Interview with Jon Jie, Co-founder of MarinaChain. 2nd prize 6 Valenciaport Hackathon, sponsored by Fundación Juan Arizo Serrulla

Interview with Jon Jie, Co-founder of MarinaChain. 2nd prize 6 Valenciaport Hackathon, sponsored by Fundación Juan Arizo Serrulla

 LINKEDIN Jon Jie

 What does winning Second Prize at the VI Valenciaport Hackathon for Startups mean to your team?

Winning Second Prize is a meaningful validation of our team and of the problem we are trying to solve. We developed MarinaChain to solve complex workflow problems in the maritime space with AI, such as helping port teams turn continuously changing signals into coordinated, actionable responses- with clear protocols and traceability. Being recognised alongside such strong international startups confirms that this challenge matters and that our approach has practical potential.

More importantly, the award gives us momentum to continue working with ports and maritime stakeholders on real-world pilots. We are grateful to Opentop, the Port Authority of Valencia, and the Valenciaport ecosystem for creating a path from an early-stage concept to a solution that can be tested in practice.

 How was the co-creation process with the Valenciaport Cluster Innovation Committee during the two days of the hackathon?

The process was intense, focused, and highly practical. The conversations with the Valenciaport Cluster Innovation Committee helped us understand how disruption response actually works across a complex port environment: who needs to know what, how quickly decisions must be coordinated, and why accountability and traceability are essential.

That direct feedback shaped the solution significantly. We were not designing in isolation; we were testing assumptions with people who understand the operational reality. Over the two days, the concept became more focused, more grounded in real workflows, and better aligned with the needs of on-the-ground teams. That is what made the experience genuine co- creation rather than simply a pitching exercise.

What would you say to other startups that are considering applying for the next edition of the hackathon?

Apply. Come prepared to listen, iterate, and work collaboratively, not just to present a finished product. The value of the hackathon is the access to real operational challenges, domain experts, potential partners, and a route toward pilot projects through the Valenciaport Sandbox.

For startups from outside Spain, it is also a very welcoming way to enter the European maritime innovation ecosystem. Bring a clear hypothesis, stay open to changing it, and use every conversation to make the solution more useful in the real world.