Soren Christian Meyer, who led maritime technology firm ZeroNorth for nearly six years before stepping down as CEO earlier this year, has launched a new advisory venture called Tidely Partners.

The Copenhagen-based firm is focused on driving growth in the maritime technology sector and will work with maritime technology companies, investors, shipowners, and operators, according to its website. The launch comes as the maritime technology sector continues to attract private equity and growth capital interest, driven by tightening regulatory requirements around emissions reductions and operational efficiency, including IMO decarbonization targets and frameworks such as the EU Emissions Trading System and CII/EEXI ratings.

Meyer announced the launch in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday.

"After +25 years in maritime and building a software company (ZeroNorth) in it, I have started Tidely Partners," Meyer wrote. "Every commercial team I have met hit the same wall."

"To sell more, you hire more, and in this market the right people are hard to find," he continued. "That is changing, and it is the part I find most interesting."

Meyer previously led ZeroNorth from June 2020 before departing the CEO role earlier this year.

According to its website, Tidely Partners provides commercial due diligence and underwriting support to private equity and growth funds investing in maritime, shipping, and industrial software. The firm also advises clients on go-to-market and scaling strategies, as well as mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and investor targeting. The scope of services positions the firm to address a gap that many maritime technology startups encounter as they transition from early-stage growth to scaling across geographies and customer segments.

ZeroNorth, the company Meyer previously headed, is a maritime technology firm that provides data-driven platforms designed to help shipowners and operators optimize vessel performance and reduce emissions.

Source: Ship & Bunker