Pollentia Accepted Into the Exclusive LvlUp Labs Program — and Caps It Off With a Demo Day Win

Getting into LvlUp Labs is no small milestone. The program is known for being highly selective, bringing in only a tight group of early-stage companies that show serious potential, technical depth, and the ability to scale fast. Pollentia was chosen as one of those companies — a clear signal that what we’re building is not simply another marine tech tool, but a foundational shift in how vessels think, operate, and protect themselves.

LvlUp Labs is designed for companies that push categories forward. It’s an invite-only environment where founders get access to operators, VCs, engineers, and mentors who expect real execution, not theory. Pollentia stepped into that environment and made its presence known from day one.

Why Pollentia Was Selected

What caught the attention of the LvlUp team, mentors, and reviewers was the scale of what Pollentia is building. In just a few months, we moved from concept to a full marine intelligence platform — an AI Co-Captain, unified vessel diagnostics, predictive maintenance, collision avoidance, autonomy support, and a real-time operating system that merges directly with every vessel’s core systems.

The Labs team looks for:
• category-defining technology
• founders who build fast
• companies solving problems ignored by incumbents
• teams with global potential

Pollentia checked all four boxes.

Inside LvlUp Labs: The Work Behind the Scenes

Unlike many accelerators, Labs is small by design. Every week is hands-on — pitch development, product refinement, messaging, go-to-market strategy, investor relations, and deep technical feedback.

For Pollentia, it meant:
• sharpening the narrative around autonomy and vessel intelligence
• refining the end-to-end platform positioning
• expanding OEM and global manufacturer strategy
• improving the investor pitch
• pressure-testing the technical roadmap

The Labs environment helped transform a fast-growing product into a clear and scalable company.

Demo Day: Pollentia Takes the Top Spot

At the end of the program, Pollentia presented at Demo Day alongside nearly 50 other startups from the broader LvlUp ecosystem.

Pollentia walked away as the Demo Day winner — an acknowledgment of the product’s strength, the clarity of the pitch, and the sheer momentum behind the company.

The judges responded to a few key things:

A real industry problem, solved at the root

Marine systems are fragmented and outdated. Pollentia is unifying them under one intelligent brain.

A true end-to-end platform

The hardware core merges with the vessel once; everything else is software and OTA-driven.

OEM momentum and real global interest

Engagements with major manufacturers across the US, EU, Middle East, and APAC signaled that Pollentia is solving a meaningful pain point.

A founder with firsthand operational experience

A Navy background gave credibility to the understanding of vessel awareness, system failures, and real operational needs.

A Turning Point for Pollentia

Acceptance into LvlUp Labs and winning the Demo Day pitch weren’t just accolades — they were validation.

Validation that the pivot to a full marine intelligence platform was the right move.
Validation that the product direction is resonating with investors and manufacturers.
Validation that Pollentia is positioned to lead a major shift in the marine industry.

Message From the CEO

“LvlUp Labs pushed us to refine the product, the message, and the strategy. Being accepted meant a lot on its own. Winning Demo Day on top of that showed that the industry sees where this is going. This is just the beginning.”

— Tyler Temple, CEO & Founder, Pollentia