General Catalyst is leading the investment in a maritime recruiting platform that helps shippers maximize sailors’ time on board ships.
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NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Marine technology company Seafair today announced its $ 5.7 million financing round led by General Catalyst with participation from FirstMinute Capital, Signal Ventures, TA Ventures , SV Angel, Speedinvest and previous investors FJ Labs. New funding fuels Seafair’s plans to develop additional technology for the control of mariners; expand the reach of its software; and expand into new and existing markets such as Western and Eastern Europe, the Philippines and the United States.
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Seafair brings transparency and innovation to maritime recruitment, a market of $ 60 billion worldwide. The company provides a digital platform that connects seafarers and shipping companies, as well as software that shipping companies use to monitor, manage and retain sailors.
“Seafarers have one of the most demanding jobs in the world,” said Agapitos Diakogiannis, Founder and CEO of Seafair. “We want to make sure that they are given the opportunities they deserve and that they receive sufficient guidance from employers on how to become more efficient on board ships. We envision a world where exceptional sailors can shine aboard ships and shipping companies are incentivized to pay a premium to retain them. “
Using its proprietary software and technology, Seafair collects data on the background, skills and performance of sailors on board a vessel, which is then used as input data into its matching algorithm, enabling companies to maritime to match them to the most relevant vacancy. The company’s vision is to harness data to help shipping companies understand how seafarers can become more efficient in their daily work.
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“The maritime industry is one of the last untapped frontiers,” said Niko Bonatsos, CEO of General Catalyst. “It takes deep industry knowledge, an ambitious vision and a determined team to be successful in a market like this. We have seen all of the above at Seafair and are so excited to be a part of this trip.
“We have always been fans of verticalized, B2B and SaaS markets at FJ Labs,” said Fabrice Grinda, partner at FJ Labs. “The recruitment and management of seafarers is a complex process. It involves assets with complicated specifications and conditions, multiple specializations, multiple certifications, multiple source countries. Data and technology can create a unique competitive advantage for such a market. We are honored to be working on this vision with Seafair. “
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Seafair, which was launched at the end of 2020, has already acquired several paying customers, including one of the top 100 shipping companies in the world. The company has 5 active locations: NYC (US), Berlin (Germany), Athens (Greece), Odessa (Ukraine) and Manila (Philippines), but most of its employees work remotely – a culture the company plans to keep in office. -COVID. The company strives to create a diverse, inclusive and transparent culture. For example, everyone at Seafair knows the composition structure of each team member. “The only way to disrupt an opaque industry is to promote internally all the values we want to bring to the industry first,” Agapitos said.
About Seafair
Sea Show is a technology company that provides crew software and digital recruiting services through its authorized agencies in Ukraine and the Philippines. Seafair’s technology and services are already in use by leading shipping companies, which are partnering with Seafair to optimize maritime crew operations after COVID.
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About General Catalyst
General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive and lasting change – for our entrepreneurs, investors, employees and society. We support founders with a long-term vision that challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth to create businesses that stand the test of time. With offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York and Boston, the company has helped support the growth of businesses, such as: Airbnb, Canva, Datto, Demandware, Grammarly, Gitlab, Guild, Gusto, Hubspot, Kayak, Lemonade, Livongo, Monzo, Oscar, Samsara, Stripe and Warby Parker. For more: www.generalcatalyst.com .
About FJ Labs
FJ Labs is a venture capitalist / start-up studio focused on online marketplaces and mainstream internet companies. Founded by serial entrepreneurs Fabrice Grinda (OLX, Aucland, Zingy) and Jose Marin (Deremate, IG Expansion), FJ Labs has supported over 500 companies including Alibaba, Betterment, Delivery Hero, FanDuel and Flexport and has been directly engaged in construction companies. like Adore Me, Properly, Letgo and Rebag. Learn more about FJ Labs: https://www.fjlabs.com
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