.
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The new fund has already secured over half its target, with most of its Fund I backers reinvesting at the first close and others in advanced discussions. “This demonstrates strong confidence in our model and the traction we’ve built. We’ve also welcomed new sources of strategic industry capital, including pre-eminent family offices and institutional investors with existing exposure to maritime innovation,” Shaun Hon, founder and General Partner of Motion Ventures, said.
“The fact that the majority of Fund I investors have followed on, alongside new strategic LPs, reinforces that our model isn’t just working; it’s scaling. With Fund II, Motion Ventures now has the largest maritime corporate consortium in venture capital, meaning our LPs include representation across the maritime value chain. For the startups in our portfolio, this means they gain a competitive advantage of ecosystem access for deeper industry collaboration, real-world pilots, and faster adoption pathways,” he added.
Fund II has already invested in OceanScore and Fernride, bringing the total number of deals across its first and second funds to 30. The VC firm has also expanded its industry consortium to 17 major maritime and supply chain stakeholders.
The new fund builds on the success of Motion Ventures Fund I, launched in 2021, which has already generated two profitable exits. It has made joint investments with SEEDS Capital in startups, including Pyxis. Since its inception in 2021, the firm has evaluated over 8,000 startups through its rigorous investment process.
Jan Holm, Advisor to Motion Ventures, said: “By pairing ambitious founders with strategic backers, Fund II represents a crucial step forward: bringing together fresh solutions, both digital and hardware-based, and fast-tracking their path to scale.”
The VC firm follows a consortium-driven approach, with the Motion Ventures Alliance providing portfolio companies access to over 80 seasoned maritime executives for mentorship and pilot opportunities.
The maritime digitisation market is projected to reach US$423.4 billion by 2031, driven by regulatory and customer pressures.
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