Pitch Competition Returns to boot Düsseldorf

Applications for Startup x Investor Day are now being accepted from emerging businesses.

By David Gee

November 2, 2026

Yachting Ventures and European Boating Industry are again presenting Startup x Investor Day at boot Düsseldorf’s Blue Innovation Dock.

The 2027 edition, scheduled for Jan. 26, will create opportunities for emerging marine companies to meet investors face-to-face, showcase their businesses, and discuss fundraising and growth opportunities. Ample networking time will also be provided.

Following a keynote from Jack Molyneux of superyacht management platform IDOSY, selected startups will take the stage for a pitch competition, presenting their businesses to a jury of investors and industry experts.

“Our Startup x Investor Day is a great way to kick off the new year, bringing founders, investors and industry leaders together to build connections and create momentum for the months ahead,” Gabbi Richardson, founder of Yachting Ventures, said in a press release. “We’re seeing more startups than ever before entering the leisure-marine sector, making these opportunities increasingly valuable.”

Interested startups can apply to pitch here.

David Gee

David Gee takes the helm as editor-in-chief, the latest chapter in a career that’s run through television newsrooms, magazine mastheads and podcast mics. Off the clock, he’s on the water — a lifelong boater and watersports enthusiast who’s just as comfortable behind the wheel or on a ski as behind a byline.