The huge potential of the blue economy, as well as the plans for the transformation of Upyachting Management Plc into a holding company, as well as for the parallel listing of its shares on the Indian Stock Exchange, have been highlighted by the CEO of the company, Theodore Chouliaras.
In his intervention during the recent Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) conference, with the participation of companies listed on the Main Market and the New Market, Chouliaras said that Upyachting Management Plc has created a platform, to the standards of Booking, through which one can search, find and book a boat for their holidays, noting that the company through the platform manages 9,500 yachts in 42 countries.
"Yachts are an impressive part of what we call the blue economy," he stressed, noting that yachting returns, which are even tax-free, can reach 8%, while in some cases they can even exceed it.
Chouliaras, after highlighting the importance of the blue economy and the dynamics of yachting, a sector in which Greece is now a champion, said that at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the company's shareholders, which is expected to take place in the near future, a proposal will be submitted for the conversion of Upyachting Management Plc from a company specialising in yacht management to a holding company, which will invest by raising capital from companies that are already successful in the field, under the name UP Ventures Plc.
According to what Chouliaras revealed, UP Ventures plc will develop a diversified portfolio of investments in the blue economy, and related services.
Some 40% of its portfolio, he added, will be yachting companies - yacht management and chartering companies, boat builders and dealers and maintenance and repair services - and 25% marinas and infrastructure through investments in marinas and strategic locations, development of infrastructure for yachts and shipyards and winter storage facilities.
Another 15% of the new company's portfolio will concern investments in digital platforms - booking and charter management platforms, applications for boat owners and passengers and IoT and telemetry technologies for boats - while the remaining 20% will be investments in green technology - hybrid and electric propulsion systems, renewable energy solutions for boats and waste management and decontamination systems.
In order for the new company to be able to invest in its areas of interest, it will proceed with a capital development strategy, setting as its first goal the capital increase by €5 million.
As he explained, this amount will be the basis for the creation of a diversified Blue Economy portfolio of investments, noting that each allocation category was chosen to maximize both growth and stability.
More specefically:
- 40% Venture Investments (€2M): Early-stage companies with high growth potential in the maritime tech ecosystem.
- 20% Strategic Acquisitions (€1M): Acquisitions or large minority positions in mature companies with proven profitability.
- 15% Marina Technologies (€750K): Marina management technologies and yachting-as-a-service platforms.
- 10% AI Maritime Platforms (€500K): Artificial Intelligence Solutions for Shipping.
- 10% Working Capital (€500K): Working capital for the company and current operations.
- 5% Liquidity Reserve (€250K): Reserve for extraordinary opportunities or needs.
Two ways to invest
In order to secure the aforementioned amount of 5 million. UP Ventures plc will offer two investment options. One concerns the issuance of a blue bond and the second the concession of holding shares.
As for the blue bond, for which it is also being considered to be listed on the CSE, the company will offer a fixed yield of 6% with low risk. The bond, he continued, will be ideal for investors looking for stability and conservative capital growth.
Regarding the concession of shares, Chouliaras explained that it will essentially concern participation through a share capital increase with a 30% discount on the current share price on the stock exchange board.
Essentially, he pointed out, investors will acquire shares below market value, with an immediate profit margin from day one.
Listing on the Indian Stock Exchange
In addition to the above, during his intervention, Chouliaras revealed that UPyachting Management PLC, after several discussions with the leadership of the NSE International Exchange ( NSE IX), at the international financial center GIFT City, India, received the green light to officially submit its listing file.
According to Chouliaras, the shares of UPyachting Management PLC will be listed in parallel (Dual Listed) on the Indian Stock Exchange without parallel trading, which means that investors of the Indian Stock Exchange will be able to freely buy and sell the company's share from India, at the price traded on the Cyprus Stock Exchange.
As for the timing of listing on the Indian Stock Exchange, he estimated that this will be possible around mid-July.
H UPyachting Management Plc
It is noted that UPyachting Management Plc, is a company listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange in the New Market since the end of 2022, which specializes in investment of participations in the Yachting industry, but also in the wider blue economy, through acquisitions, mergers and private placements.
By raising capital from the Stock Exchange, as well as a pool of institutional investors, it invites, whenever it identifies an opportunity to invest, its shareholders, as well as external institutional and private investors to invest through the listed company, in mature business plans or even in Startups.
In this way, it ensures its shareholders, as well as its external investors, the possibility, instead of being trapped in the target investment in time, receiving its shares, to hold shares that have a daily valuation and the ability to liquidate them, without restriction.
(Source: InBusinessNews)
