Promo - published on 02 February 2024
Source: PK Communication press office
Two start-ups with the same soul, green. Young entrepreneurs with the aim of revolutionising the blue economy and the electric boating sector in Italy. It is the result of a partnership between E-ssence, a project conceived in Bologna and launched in 2023 in Liguria and Lombardy for the rental via app of purely electrically powered boats, and Navia, a boatyard founded in Rome that is designing boats that are increasingly green tech and with integrated solar panels. Navia will supply its boats and undertake to install the E-ssence application package in all models, which in turn will promote the business of share-mobility on water. The project will be presented on 6 March at the Bologna Business School during the start-up day, when the two companies will hold a panel.
The business around electric boat hire, moreover, is growing. According to the most recent research (Source: Mordor Intelligence report), the world market is expected to grow by 5% between now and 2027, reaching 20 billion, the European market 6.5 billion over the same period. In Italy at the moment it is ‘only’ 60 million, strong growth is expected in 2024.
From the very beginning, we understood Navia’s approach to the high quality of their boats; not only in terms of materials, but especially in terms of engineering and performance at sea, – says Leonardo Caiazza, founder of E-ssence. Thanks to this partnership, we will be able to offer our customers a consistently cutting-edge product. We are two start-ups that entered the sustainable boating sector at the same time, presenting distinct but perfectly complementary models. We are convinced that this collaboration is a win-win for both parties.
This collaboration represents a decisive moment for us, – comments Guglielmo La Via, founder of Navia, a Rome-based company with headquarters in Sabaudia, near the San Felice Circeo area. Thanks to E-ssence and their innovative electric boat sharing service, we are confident that we can respond optimally to the growing needs of the market. I believe that their scalable business model can promote the visibility of our product to a large and highly targeted customer base. We will strive to realise tech and purpose-built vessels for the E-ssence market.
The business model is defined, and totally innovative. With E-ssence, Italy’s first completely online electric boat sharing has been born, a model that in Europe only exists in the Netherlands. The founders of the start-up are Michele Lauriola, born in 1990, originally from Manfredonia and now residing in Montebelluna, in the Treviso area, and Leonardo Caiazza, born in 1989, originally from Parma, where he still lives and has significant international work experience. The system they propose is the same as that used for scooters in the cities, it is completely automated. You unlock the boat with the App on your mobile phone, navigate with the assistance of a virtual skipper who suggests itineraries and points of interest to visit, then moor and lock up. But not before charging the boat: this is the only obligation for the user before returning to land’.
The start-up E-ssence, which developed the software for the management of the procedures, will make three boats available to its customers from 2023: one is moored in the port of Mirabello in La Spezia in B2C mode and the second is being managed by an operator on Lake Garda, in B2B mode, as is the third, on Lake Bracciano. These locations are confirmed for the 2024 season, to which other destinations from central to northern Italy via the islands will be added. As the first outcome of the partnership with Navia, the integration of the E-ssence App will be achieved with the Navia X model, a high-performance inflatable boat, and with the new electric boat model currently being designed, characterised by high ecological standards, innovative solar panels and amazing performance ideal for use in Marine Protected Areas.
E-SSENCE Summary
The founders of the start-up E-ssence are Michele Lauriola, born in 1990 and Leonardo Caiazza, born in 1989. They are two young entrepreneurs who came up with their idea at the Bologna Business School where they earned an MBA in Green Energy and Sustainable Businesses in 2023. Their initiative was the subject of two incubation programmes: the BigBo by Pixel and Banca Sella and the Nowtilus curated by Wylab, the Ligurian Sea Innovation Hub. Their business model is short-term rental of electric boats, as is the case in cities for bicycles or scooters. All you need is your mobile phone. You search the app’s map for the nearest boat. You approach it, unlock the helm with a click. And then you sail, freely, without a licence. Reservations can also be made days apart to plan the holiday in time. There are also plans to offer shared snorkelling equipment, packages with itineraries and underwater attractions. In addition, a weather and SOS bottom service is offered in case of emergency. Through the app, the customer can geolocate the boats, book and unlock them. An extension to intermodality is also planned, coordinated with companies that rent bicycles and electric cars. The boats that E-ssence provides are navigable with and without a licence. In the first year of activity, many requests are arriving from Italy’s 22 marine protected areas, fragile ecosystems to be safeguarded, where moving around with petrol-powered boats damages the natural balance. A model that works well in Austria, particularly in Carinthia, which is completely innovative in Italy. On a European level, there are similar systems in Amsterdam that combine high technology and a totally green transport choice. E-ssence is aiming to be the reference in electric water chartering and is therefore working in the direction of differentiating the fleet to respond to the different demands of the market.
NAVIA Summary
Navia, a company at the forefront of sustainable boats, is dedicated to the design and production of advanced electric boats for charter and direct sale. Navia aims to accelerate the adoption of electric boats in recreational boating by offering high-performance and sustainable solutions; the company is a pioneer in the electric boat industry, with a team oriented towards a sustainable and technologically advanced future. The Navia team, led by Guglielmo la Via, class of 1990, an expert in the nautical world and a passionate innovator, is joined by three partners with expertise in the field of energy: Daniele Dell’Ariccia (class of 1991), Giuseppe Mancini (class of 1979) and Leonardo Castelli (class of 1980). This diversity of skills forms a dynamic team ready to guide Navia into the future of sustainable shipping.
Navia stands out for its scrupulous attention to every stage, from design to launch, with a focus on strategic partnerships and strong customer relationships. In the evolving market, Navia establishes itself as a reference point for the search for the latest technologies, combining Italian design and innovation.
Navia’s electric boats are perfect for sailing in protected marine areas, where the use of combustion engines is prohibited. This feature makes them not only environmentally friendly but also ideal for those who wish to enjoy the beauty of the most sensitive marine areas. The use of artificial intelligence in the boats makes Navia’s navigation not only sustainable but also safe, offering an immersive maritime experience.
See PK Communication’s Company Profile in our Community TheCompanies
