17 October 2024

Marine technology company Savvy Navvy has been recognised as the Tech SME of the Year at the South Coast Tech & Innovation Awards ceremony held on 3rd October 2024.

The innovative technology company, often referred to as ‘Google Maps for boats’, won the award for its technical innovations to simplify boating navigation for its users in more than 100 countries across the globe.

“We’re thrilled to be acknowledged for our technology and innovation – the exact reason we set out over seven years ago to digitalise navigation and bring the marine industry into the 21st century. For us, it has always been about making boating safer and more accessible, creating the best features to simplify anyone navigating the global waters.

The award comes at a great time, with Savvy Navvy continuing to scale up dramatically. We are actively shaping the marine industry for the better, and working alongside the team we are challenging the bigger navigation solutions in the global market,” says Jelte Liebrand, Founder and CEO of Savvy Navvy.

Savvy Navvy, founded by Jelte Liebrand, has recently reached over two million app downloads, seeing huge user growth in markets including the UK, USA, Australia and the Mediterranean. Continuing to grow in the global marine industry, Savvy Navvy has also expanded partnerships internationally to support safer boating, such as leading insurers, marine conservation, vessel and engine manufacturers. Alongside this, the navigation app is now also being sold through a new distributor network set up only a few months ago.

The prestigious South Coast Tech & Innovations Awards were held at the Hilton, Southampton, on Thursday 3rd October, celebrating the best in technology and innovation with winners selected from a record number of entries. Savvy Navvy was a finalist in two categories and won the ‘Tech SME of the Year’ award, as the only innovative business representing the marine industry.

The judges commented on the night Savvy Navvy was selected as winner “based on its commitment to forging new paths with an exciting product that truly stands out from the crowd”.

Offering a revolutionary, easy-to-use app that brings everything you need for a seamless boating experience – the Savvy Navvy app solves vital navigation issues for boaters, kayakers, paddleboarders and jet-skiers. Unlike any other boating navigation solution, Savvy Navvy offers smart routing - giving users the best route based on the departure time, chart, weather, tide, boat data and local regulations. Points of interest, including marina information, marine services and local businesses are also shown in the app helping users plan their journeys both online and offline.   

To find out more or download the Savvy Navvy app, visit www.savvy-navvy.com.