HEFRING MARINE RECEIVES THE ICELANDIC INNOVATION AWARD 2025

Hefring Marine receives the Icelandic Innovation Award 2025. Hefring Marine has been awarded the Icelandic Innovation Award 2025 for the development and commercialisation of its intelligent marine assistance system, IMAS®, which uses artificial intelligence and real-time data to improve safety, fuel efficiency, and vessel operations.

The award was presented on October 30th, at the Iceland Innovation Congress 2025, at Gróska innovation hub. Karl Birgir Björnsson, CEO and co-founder of Hefring Marine, accepted the award on behalf of the company from Daði Már Kristófersson, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs.

The Icelandic Innovation Award is jointly awarded by Business Iceland, the New Business Venture Fund Kría, the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office, and Rannís – The Icelandic Centre for Research.

About hefring Marine

Founded in 2018, Hefring Marine has rapidly achieved significant success in the global maritime technology market. The company originated from research into wave impacts and sea conditions in relation to speed of high-performance passenger vessels. These studies laid the foundation for the development of IMAS®, Hefring Marine’s AI-powered smart marine guidance system.

IMAS® processes real-time data from a range of onboard sensors and monitoring systems to provide actionable guidance to vessel operators and fleet managers. The system enhances safety, optimises fuel usage, monitors machinery health, and improves overall operational efficiency. It can, for example, recommend optimal speed based on prevailing sea conditions to reduce harmful slamming, help prevent injuries, minimise fuel consumption, and reduce equipment wear. It also enables operators to define operational zones, monitor alerts, and much more, delivering clear, data-driven insights for every voyage.

Hefring Marine has demonstrated steady growth in recent years, marked by increasing revenues and expansion of its R&D team. Its technology is now trusted by rescue services, navies, fleet operators, boatbuilders, and maritime tourism providers across the globe, including in Norway, Sweden, the UK, the US, Canada, Italy, and Iceland.

About the Icelandic Innovation Award

The Icelandic Innovation Award is jointly awarded by Business Iceland, the New Business Venture Fund Kría, the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office, and Rannís – The Icelandic Centre for Research.

The award recognises outstanding companies that develop and bring to market innovative products or services based on research and development. The aim is to highlight the importance of the connection between research, ingenuity, and value creation in the Icelandic economy.

The award trophy is a sculpture of Freyr, the Norse god of fertility, by Icelandic artist Hallsteinn Sigurðsson.

Image: Daði Már Kristófersson, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, together with Magnús Þór Jónsson, Björn Jónsson, and Karl Birgir Björnsson, founders of Hefring Marine. Photo: Sigurjón Ragnar, Business Iceland

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