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X Shore - Blue Champion
January 6, 2025)
X Shore is one out of 20 companies selected in the EU Blue Champions program. The Blue Champion initiative from the European Investment Bank (EIB) aims to accelerate the innovation in the blue economy, promoting sustainable ocean growth and advances in marine technologies and resources.
Rene Hansen spent over 20 years working in industries from snowboarding to renewable energy, helping companies around the world grow and innovate. After his global ventures, he felt the need to anchor himself closer to his native Norway. The opportunity came when Konrad Bergström approached him with a vision – electric boats.
“I wanted to focus my efforts on a company that genuinely valued sustainability,” Hansen says. “When Konrad reached out to me, it felt like the perfect opportunity to align my work with my values and make a real impact.”
Based in Sweden, the company that Bergström founded wants to revolutionise the boating industry by looking for ways to make their boats greener. X Shore combines glass and carbon fibre to optimise weight, performance, and environmental impact. The result: its boats emit four times less CO2 than a traditional gasoline-powered boat, and they are also quieter. “Boating should be at one with nature,” says Hansen. “Our boats are lightweight and energy-efficient, making a significant impact on both environmental sustainability and production costs.”
X Shore's electric boats show that the boating industry can embrace sustainability. Receiving awards such as the European Powerboat of the Year, and Best of Boats Award, X Shore is gaining increased recognition in the industry. The company stands out today as the only leisure boat manufacturer in the world with the Cicero Green sustainability stamp.
That is why it is one of the companies selected for the 20 EU Blue Champions Programme, an initiative of the European Investment Bank and the European Commission that provides free advisory support to companies with best-in-class blue technologies and solutions that tackle the challenges of the blue economy. It aims to boost their competitiveness and prepare them for potential funding by investors or the European Investment Bank through the venture debt instrument.
Launched in May 2024, the Blue Champions selected companies from all over Europe, from underwater robotics, green shipping solutions, biorefineries to satellite data applications and wind energy. Inclusion in the programme recognises that these companies are pioneers, transforming the sector and driving it towards a greener future. The initiative aims to promote a sustainable blue economy and highlight the need for action to protect and restore the oceans for future generations.
Read more about the EIB Blue champions program on the website of the European Investment Bank.
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