Monaco

MARSS

CEO and Founder of high-tech security company <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4780" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MARSS (Company)">MARSS</a>, Johannes Pinl, tells Georgia Tindale what makes him tick. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196424/image/large-3e2c1326f7d58a0616706d9599944419.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196424">Time for the elevator pitch: what does <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4780" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MARSS (Company)">MARSS</a> doWe protect critical infrastructure and assets against terrorist attacks: our main mission is saving lives. An asset could be a yacht, an oil platform, a port, a palace, a private home – you name it. We observe several kilometres around the outside of this asset and build up a security bubble where we can detect, track and classify anything which is getting too close. We discover what it is, raise an alarm and then use countermeasures if necessary. How did you start&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4780" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MARSS (Company)">MARSS</a>?In 2005, when I was still a student, I had the idea to develop an automatic parking or berthing system for yachts. One of my professors, who was my mentor at the time, said: ‘The idea might not be the best one, but I believe in you’ and that’s how we got it rolling. Very quickly we realised this was a really rubbish idea and it went in the bin, but we figured out that understanding the environment around yachts very much of interest to security, especially as this was around the time of the piracy attacks in Somalia. That brought us onto the path we’re still on today. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196421/image/large-7dd6c773d2e2de8844cbbe9ceb5f628c.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196421">People say that running a successful business is about solving a meaningful problem. What problem were you trying to solve?When we started up, there was a lack of security solutions for critical infrastructures and yachts relied on CCTV systems. Owners would have three fences, security guards and dogs at their private homes on land, but when they got to sea, they just dropped everything. Anyone was able to board a superyacht. You could get on the swim platform at the back and end up standing in the saloon of one of the world’s leaders, which is a bit of a problem. Before, you would also have problems with paparazzi, but they’d have to get very close to the boat to take intimate pictures of anyone relaxing on a sunbed. Now they can fly around with a drone for $500 and take these pictures from wherever. Drone detection and countermeasures are big topics in yacht security.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196419/image/large-20d0234c423cee7f8d792a5d59764a96.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196419">What makes <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4780" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MARSS (Company)">MARSS</a> different?Embracing tech such as artificial intelligence early on has made us a world leader in this very niche market. In the past, you would be able to track an object or boat coming towards you and see that it could be a jet-ski. Now AI can look at the object and use image classification and say: ‘Yes, it is a Jet Ski. And there are two people on board and they have two Kalashnikovs’. This is a complete game-changer from a security perspective. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196423/image/large-9299b6bea646beccf4ede60eb8ef979c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196423">Most entrepreneurs fail, why didn’t you?Because of luck, obviously, you need that, and hard work. 80-plus hours a week over 10-plus years helps. You need to be determined and not give up. And last but not least, it is all about great people. People, in the end, are a key driver and, being frank, I never could have done this alone. Is yachting slow to innovate?Despite its reputation, yachting is actually one of the few very innovative industries. Even though decisions are sometimes made emotionally because owners base these on wanting to spend time with their families, it also allows entrepreneurs to come up with off-the-chart ideas. And they will find backing for these, whereas in more ‘rational’ industries these would be a no-go. In yachting, you are pitching to other entrepreneurs. I saw stats showing that there are a significant proportion of yacht owners – around 80% – who are actually entrepreneurs themselves, so there is clearly understanding there and openness to ideas. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196420/image/large-3a6e1b0ad5fe7b55bcdd8fe2b162defb.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196420">What is your advice to other budding entrepreneurs in yachting? Is now a good time to start a business?Lesson number one: it’s never a bad time to start a business. When we started up in 2005, it was supposedly a bad time to start a business but entrepreneurship is a constant crisis management exercise, so that’s the best way to prepare yourself to become a successful venture. We did two funding rounds, and then we were in another crisis. Forget about the environment around you. Focus on yourself, focus on the problem. You also need to listen to your customers and be willing to manoeuvre. Our business idea probably changed around 20 times and that's part of business: reacting quickly to a shifting situation. Our company almost went bust three or four times and that's also part of the game. We had quite a few Elon Musk moments where we thought that next weekend it would be lights off, but you will always find a solution. At <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4780" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MARSS (Company)">MARSS</a>, although we are still a start-up in our hearts, we now have a turnover of 80 million euros a year. You need to believe in yourself and be incredibly stubborn. We’ve proven that it’s possible. This article was originally published in the&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/52833" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="The SuperYacht Times summer issue has landed (2021-05-03 17:00:00 +0200)">Spring 2021 issue of the SuperYacht Times newspaper</a>.&nbsp;To receive all future issues straight to your door, <a href="https://shop.superyachttimes.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to the newspaper here</a>.

Entrepreneur Johannes Pinl of MARSS

SYT sits down with entrepreneur Johannes Pinl, founder of MARSS, to learn more about pioneering security systems on board.

Entrepreneur in Yachting : Insight from Johannes Pinl of MARSS

With all of the travel and business disruption caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it has been a challenging and unusual time for both our industry and the wider world, with a collective sigh of relief audible at the year’s close and a sense of enduring hope for the new year clear from all quarters.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187401/image/large-944defa18727ca7ec3c5e0d1636d3a3e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187401">Despite the challenges the pandemic brought with it, 2021’s first issue of The SuperYacht Times remains full to the brim with the latest superyacht market insights (pp.24-5), spotlights on some of the latest coolest new-build projects (pp.20-22), behind-the-scenes shipyard visits (p.16) and, new for this issue, expert commentary on Brexit latest news (p.32) and the future of ‘luxury’ (33) in our industry. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187402/image/large-2931aa5a0b322c795dea730089b4659f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187402">READ ABOUT…ENTREPRENEURS4: “Despite its reputation, yachting is one of the few very innovative industries” - <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4780" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MARSS (Company)">MARSS’&nbsp;</a>CEO &amp; Founder Johannes Pinl.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187403/image/large-3b858f418d648b2025372eaad1db9a50.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187403">INSIDE&nbsp;BLACK SHARK30. As the story of<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nobiskrug (Company)"> Nobiskrug's</a> up-and-coming 77.1-metre Black Shark continues, we get a glimpse inside.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187404/image/large-fee87e3055ab6e4039e82bc05507916b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187404">COVID-19 AND YACHTING&nbsp;33: “Luxury is shaping up to be much more casual in 2021 and beyond” - <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/17" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bannenberg & Rowell Design (Company)">Dickie Bannenberg</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187402/image/large-2931aa5a0b322c795dea730089b4659f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187402">ONBOARD O'PARI12. Join us for a look around <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4968" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atalanta Golden Yachts (Company)">Golden Yachts'</a> new 95-metre flagship <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/7237" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="O'Pari95.0m (311'8&quot;)Golden Yachts Ltd.2020">O'Pari</a>,&nbsp;which has been designed with a Greek theme perfect for the summer nights out on the Mediterranean. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187405/image/large-b0509bddfc14d229a9f0642fafdea613.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187405" style="background-color: initial; font-size: 0.85rem;">OWNER INTERVIEWS &amp; TRAVEL TALES38: “You can’t have a perfect custom project: we are all perpetually learning, making errors and finding solutions” - Owner of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6507" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Canova43.3m (142'1&quot;)Baltic Yachts2019">Canova</a>.40: “I took the binoculars out to look — and it was the captain and first mate dressed up in a moose and a bear outfit out in the middle of the marsh, play-fighting...” - Owner of&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wonderland37.19m (122'0&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Wonderland</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187406/image/large-8be3501b19bbe0b7ac5a851dbfc0b64d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187406" style="background-color: initial; font-size: 0.85rem;"><a href="http://shop.superyachttimes.com/report/the-superyacht-times-subscription" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="font-size: 0.85rem;" target="_blank" title="">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;now to receive your copy straight to your door and never miss another issue.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/187400/image/large-108ca8d997996d11813fdf2920eb6eac.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/187400" style="background-color: initial; font-size: 0.85rem;">

Trends, Covid-19 and Brexit latest: What you need to know in the new SuperYacht Times newspaper 

The latest market trends, the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit latest: don't miss the first 2021 issue of The SuperYacht Times newspaper. 

First 2021 edition of The SuperYacht Times newspaper out now 

The Monaco-based superyacht security experts, MARSS have developed NiDAR, a scaleable long-range surveillance, tracking and privacy protection system monitoring activity in the air, on the surface and underwater around a yacht. <img src="/uploads/store/photo/16803/image/large-ab34ef6f66d447d475a1d7c1892b6ae4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/16803">NiDAR autonomously integrates multiple sensors including cameras, radar, sonar plus AIS, VHF, tracker and transponder inputs. Smart software algorithms developed by MARSS then automatically analyse and rank known and unknown objects to determine potential threat levels and to trigger alarms.&nbsp; <img src="/uploads/store/photo/16805/image/large-62fb77576494f18231489c7174ed1228.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/16805"> A yacht’s own assets such as tenders, surface and underwater toys and helicopters, plus guests and crew, can be tracked and monitored within NiDAR for added safety and security.&nbsp;The NiDAR multi-touch ‘command and control’ interface presents a clear situational awareness picture to crew, either as a fixed installation onboard or remotely via smart devices, aiding decision making and rapid response.&nbsp;<img src="/uploads/store/photo/16804/image/large-4870c3935342598de862bc31f596c302.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/16804">NiDAR enables the improved collection and merging of sensor data from multiple sources to build an enhanced situational awareness picture around a yacht that is easily understood and operated."Superyacht security is no longer limited to just onboard systems as with NiDAR we have developed a comprehensive “off-board” solution building a long-range security perimeter around a yacht to give greater situational awareness and early warning. If you can use a smartphone you can use NiDAR,”&nbsp;said Johannes Pinl, CEO and Founder of MARSS.The MARSS product range includes NiDAR for 360° Air, surface &amp; underwater awareness, RADiRguard for perimeter security and MOBtronic for man-overboard detection and tracking.&nbsp;MARSS systems are in operation in the protection of assets including naval, commercial and private vessels, military bases and ports, critical infrastructure and private residences.For more information on how NiDAR could protect your superyacht please visit the MARSS <a href="https://marss.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">website,</a> or contact them using the details below.