Startup Analyst Internship

Help shape the future of maritime innovation.

About PortXL

PortXL is the world’s first port & maritime accelerator, founded in 2015 and based in Rotterdam. We bridge the gap between ambitious start-ups and scale-ups and the established maritime industry, working alongside corporate partners, investors and ecosystem leaders to make maritime climate-positive. We search, match and accelerate the newest technologies from around the world. Our home is the Innovation Dock at RDM Campus: an inspiring hub for shipping, energy, logistics and ports.

What you’ll be doing

As our Startup Analyst intern, you sit at the core of what PortXL does: identifying the world’s most promising maritime innovators and helping them find their path to impact. You will work closely with the Acceleration team to scout, evaluate, reach out to and support start-ups across the globe — from initial discovery all the way to program onboarding. This is both an analytical and a commercial role: you are equally comfortable digging into data as you are picking up the phone.

• Scout and identify promising maritime start-ups and scale-ups through desk research, databases, industry reports and events;
• Evaluate start-ups using PortXL’s assessment framework: technology maturity, market fit, team strength and impact potential;
• Reach out to interesting start-ups as the first point of contact — validating their fit for our program while confidently pitching the value of PortXL and our ecosystem;
• Build and manage relationships with founders: follow up, qualify interest and guide them through the early stages of our pipeline;
• Maintain and enrich PortXL’s start-up database with structured, up-to-date information;
• Support the matching process between innovators and our corporate partners;
• Prepare profiles, briefings and selection materials for the acceleration program;
• Monitor developments in the maritime innovation landscape and share insights with the team;
• Attend industry events and networking sessions to represent PortXL and expand your own network.

We offer

• An energetic, mission-driven team with a shared ambition to transform the maritime industry;
• Access to an international network of start-ups, scale-ups and maritime innovators;
• Involvement with our corporate partners, including the Port of Rotterdam, City of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Defense;
• Room to discover your interests, think creatively and take real ownership;
• An inspiring workspace at the Innovation Dock, RDM Campus, Rotterdam;
• Opportunities to attend maritime events, demo days and ecosystem gatherings;
• Personal and professional development;
• Compensation: €575 per month based on 36 hours per week. Part-time is possible with a minimum of 24 hours per week; our preference is 32–36 hours. A minimum of 3 days per week from the office;
• Duration: minimum 5 months, with a preference for 6–7 months.

What you bring

• Currently enrolled in the later phases of your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, for example in Business, Economics, Innovation Management, Maritime Studies or a related field;
• More important than your exact field of study: you combine strong analytical skills with the confidence to reach out to strangers and make them excited about PortXL — that mix of rigour and commercial drive is what sets you apart;
• Genuine interest in start-ups, maritime technology and sustainable innovation;
• Comfortable working with databases, spreadsheets and online research tools;
• Not afraid to pick up the phone or write a cold email — you see outreach as an opportunity, not a hurdle;
• Proactive, detail-oriented and able to work independently;
• Excellent written and spoken English; additional languages are a plus.