The second cohort of the Ready2Scale Acceleration Program is now underway, supporting a fresh group of innovative deep-tech startups across Europe. Over the course of six months, these companies receive targeted mentorship, valuable resources, and a €60,000 grant to help them grow and expand. One of the standout participants is AlongRoute, a Greece-based startup using AI and Earth Observation to deliver next-generation marine weather forecasting for the maritime industry.
AlongRoute addresses the uncertainty in marine weather forecasts—a critical barrier that limits the effectiveness of vessel optimization systems and undermines their potential to reduce GHG emissions, enhance safety, and cut fuel consumption across the shipping industry. The founding team combines diverse and complementary expertise: Georgia Kalantzi, CEO, brings a strong background in oceanography, business, and innovation; Vasileios Alexandridis, CTO, offers deep knowledge in geomatics, remote sensing, data science, and machine learning; Stergios Diamantopoulos, Entrepreneur in Residence, contributes extensive experience in environmental sciences, management, and entrepreneurship; and Apostolia Papadoudi, CFO, has a solid track record in environmental sciences, financial coordination, project management, and human resources. Together, they are developing an AI-driven, Earth Observation-powered marine weather intelligence system that delivers highly accurate, high-resolution forecasts—supporting the maritime sector’s growing need for precision, operational efficiency, and compliance with evolving regulatory and environmental standards.
The following questions are answered by Dr. Georgia Kalantzi, CEO, and Vasileios Alexandridis, CTO of AlongRoute.
How did the idea for your startup originate?
Georgia Kalantzi: The idea for AlongRoute was born from our deep understanding of the limitations of traditional numerical models, which fail to accurately predict marine weather due to the chaotic nature of ocean processes—especially during intense sea states and over long forecast horizons. With strong backgrounds in oceanography and modeling, our team set out to apply AI-driven methods, leveraging deep-tech tools and new data sources to overcome these shortcomings and increase forecast accuracy. The concept was initially supported by the DigiCirc Blue Economy Accelerator in 2021, leading to the development of our Mediterranean prototype and the company’s founding in late 2022.
What have been your biggest challenges and most significant achievements so far?
Georgia Kalantzi: Our biggest challenge has been climbing a steep and highly demanding R&D curve to rigorously demonstrate the superiority of our marine weather data—a continuous effort that remains at the core of our mission. Our most significant achievement to date is securing our first early adopter for a pilot just two years after founding the company—who has already converted into a paying customer. Additional milestones include our participation in leading programs such as ESA BIC Greece, synergistEIC, and Ready2Scale, as well as key collaborations with research institutes and deep-tech startups that have externally validated our concept.
Vasileios Alexandridis: One of our biggest challenges has definitely been the continuous advancement of our R&D capabilities—experimenting with and evaluating cutting-edge algorithms and model setups—while ensuring scalability and performance. To support this, we collaborate with partners such as the EuroCC network, which provides access to high-performance computing resources essential for AI training and refining our forecasting models.
What drives you to continue, even during difficult times?
Georgia Kalantzi: What drives us is our passion for marine weather and the conviction that the future of accurate forecasting lies in smartly developed, data-driven models capable of capturing micro-correlations between physical processes that traditional human-derived equations cannot. The potential to significantly enhance marine weather forecast accuracy fuels us, knowing this can bring critical benefits to weather-sensitive industries—especially maritime—while creating multiplied impact across the economy, the environment, and society.
What sets your startup apart from competitors?
Georgia Kalantzi: AlongRoute stands out by delivering ultra-precise, AI-driven marine weather forecasts that outperform traditional models, especially during extreme sea states and over extended forecast horizons. Unlike competitors, we fuse Earth Observation data, reanalysis, and other measurements into a powerful data pipeline, enabling continuous improvement and unmatched accuracy and resolution. Our deep-tech approach is designed to integrate seamlessly into our clients’ vessel optimization systems, offering a scalable solution that supports both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
What are your expectations from the Ready2Scale Acceleration Programme, and how do you think it will benefit your startup?
Georgia Kalantzi: Through the Ready2Scale Acceleration Programme, we aim to refine our go-to-market strategy, strengthen our investment readiness, and accelerate the scale-up of our solution beyond early pilots. We expect tailored mentorship and exposure to investor and industry networks to help us secure additional pilot agreements and prepare for a pre-seed funding round. Ultimately, the program will support us in transforming our validated prototype into a market-ready product with real commercial traction.
Vasileios Alexandridis: The program will play a key role in bridging the gap between early-stage validation and scalable market adoption.
Where do you see your startup in one year? And in five years?
Georgia Kalantzi: In one year, we envision AlongRoute having completed additional paid pilots, expanded our customer base with leading maritime software providers, and secured our first pre-seed investment to fuel growth. Within five years, we aim to be a global leader in marine weather intelligence, powering the next generation of vessel optimization systems with scalable, high-accuracy marine weather forecasts. Our solution will be fully integrated into major routing platforms, contributing to measurable reductions in GHG emissions and operational costs across the shipping industry. We also plan to expand into adjacent marine weather-sensitive sectors, leveraging our core technology for broader environmental and economic impact.
Which books, podcasts, publications, or influencers do you follow and recommend to other entrepreneurs?
Georgia Kalantzi: The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick and The Art of Start-Up Fundraising by Alejandro Cremades
Vasileios Alexandridis: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries and Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
AlongRoute is always looking for talented individuals to enrich their team—whether in sales and marketing, go-to-market strategy, or deep-tech fields like AI, remote sensing, data science, physics, and oceanography. While they’re not actively hiring at the moment, they strongly encourage anyone who believes they can bring value to what they’re building to send their CV to team@alongroute.com. If there’s a fit, they’d be thrilled to connect and explore the possibilities together. For more information about the company, visit https://alongroute.com.