Berlin-based maritime tech firm Tilla, which provides an AI-powered platform to digitize and automate crew change logistics for the commercial shipping industry, has raised €2 million to accelerate the growth of its Maritime Crew Logistics Platform, Vestbee was told.
- Founded in 2021 by Niklas Weidmann and Narayan Venkatesh, Tilla develops a digital platform that streamlines and automates the complex logistics of crew changes in commercial shipping.
- The platform addresses a longstanding industry challenge: the inefficiency and fragmentation of crew change processes, which typically rely on emails, spreadsheets, and phone calls.
- Tilla replaces these manual workflows with an AI-powered system that integrates key data sources such as voyage schedules, crew information, port agent data, real-time flight updates, and travel requirements.
- Designed to work alongside existing crew management systems, the platform covers the full crew change lifecycle, from planning and flight booking to invoice handling and reporting.
- According to the firm, its system helps shipping companies reduce costs, minimize errors, and save time, with reported cost reductions of up to 24% and time savings of up to 40%.
Details of the deal
- The investment was led by Motion Ventures, a VC fund focused on driving digital and energy transitions in global supply chains, alongside a strategic investment from EXMAR, a renowned Belgian shipping company with a long-standing reputation under the Saverys family.
“ Tilla’s early traction shows the appetite for solutions that can drive both savings and speed with simplicity. What stood out was how fast the team converted pilots into paying customers, that kind of execution speaks volumes. Niklas and Narayan are building for the industry, with the industry," claims Anders Vartdal, Senior Investment Associate at Motion Ventures.
- Tilla will use the new €2 million funding to expand into key international markets like APAC and the Mediterranean, scale its global team, and enhance its AI-powered crew logistics platform with new features and improved integrations, all aimed at accelerating growth and strengthening its position in the maritime industry.
“This funding comes at a pivotal moment for Tilla as we see growing demand for digitized crew logistics. Now, with Motion Ventures and EXMAR as partners who understand both the technology and industry landscape, we can accelerate our global value delivery and expand the platform with new AI-powered planning features," co-founder and Managing Director of Tilla, Narayan Venkatesh, commented.
