HICO
HICO Investment Group is a privately held Singapore-based investment firm (with a London office) that takes active equity stakes in new-technology, venture, and growth-stage companies across maritime, logistics, and hospitality sectors, working directly with management teams and co-investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What HICO does
HICO Investment Group is a privately held investment company founded in 2021 (with one source citing 2022) and headquartered in Singapore at 11 Duxton Hill, with a regional office in London at 32 Old Burlington Street. The firm invests in new technology, venture-stage, and established companies with growth opportunities across three stated verticals: maritime, logistics, and hospitality. It is led by Christopher Hartnoll (CEO & MD) and operates with a small team (1–10 employees).
HICO pursues an active, direct investment approach, working alongside management teams and co-investors to build businesses for what it describes as the "new economy." Its disclosed portfolio spans renewable energy trading software (Arenko, London, £9M round in May 2025), low-cost tracking solutions (Hoopo, Israel, $10M Series A in 2024), offshore marine transportation and anchor handling services (Britoil Offshore Services, co-invested with Pérez y Cía), and modular molten salt reactor technology for ship propulsion (CORE POWER, alongside TerraPower, Southern Company, and Orano).
The firm's revenue model is investment return-driven rather than product-driven: it deploys equity capital into portfolio companies and seeks to realize returns through capital appreciation, exits, and dividends. No management fee structure, AUM, fund vintage, or portfolio company weightings are publicly disclosed. The firm has no proprietary technology of its own and does not develop AI, software, or operational products; its "products" are its investment positions in operating businesses.
HICO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HICO
- Legal name
- HICO Investment Group
- Website
- https://hico.one
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HICO Investment Group is a privately held Singapore-based investment firm (with a London office) that takes active equity stakes in new-technology, venture, and growth-stage companies across maritime, logistics, and hospitality sectors, working directly with management teams and co-investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HICO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Investment
- NAICS
- All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Vehicles (52599)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing (FSANAHAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable/ESG Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAM), ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ)
Keywords
Where HICO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
HICO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: HICO generates returns through equity investments in maritime, logistics, and hospitality companies with growth opportunities. Returns are realized through capital appreciation, exit events, and potentially dividends from portfolio companies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
HICO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HICO Investment Group is a private investment company that deploys capital into new technology, venture-stage, and established growth companies in the maritime, logistics, and hospitality sectors globally. The firm takes an active, direct approach by working alongside management teams and partners to build long-term sustainable businesses, with portfolio holdings spanning renewable energy trading software (Arenko), tracking solutions (Hoopo), offshore marine services (Britoil), and advanced nuclear propulsion (CORE POWER).
Product overview
HICO Investment Group is an investment company focused on maritime and logistics sectors with interests in hospitality. They invest in new technology companies, venture opportunities, and established companies with growth opportunities, taking an active and direct approach with their investments. Their portfolio includes investments in green energy trading software (Arenko), tracking solutions (Hoopo), marine transportation services (Britoil), and nuclear technology (CORE POWER).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HICO Investment Services Equity capital investment and active partnership services targeting maritime, logistics, and hospitality sectors, with a focus on new technology companies, venture opportunities, and established companies with growth potential. The firm works directly with management teams and partners to build long-term sustainable businesses.
Companies that use HICO
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
HICO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
HICO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
HICO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Pacific International Lines (PIL): Singapore-headquartered container shipping line with adjacent corporate investment activity in maritime tech and logistics. Comparable as a Singapore-anchored maritime capital allocator in HICO's home market.
Emerging players
- Bossa Invest: Maritime-focused Brazilian VC firm investing in shipping, ports, and ocean tech. Comparable as a sector-specialist emerging manager targeting similar vessel-, port-, and ocean-economy themes as HICO.
- Conduit Capital Partners: Specialized investment platform connecting capital with maritime and offshore innovation projects. Comparable as a sector-specialist emerging platform focused on maritime capital deployment similar to HICO's mandate.
- TAU Ventures: Early-stage VC with maritime and logistics exposure that co-invested with HICO in Hoopo. Comparable as a co-investor in the same maritime-tech deals HICO pursues, though TAU has a broader sector mandate.
Broad incumbents
- Borr Drilling / BW Group CVCs: Established shipping and offshore conglomerates (BW Group) deploying corporate venture and growth capital into maritime innovation. Comparable as much larger, well-capitalized incumbents competing for the same maritime-tech deal flow as HICO.
- Trafigura Ventures / Vitol CVCs: Large commodity trading groups with corporate investment arms actively funding maritime energy transition and logistics technology. Comparable as broader incumbents with substantially more capital pursuing overlapping thematic mandates.
Direct peers
- theDOCK: Maritime-focused venture capital firm based in Europe that invests in shipping, logistics, and mobility technologies. Directly comparable as a sector-specialist maritime VC and an actual co-investor alongside HICO in Hoopo's Series A.
- ZIM Investments: ZIM Integrated Shipping Services operates a corporate venture arm investing in maritime and logistics startups. ZIM co-led Hoopo's Series A with HICO participating, making it a directly comparable CVC peer in the maritime innovation space.
- Marine Capital Limited: London-based private equity firm focused on the global shipping and offshore marine sectors, providing growth capital and acquisition financing. Comparable as a maritime-focused PE investor operating from the same London ecosystem as HICO.
Others
- Core Power (portfolio, not peer): Advanced nuclear reactor developer for shipping; included here as a thematic comparable, not a financial peer. Listed to indicate the type of energy-transition operator HICO backs within its maritime decarbonization thesis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HICO social profiles
Digital presenceHICO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HICO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
HICO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HICO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments11 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HICO
What does HICO do?
HICO Investment Group is a private investment company that deploys capital into new technology, venture-stage, and established growth companies in the maritime, logistics, and hospitality sectors globally. The firm takes an active, direct approach by working alongside management teams and partners to build long-term sustainable businesses, with portfolio holdings spanning renewable energy trading software (Arenko), tracking solutions (Hoopo), offshore marine services (Britoil), and advanced nuclear propulsion (CORE POWER).
Is HICO a public or private company?
HICO is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was HICO founded?
HICO was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HICO based?
HICO is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does HICO make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns.
Who are HICO's main competitors?
Pacific International Lines (PIL) is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Bossa Invest, Conduit Capital Partners and TAU Ventures. Broad incumbents are Borr Drilling / BW Group CVCs and Trafigura Ventures / Vitol CVCs. Direct peers are theDOCK, ZIM Investments and Marine Capital Limited. Core Power (portfolio, not peer) is listed as an others.
Does HICO have an API?
No public API is recorded for HICO.
What industry is HICO in?
HICO's product category is Venture Capital and Private Equity Investment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAN, Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing, with a secondary code of FSAAAIAM, Sustainable/ESG Equity (Active). Its NAICS code is 52399 and its SIC code is 6282.