How Klaveness Digital’s Innovation Engine Is Bringing New Ideas to Life
How an open-door approach to innovation is shaping future shipping solutions
In shipping, where operational priorities shift quickly and data often grows faster than teams can act on it, having a good idea is only the beginning. What happens next, and how that idea is evaluated, shaped, and tested, often determines whether it becomes something meaningful.
At Klaveness Digital, that journey begins with the innovation engine, an initiative led by Philip Paulsen (Innovation Lead, Head of Commercial Shipping Solutions) and Lars Laugen (Innovation Lead, Head of Voyage & Operations). The engine provides a structured way for the team to collect and explore ideas from across the company and from clients. It reflects Klaveness Digital’s commitment to curiosity as a practical driver of innovation.
To structure the process, the team sends any ideas, either internal or external, through an ‘innovation funnel’, guiding them through different phases from initial concept to deeper validation. Whether an idea comes from a shipowner conversation in Tokyo or a developer insight in Oslo, it is assessed with the same mindset: does it solve a real industry problem, and can it create value for customers?
A structured path for potential
“The initiative helps us keep our company value, curiosity, operational and not just cultural,” explains the team. “We essentially manage it as a funnel. It ensures promising ideas do not get lost in inboxes or meetings. They get a fair shot.”
Ideas are gathered through everyday work, internal collaboration, and client discussions. Once submitted, they are reviewed by the innovation team and assessed against several key criteria:
Is this a feature or a potential standalone product?
Does it align with Klaveness’ strategic direction?
Is it technically feasible, and would customers be willing to pay for it?
If an idea passes this initial review, it moves further through ‘the funnel’ into a more detailed validation phase. This may include customer interviews, data analysis, and technical scoping.
To pause or pursue
Some of Klaveness Digital’s current solutions, such as Pre-Vetting, originated from the innovation engine. These ideas have since grown into mature offerings that are gaining strong commercial traction with customers. (See whitepaper: Fix Better, Earn Better: Avoid Surprises and Improve Margins with Pre-Vetting)
However, not every idea is taken forward. “We would rather pause something early than push a solution that is too narrow or not scalable,” the team notes, citing one previous project that showed early promise, but was eventually set aside due to limitations in broader applicability. As of today, several new ideas are now in development, including concepts shaped by feedback from cargo owners, operators, and grain companies.
Curiosity goes both ways
While the innovation engine promotes internal collaboration, it also sends a message externally: Klaveness is listening. Clients and partners are encouraged to share challenges or ideas, even if they do not directly align with existing products.
This openness is also reflected in customer workshops hosted by Klaveness Dry Bulk.
“We have built solutions that did not start as pitches. They started as problems,” says the team. “Putting them into our funnel just gives us a way to explore them seriously.”
Our values at work
This story is part of a broader series exploring how Klaveness puts its values into practice. For both Klaveness and Klaveness Digital, curiosity is more than a cultural trait. It is a mindset, and a strategic approach to staying relevant and resilient across market cycles.
As Klaveness Digital continues to expand its portfolio of decision-making tools for the maritime supply chain, the innovation engine remains a consistent force behind what comes next. One idea at a time.
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