The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), in collaboration with the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways & Coasts (NTCPWC), IIT Madras, the National Maritime Complex (NMC), and Chennai Port Authority (ChPA), launched MAR-a-THON 2025 – India’s Maritime Hackathon at IIT Madras. Organised under the Sagarmala Start-up Innovation Initiative (S2I2), the programme seeks to advance Research, Innovation, Start-ups, and Entrepreneurship (RISE) in the maritime sector and served as the curtain-raiser to India Maritime Week 2025.
Delivering the inaugural address, Shri T.K. Ramachandran, IAS, Secretary, MoPSW, underlined the importance of technology-driven growth for India’s maritime sector and emphasised the need to strengthen linkages between research institutions and industry. He stated that initiatives such as MAR-a-THON would act as catalysts in identifying industry challenges and supporting scalable, innovative solutions aligned with the vision of Maritime AmritKaal 2047.
The workshop featured the launch of the Hackathon video, official website, and brochure, along with the unveiling of the Innovation Challenges and timeline for MAR-a-THON 2025:
- 25 August – 29 September 2025: Application window for start-ups
- 16–18 October 2025: MAR-a-THON Hackathon at IIT Madras
- India Maritime Week 2025: Award ceremony and signing of agreements with selected start-ups
Selected start-ups will receive milestone-based funding support to scale their innovations:
- Proof of Concept (PoC): Up to ₹10 lakh
- Seed Funding (Minimum Viable Product): Up to ₹60 lakh
- Tech Pilot Grant (Commercial Scale-up): Up to ₹1 crore
A panel discussion on “NAVIC #9 – Research, Innovation, Start-ups and Entrepreneurship (RISE)” brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academia, and start-ups to deliberate on opportunities for collaboration and policy support.
The programme concluded with a start-up exhibition and a visit to the Sudha& Shankar Innovation Hub, where participants engaged with emerging technologies and ideas shaping the future of India’s maritime sector.
MAR-a-THON 2025 reflects the Ministry’s continued emphasis on nurturing innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, and building a robust ecosystem for the Blue Economy, in alignment with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and the long-term goals of AmritKaal Vision 2047.
