Company
Our purpose
To propel a more liveable world.
What drives us is simple – we want to give the next generation confidence that the world can be more liveable in 20 years’ time than it is today – better commutes, fewer cars on the roads, new routes to affordable housing, closer connections with nature, clean air and clean water.
In our industry, marine vessels use an incredible amount of energy just to push through the water. Vessev exists to develop entirely new, more sustainable solutions to marine propulsion – to lift vessels up and out of the water to drastically reduce drag and minimise energy consumption.
We know there’s a better way. By flying above the waves, we reduce energy consumption by up to 90% to unlock practical, sustainable boating for commercial and recreational use. Vessels that can go far, charge fast, and are far more comfortable and enjoyable than what has come before.
We are creating the most performant sustainable marine propulsion technologies ever. Not just electric boats – better boats.
This is a new era for how we move on the water.
A new era.
Our Vision
Our approach
Engineered for safety.
Safety is our priority, as it is yours. We design our technology from the ground up to be safe by nature. Our designs are reviewed and approved by commercial certification agencies, with safety embedded into everything we do.
Our approach
Commercial durable.
We’ve spoken with hundreds of commercial operators on our journey to make products purpose-built for their needs. We engineer to the highest standards to ensure our technology is commercially durable. Every dimension of our production is peer-reviewed to ensure we deliver best-in-class quality.
Our approach
In-house technology.
Building the very best watercraft in the world means caring deeply about every detail – from the helm to the propeller. As such, we develop our own technology, from scratch. Everything – including the foils, actuators, control system, and electrical system – is of our own design. We believe this is the only way to create transformational products and experiences.
Inspired by New Zealand.
Aotearoa was settled by some of the world’s most advanced navigators. The ocean surrounds us and connects us all. It lies at the core of our national identity, pushing us to create record-breaking marine designs.
Today, New Zealand is extraordinarily competitive in all arenas of high-performance sailing. This, after all, is the nation that introduced modern hydrofoiling to the world in the 2013 America’s Cup.
Vessev stands together with those who came before us. We’re driven by the same restless spirit to do things better, to achieve more, and to deliver world-class results.
Our story.
Max Olson (NZ) and Eric Laakmann (US) lead the team at Vessev. Hailing from opposite sides of the Pacific – Auckland and Seattle – they grew up on the water in cities renowned for their marine industries.
With technology their calling, Max co-founded Halter, the iconic cattle collar for virtual fencing, while Eric began his career at Apple, becoming an engineering program leader for the Apple Watch. Six product launches later, he left to fulfil a lifelong dream of sailing across the Pacific, covering 30,000 nautical miles before arriving in Auckland in 2020.
Today, the pair combine their marine and technology experience to propel Vessev – the next generation of vessels set to reshape the way we move on the water.
Our team.
Our combined expertise covers a range of industries and innovative technologies. Members of our team have built America’s Cup-winning racing yachts, delivered orbital rockets into space, created iconic international technology products, earned PhDs in hydrodynamics/control theory, and collectively built and designed hundreds of boats, including world-first electric vessels.
Together, we have covered hundreds of thousands of miles at sea, commercially, competitively and recreationally. Trust is our foundation and we measure ourselves in terms of results, innovation and teamwork. We hold each other accountable for doing our best work at all times, and – like all great teams – we are a sum greater than its parts.
Auckland, New Zealand, 9 December 2024: Vessev has announced that the VS—9 has officially joined the fleet of Fullers360, New Zealand’s largest ferry operator. Tickets are now available for purchase. This milestone follows the groundbreaking commercial certification by Maritime New Zealand.
Our network.
