Data & Research – Internship

Help shape the future of maritime innovation.

PortXL is the world’s first port & maritime accelerator, founded in 2015 and based in Rotterdam — the beating heart of global trade and innovation. We bridge the gap between ambitious start-ups and scale-ups and the established maritime industry, working alongside corporate partners, investors and ecosystem leaders to make maritime climate‑positive. We search, match and accelerate the newest technologies from around the world.

Our home is the Innovation Dock at RDM Campus: an inspiring hub where shipbuilding history meets the future of shipping, energy, logistics and ports.

As our Data & Research intern, you help PortXL stay ahead of the curve in maritime innovation. You will combine desk research, data analysis and insight synthesis to support strategic decisions — from identifying emerging technology trends to producing intelligence reports for our corporate partners.

• Conduct in-depth research on maritime technology trends, start-up ecosystems and innovation funding landscapes;
• Collect, clean and analyse structured and unstructured data from public and proprietary sources;
• Build and maintain data dashboards or reports that give the PortXL team actionable insight;
• Support partner‑facing deliverables such as market analyses, trend reports and technology radars;
• Contribute to PortXL’s thought leadership by synthesising research into clear, engaging summaries;
• Collaborate with the Scouting team to enrich the start-up database with market and technology context;
• Monitor innovation signals from publications, patent filings, funding announcements and events.

• An energetic, mission‑driven team with a shared ambition to transform the maritime industry;
• Access to an international network of start-ups, scale-ups and maritime innovators;
• Involvement with our corporate partners, including the Port of Rotterdam, City of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Defense;
• Room to discover your interests, think creatively and take real ownership;
• An inspiring workspace at the Innovation Dock, RDM Campus, Rotterdam;
• Opportunities to attend maritime events, demo days and ecosystem gatherings;
• Personal and professional development;
• Compensation: €575 per month based on 36 hours per week. Part‑time is possible with a minimum of 24 hours per week; our preference is 32–36 hours. A minimum of 3 days per week from the office;
• Duration: minimum 5 months, with a preference for 6–7 months.

Our internships don’t follow a fixed calendar — we welcome applications year‑round. Please mention your desired start date in your application. For internships starting in August or September, our Final date to receive applications is 1 May.

• Currently enrolled in the later phases of your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, for example in Economics, Data Science, Innovation Studies, Business Analytics or a related field;
• More important than your exact field of study: you have a sharp analytical mind and a genuine curiosity for turning messy data into meaningful insight — that drive is what we’re looking for;
• Comfortable with data tools — Excel, Python, R, Tableau or similar;
• Detail‑oriented and structured in your approach, while able to see the bigger picture;
• Interest in maritime, energy, logistics or sustainability sectors;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
  Dutch is a plus.

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