Sources : https://seafair.io/

Shipping companies and maritime HR teams face several critical challenges in traditional crew management and recruitment processes. These include:

• lengthy and opaque hiring cycles caused by manual paperwork and fragmented data sources, which lead to delays in filling essential crew positions.
  
• Compliance with complex international maritime labor regulations is often cumbersome and prone to human error, increasing the risk of penalties and operational disruptions.
  
• Poor visibility into crew qualifications and work histories makes it difficult to identify the best candidates quickly, resulting in mismatches and high turnover rates.
  
• Communication gaps between shipping companies and seafarers further complicate coordination, especially across different time zones and regions. 

These inefficiencies contribute to elevated administrative costs, increased operational risks, and reduced crew retention, underscoring the urgent need for a streamlined, digital, and data-driven solution to modernize maritime crewing.

Founded in June 2020 and headquartered in New York City, Seafair operates within the global crew management market, a sector estimated to be worth around $60 billion annually. The company emerged to address the inefficiencies in traditional maritime recruitment and crew operations by offering a digital first, AI driven platform. Seafair is a B2B SaaS platform that provides a comprehensive solution for crew management, combining recruitment, compliance, and operations into one streamlined system. With advanced features such as dedicated crew portals, industry-standard compliance tools, and full system integrations, Seafair enables shipping companies to manage personnel efficiently while empowering seafarers to maintain their own records with ease. It offers verified crew profiles, including detailed work history, certifications, and performance records, reducing the time and uncertainty often associated with maritime hiring.

For ship managers and owners, Seafair provides tools for applicant tracking, crew rotation planning, compliance monitoring, and contract management, all in one centralized dashboard. The system uses AI powered matching algorithms to recommend the most suitable candidates based on vessel type, rank, and experience requirements. It also supports automated document verification, ensures regulatory compliance with international maritime labor standards, and facilitates seamless communication between employers and crew via integrated messaging tools. By digitizing and standardizing recruitment workflows, Seafair minimizes hiring risks, cuts administrative costs, and improves crew retention rates helping maritime companies build reliable teams faster and more efficiently.

The founders of Seafair bring together a powerful blend of strategic insight, technical expertise, and deep sector knowledge. Agapitos Diakogiannis, the co-founder and CEO, holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and previously worked at BCG specializing in strategy, digital transformation, and shipping industry operations. His vision was inspired by the opaque and inefficient nature of maritime recruitment, motivating him to create a transparent, digital first solution for both seafarers and shipping companies. Supporting this vision are Byron Antoniadis, the CTO, and George Rovis, the COO, both co-founders alongside Diakogiannis, who bring technical leadership and operational strength to Seafair’s mission to modernize maritime crewing

Seafair has raised an estimated $6.3–6.45 million in total funding and has attracted backing from a mix of prominent venture capital firms and industry focused investors who share its vision of modernizing maritime recruitment through technology. Key investors include FirstMinute Capital (UK), known for supporting early stage tech startups across Europe; General Catalyst (USA), a global venture capital firm with a track record of scaling digital platforms; and Speedinvest (Austria), which focuses on marketplace and SaaS solutions. The company has also received funding from FJ Labs (USA), an investor with deep expertise in marketplace business models, and several strategic angel investors with backgrounds in shipping and logistics. This diverse investor base provides not only financial support but also strategic industry connections, enabling Seafair to expand its platform globally and further develop its AI-driven hiring solutions.

Final Thoughts

Seafair is redefining crew management by combining advanced digital tools with deep industry expertise. Its platform supports both shipping companies and seafarers, simplifying complex workflows, improving compliance, and enhancing the recruitment process. Backed by leading global investors and equipped with AI capabilities, Seafair is well positioned to become a leader in the digital transformation of maritime operations.

References 

Crunchbase. (2025). Seafair Company Profile.  https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/seafair 

Columbia Entrepreneurship. (2021). Columbia-Built: Seafair. https://entrepreneurship.columbia.edu/2021/01/11/columbia-built-seafair/ 

Weekday Works. (2025). Agapitos Diakogiannis Profile. https://www.weekday.works/people/agapitos-diakogiannis-adiakogiannis 

The Network. (2025). Agapitos Diakogiannis Profile. https://www.thenetwork.com/profile/agapitos-diakogiannis-5a1f0364 

Seafair. (2025). Official Website. https://seafair.io

Contributor : Dyah Ayuning Tyas

Reviewer : Imam Buchari, David Ratner