THE BLOG

Blue Economy: SeaZen Develops Sustainable Sailing from the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis

Sailing in harmony with nature is no longer a utopia but a reality, thanks to SeaZen, the start-up that is advancing sustainable boating through solar energy.

In an interview, Guillaume Jacquet-Lagrèze, CEO and founder of SeaZen, gives us an inside look at this innovative company.

From the inception of the project to its future ambitions, and the advantages of being located in the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, discover how SeaZen is establishing itself as a key player in sustainable boating.

Can you tell us more about the genesis of SeaZen?

I am originally from Paris and moved to the South region in 2015 due to a family opportunity. At the time, I was working in the automotive industry and had experience in electric vehicles. Moreover, I have always been passionate about sailing, and the idea of combining these two elements led me to consider entrepreneurship in this field.

Après une série d’échanges avec les professionnels du nautisme et la réalisation d’un business plan, j’ai compris le potentiel de la Côte d’Azur pour la navigation solaire. Ce qui distingue notre bateau, c’est qu’il est non seulement électrique mais également photovoltaïque. Cela élimine le besoin de recharge sur le réseau électrique, ce qui est une avancée significative dans le domaine de la navigation durable.

It took about a year to launch the project, which was established in 2016. We had to overcome several challenges, especially regarding the availability of boats suitable for our model, but today we have made progress and are even considering becoming manufacturers of our own boats.

What are the strengths of your offer?

In terms of recognition, we have received several awards and labels that attest to the credibility of our offer. We were notably winners of the Innovation Award at the Paris Boat Show as well as the Solar Impulse labels in 2018 and 2022.

Another major strength is our expertise in solar boating. Since our inception, we have continually improved our boat to solve various technical issues. Our know-how in maintenance, technique, electrification, and market knowledge is unparalleled.

For the operation of our boats and for our excursion organizing activity, we have a diversified and international clientele. What attracts them is the unique experience of sailing on a silent boat with no negative environmental impact. Since our inception, we have welcomed 10,000 visitors and have consumed zero kilowatts from the electrical grid. We are also ranked number one in nautical activities on TripAdvisor in Nice, which is the fifth-largest metropolis in France.

Finally, we have a solid franchise model, sought after by executives looking to give new meaning to their careers. To do this, we support them with a proven methodology and business model, enabling them to create a business that will create one or more jobs per boat.

What are the advantages of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis for SeaZen?

The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis offers a multitude of advantages that have been essential for our development. First, there is the exceptional welcome we received since the beginning of the company. For example, the port of Beaulieu-sur-mer believed in our project as early as 2015, even though it might have seemed a bit audacious at the time.

Next, the metropolis itself identified SeaZen as an innovative company. In 2019, we were winners of the Blue Innovation Challenge. This competition allowed us to test technology for autonomous boating, which is a very promising direction for the future of navigation. This also strengthened our relationship with the metropolis and opened doors for other collaboration opportunities.

The South Region is also very sensitive to innovation and sustainable development. Moreover, SeaZen has just been selected to participate in the acceleration program of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis.

What are your future development plans?

Today, after several years of successful operation of our model, we wish to deploy it on the Côte d’Azur and the South region.

This leads us to the construction of 100% solar boats. To achieve a competitive market price, we are considering either an innovative and local boat manufacturing method, leveraging our eight years of experience, or a more traditional production but in a low-cost country. We could create up to 100 jobs in the region, including about fifty on the Côte d’Azur.

We have confirmed requests for this project, from Parisian investors eager to invest in a zero CO2 boat, Côte d’Azur executives looking to give new meaning to their careers, or export markets.

Website : https://www.seazen.fr/

Contact : guillaume@seazen.fr / +33 652739554