PIER71 | From Deeptech to Deepsea
Unlocking Maritime as the Next Frontier for Market Discovery and Commercialisation
Session Synopsis
Maritime is one of the world's largest industries, and one of the least explored markets for technology built outside it. Yet many deep tech startups overlook one of the world's largest and most complex sectors: the maritime industry.
For deep tech founders, that gap is an opportunity: an underserved customer base, real operational problems still without good solutions, and technology that's often already proven in other sectors. What's missing for most founders isn't the tech, it's knowing the market exists and how to get a foot in the door.
This Industry Exchange is built to close that gap. Industry leaders, deep tech founders, investors and ecosystem partners will walk through what corporates are actually looking for, how one startup found and broke into the maritime market, and what it takes to turn a pilot into paying commercial adoption.
Special Thanks to our Partners at SGinnovate for co-hosting this with us
Panellist:
Alex Wong,
General Manager
Marinteknik
Alex Wong is the General Manager of Marinteknik Shipbuilders (S) Pte Ltd, bringing a unique dual expertise in corporate finance and maritime innovation. Prior to leading the 42-year-old shipbuilding firm known for crafting fast ferries, FSIVs, cargo supply vessels, and electric harbour crafts with a team of over 60. Alex spent more than 20 years as a corporate banker. In that time, he successfully financed a diverse portfolio ranging from dynamic startups to large-scale corporations. Today, Alex combines financial acumen with industry leadership to steer Marinteknik toward a sustainable future, driving cutting-edge initiatives such as the development of hydrogen fuel cell vessels and sustainable shipbuilding materials.
Panellist:
Yee Ching Sng, Co-Founder and Chief of Staff
Green COP
Yee Ching Sng is Co-Founder and Chief of Staff of Green COP Pte. Ltd., where she leads the company's ISCC EU sustainability certification efforts. A Chemical Engineering graduate of the University of Malaya, she was named 2025 Female Engineer of the Year at the Asian Downstream Summit and is a Breakthrough Energy Innovator Fellow.
Panellist:
Kellie Chan
Assistant Director – Investments,
SGInnovate
Kellie Chan is an Assistant Director of Investments at SGInnovate, where she leads the team’s work across the Generative AI, Cybersecurity, and Quantum Technologies spaces. In her current role, she focuses on early-stage investments in these cutting-edge fields, working closely with portfolio startup founders to chart their paths towards growth and scaling.
With 10 years of experience in Deep Tech ventures, she has not only overseen various investments into emerging technology startups, but has also driven corporate-startup collaboration and led technology scouting efforts across the APAC region. In this capacity, she matched global corporates with high-potential startups to accelerate innovation, facilitating the commercialisation and adoption of emerging technologies on a regional scale. This hands-on experience deepened her understanding of real-world market needs, enriching her investment approach.
She graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and a Bachelor of Business Management in Finance.
Moderator:
Jacqueline,
Marketing Manager,
PIER71
Jacqueline Goh is a marketing and communications professional with a background in digital marketing, media planning and social media content. An NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) alumna, she previously worked with a Techstars-backed big data startup and now supports PIER71, Singapore’s maritime innovation ecosystem. She enjoys bringing people and ideas together, and brings an audience-first approach to moderating conversations around technology, entrepreneurship, marketing and innovation.