Ocean Industries Concept Lab

What Ocean Industries Concept Lab does

Ocean Industries Concept Lab (OICL) is a non-profit academic research group based at the Institute of Design at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) in Norway, founded around 2014 following the Ulstein Bridge Vision project. The lab develops knowledge and tooling that support user-centered innovation processes in the maritime domain, with a multidisciplinary team of designers, engineers, and researchers rooted in industrial, interaction, graphic, and service design practices.

OICL's core product is the OpenBridge Design System, the world's first open-source maritime user interface design system, providing standardized UI components, design guidelines, and development tools for consistent digital workplaces on ship bridges and in remote operation centers. The system has grown from a 16-partner consortium in 2017 to over 40 partners spanning industry (Kongsberg Maritime, VARD, ABB, Equinor, TechnipFMC), classification societies (DNV, Lloyd's Register), and regulatory bodies, with 900+ companies from 50+ countries registered as users. Related sub-products extend the framework to adjacent domains: OpenRemote for land-based remote operation centers, OpenAR for augmented reality maritime interfaces, OpenZero for energy-efficient UI, OpenVR for collaborative design, SEDNA for safe Arctic navigation, ONSITE for design-driven field research methodology, and MIX for AR in sub-sea equipment manufacturing.

OICL operates as an event-driven, grant-funded research lab rather than a commercial vendor. Revenue comes from co-funding by the Research Council of Norway (e.g., MAROFF program) and industry partners on named projects; the OpenBridge design system itself is distributed free and open-source under PLG channels (openbridge.no, Figma, GitHub webcomponents/Vue/React libraries). The go-to-market is research collaboration and industry adoption through standards-setting rather than sales, with marquee implementations at Brunvoll (DP systems), VARD (SeaQ Horizon), JRC, and SEAM, and educational offerings via the Advanced Interaction Design Studio and Field Studies for Design courses at AHO.

Name

Ocean Industries Concept Lab

Legal name

Ocean Industries Concept Lab

Website

https://oicl.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ocean Industries Concept Lab is an academic research group at Oslo School of Architecture and Design that develops the open-source OpenBridge maritime UI design system, serving ship operators, equipment vendors, and classification societies worldwide with standardized human-centered design tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Design Research

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety, Risk & Compliance Engineering (SOLAS, Class Rules, HAZID/HAZOP, FMEA) (IMAJAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concept & Feasibility Naval Architecture (Requirements, Trade Studies) (IMAJAGAA), Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB)

Keywords

• Maritime design systems
• User-centered design
• Open-source maritime UI
• Human factors research
• Ship bridge design

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: OICL operates as a research group receiving co-funding from public sources (The Research Council of Norway) and industry partners for research projects. Projects like OpenBridge, ONSITE, and SEDNA are co-funded.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ocean Industries Concept Lab (OICL) is a non-profit, multidisciplinary research group at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) that develops user-centered design solutions for the maritime industry. Its flagship deliverable is the OpenBridge Design System, an open-source UI/UX design system for maritime bridge and control systems. The lab also runs applied research projects (OpenRemote, OpenAR, OpenZero, OpenVR) and collaborates with industry partners and classification societies to translate human factors research into shipboard product design.

Product overview

Ocean Industries Concept Lab (OICL) is a research group that develops knowledge supporting maritime user-centered design. The core product is the OpenBridge Design System, the world's first open-source maritime user interface design system, which provides consistent design guidelines, component libraries, and development tools for ship bridges and maritime workplaces. OpenBridge is supported by related projects including OpenRemote (remote operation center interfaces), OpenAR (augmented reality frameworks), OpenZero (energy-efficient UI), and OpenVR (virtual reality in design). Additional offerings include the SEDNA project for Arctic navigation, ONSITE for field study methodology, and Ulstein Bridge Concept for next-generation bridge design. The portfolio also includes educational courses on field studies and design studio work. Together, these products form an integrated ecosystem of maritime design research, tools, and methodologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OpenBridge: Open-source maritime user interface design system providing consistent digital workplaces on ships, simplifying multi-vendor integration. The world's first open-source maritime design system.
• OpenRemote
• OpenAR
• OpenZero

Products and services

• OpenBridge Design System An open-source user interface design system built specifically for maritime bridge and ship control systems. It provides standardized UI components, interaction patterns, and design guidelines for maritime equipment vendors, shipyards, and ship operators developing bridge consoles, navigation displays, and shipboard control applications.
• OpenBridge Designer (Figma design tool) A Figma-based design tool accompanying the OpenBridge Design System, used by maritime UX designers and product teams to prototype and build bridge and control system interfaces consistent with OpenBridge standards.
• Applied Maritime Human Factors Research User-centered design research and human factors studies conducted for maritime industry partners, covering bridge ergonomics, remote and autonomous operation, and crew interaction with shipboard systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• OpenBridge is absolutely free and can significantly reduce investment in new interface development
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOICL is based at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). The group is rooted in industrial, interaction, graphic and service design and carries out projects in close collaboration with leading industry actors.
• SINTEF OceancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in OpenBridge, contributing engineering competence. Part of the multidisciplinary research team developing the OpenBridge platform.
• University of South-Eastern NorwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing human factors expertise to OpenBridge development. Also involved in OpenVR and OpenAR projects.
• Kongsberg MaritimecoreTechnology or IntegrationShip bridge systems designer and manufacturer. Partner in OpenBridge consortium and OpenRemote project for remote operation center design.
• EquinorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperator partner in OpenAR project for developing augmented reality applications in Advanced Maritime Operations (AMO).
• TechnipFMCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperator partner in OpenAR project (through FMC Kongsberg Subsea AS). Also partner in MIX project for augmented reality in sub-sea equipment manufacturing.
• VARD ElectromajorTechnology or IntegrationShip and ship system designer in OpenAR project. Contributing to AR-based UI component development.
• Blue CTRLmajorTechnology or IntegrationShip and ship system designer in OpenAR project.
• Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body partner in OpenAR project, contributing to regulatory framework development for AR in maritime settings.
• Norwegian Maritime AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body partner in OpenAR project for maritime AR regulations.
• Ulstein InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiator of ONSITE project. Ship designer and builder contributing to design-driven field research methodology.
• DNV GLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClassification society partner in ONSITE project. Contributed safety advisory expertise and conducted field studies.
• Pon PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipment manufacturer partner in ONSITE project. Service technicians contribute operational knowledge from field studies.
• NTNUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ONSITE project. Professor Hans Georg Schaathun and Postdoc Aya Saad contributed computer science expertise for software development.
• Lloyd's RegistermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClassification society partner in OpenRemote project.
• FugromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in OpenRemote project for remote maritime operations.
• BrunvollmajorTechnology or IntegrationMarine technology partner in OpenRemote project. Already implementing OpenBridge on their DP control systems.
• Maritime RoboticsmajorTechnology or IntegrationAutonomous maritime systems partner in OpenRemote project.
• Marine Technologies LLCmajorTechnology or IntegrationMaritime technology partner in OpenRemote project.
• HalogenmajorTechnology or IntegrationMaritime technology partner in OpenRemote project.
• Norwegian Electric SystemsmajorTechnology or IntegrationMaritime electrical systems partner in OpenRemote project.
• NAVTORmajorTechnology or IntegrationMaritime navigation technology partner in OpenRemote project.
• ioStudioTech ASmajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner in OpenRemote project.
• SkippermajorTechnology or IntegrationMaritime technology partner in OpenRemote project.
• ABBmajorTechnology or IntegrationIndustrial automation partner listed on OICL partners page.
• Alphatron MarinemajorTechnology or IntegrationMarine electronics partner listed on OICL partners page.
• WilhelmsenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaritime industry partner listed on OICL partners page.
• Holocap ASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup that developed the holographic system used in OICL's Holographic project for real-time holograms in VR.
• Western Norway University of Applied SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal research consultant in ONSITE project (Margareta Lützhöft).
• University of BergenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in OpenAR project.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Furuno: Japanese marine electronics and navigation equipment vendor listed as an OICL partner. Furuno builds bridge display systems that increasingly require the kind of consistent multi-vendor UX that OpenBridge standardizes.
• Kongsberg Maritime: Largest consumer of OpenBridge and a core consortium partner. Kongsberg Maritime builds ship bridge and remote-operation systems where OICL's design system is embedded, making it both a customer and a parallel force in maritime UX.
• SINTEF Ocean: Norway's largest maritime applied-research institute and an active OICL partner in OpenBridge. SINTEF Ocean runs multidisciplinary maritime R&D with industry co-funding — the closest structural analogue to OICL outside the design niche.
• MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands): Independent maritime research institute conducting hydrodynamic and human-factors research. Operates as a non-profit applied-research lab collaborating with maritime industry, structurally similar to OICL though focused on different sub-domains.
• University of South-Eastern Norway (USN): Academic partner contributing human-factors expertise to OpenBridge, OpenVR, and OpenAR. USN's Department of Maritime Operations runs human-factors research adjacent to OICL's work, making it a peer academic unit rather than a commercial actor.

Broad incumbents

• Lloyd's Register: Classification society and OpenRemote partner. Lloyd's Register conducts maritime safety research and increasingly advises on digital and autonomous shipping, overlapping with OICL's regulatory and human-factors remit.
• Wärtsilä: Global marine technology vendor with Voyage digital solutions unit. Competes in the same maritime UX and bridge-systems space OICL targets, but with proprietary commercial offerings rather than open-source standards.
• ABB: Industrial automation major with marine and ports division, and a listed OICL partner. ABB ships bridge and control systems where consistent UX is critical, positioning it as a peer that both competes with and consumes OpenBridge-aligned thinking.
• DNV: Global classification society and OICL partner in ONSITE. DNV runs maritime safety research and standards setting that overlaps with OICL's compliance-engineering orientation, but at much broader scale and with commercial services.
• Bureau Veritas: Major classification society with marine and offshore research programs. Overlaps with OICL in maritime safety and digitalization standards work, but operates as a global commercial assurance provider rather than an open-source design steward.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-industries-concept-lab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ocean Industries Concept Lab