What Smart Own does

Smart Own Maldives Private Limited, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Malé, operates the largest fleet of luxury yachts and passenger boats in the Maldives, a fleet it states exceeds the combined fleet of its three closest competitors. The company provides bespoke water transport services to luxury and ultra-luxury hotel and resort operators, with named partners including Ritz Carlton Fari Islands, Patina Fari Islands, Bvlgari Resort Ranfushi, Mandarin Oriental Bolidhuffaru Reef, Banyan Tree Maldives, W Hotel Maldives, Sheraton Full Moon, Dusit D2, SO Maldives, and multiple Club Med properties. Beyond the Maldives, Smart Own has expanded operations to the Seychelles via Club Med Seychelles and maintains regional offices in Dubai (UAE) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).

The core offering is organized around four branded service tiers: Pearl (Majesty yachts with senior crews for premium luxury), Coral (hybrid yacht/speedboat/catamaran configuration for 5-star resorts), Seashell (affordable passenger boats), and Green (sustainable electric transport using Candela P-12 vessels). Supporting services include high-capacity staff transport using Touring 48 ferries and Dhoanis of up to 100 passengers, plus diving, water sports, and excursions operated through the flagship Majesty 60 yacht under the leadership of General Manager Eric van Melis. The technology base is operational and fleet-centric rather than software-driven, anchored by dedicated in-house engineering, maintenance, and workshop teams.

Smart Own generates revenue through B2B managed-services contracts with resort operators on customized, non-publicly disclosed terms. Distribution is exclusively direct enterprise sales with no intermediaries; marketing is B2B-focused via LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and the company website, with premium lifestyle collaborations (Dom Pérignon, Lady Gaga) used for brand positioning. The company also operates a separate investment website (investsmartown.com) soliciting capital for water transport sector opportunities, indicating an openness to external capital for fleet expansion. Revenue, headcount, funding history, and ownership structure beyond founder control are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Smart Own

Legal name

Smart Own Maldives Private Limited

Website

https://smartown.mv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smart Own Maldives Private Limited is a Malé-headquartered hospitality water transport operator serving luxury and ultra-luxury hotel and resort clients in the Maldives and Seychelles via a tiered fleet of yachts, speedboats, and electric vessels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Water Transport Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Water Transportation (483)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB), Dive & Snorkel Equipment Rental, Retail & Boat Services (compressors, gear hire) (THAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Hospitality water transport
• Luxury yacht charters
• Maritime passenger services
• Resort guest transfers
• Electric passenger vessels

Headquarters

HQ city

Malé

HQ country

Maldives

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Guests Water Transport Services: Tiered water transport services for hotel guests delivered via luxury yachts, speedboats, and passenger boats. Services are customized to resort requirements and operate on a B2B contract basis.
2. Staff Transport Services: Customized staff transfer services covering daily employee mobility between campus and resort and between campus and Malé, including high-speed passenger boats and Dhoanis.
3. Water Sports & Excursions: Diving, water sports, and bespoke excursion services for resort guests, delivered through curated professional teams and luxury leisure vessels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Smart Own provides bespoke water transport services for hotel guests and staff in the Maldives and Seychelles, offering four tiered guest transport packages (Pearl, Coral, Seashell, Green) using its own fleet of yachts, speedboats, passenger boats, electric Candela P-12 vessels, touring ferries, and Dhoanis. Services are contracted directly with luxury resort operators and supplemented by water sports, diving, and excursion offerings.

Product overview

Smart Own is a hospitality water transport operator in the Maldives offering a tiered guest transport service system (Pearl, Coral, Seashell, and Green), staff transport solutions, and water sports & excursions. The core offering consists of four guests transport tiers differentiated by vessel type and luxury level: Pearl (Majesty yachts for premium luxury), Coral (hybrid speedboat-catamaran for 5-star resorts), Seashell (affordable passenger boats), and Green (electric Candela P-12 for sustainability). Supporting services include staff transport using high-speed Touring 48 ferries and Dhoanis, plus diving and water sports excursions featuring the flagship Majesty 60 yacht. The company operates the largest fleet of luxury yachts and passenger boats in the Maldives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pearl: Luxury guests transport tier featuring Majesty yachts, the most premium offering in the company's guests transport services.
• Coral
• Seashell
• Green

Products and services

• Pearl Guest Transport Tier The premium tier of Smart Own's guest water transport service, using Majesty yachts and senior crew to deliver luxury guests transport for top-tier resort partners.
• Coral Guest Transport Tier A sophistication tier of guest water transport designed for 5-star resorts, combining luxury yacht interiors with passenger boat capacity, speedboat agility, and catamaran fuel efficiency.
• Seashell Guest Transport Tier An affordable tier of guest water transport providing quality, safety, and comfort for resorts seeking competitive rates while maintaining the Smart Own promise of hospitality, professionalism, and reliability.
• Green Guest Transport Tier A sustainable guest transport tier featuring Candela P-12 electric passenger shuttles offering a calmer, quieter, and more comfortable journey than conventional petrol-powered boats without compromising travel time.
• Staff Transport Service Customized staff transfer service for resort operators covering daily employee mobility between campus and resort and between campus and Malé, using high-speed passenger boats (50 pax capacity, quadruple engines, optional air conditioning) and Dhoanis of multiple sizes and configurations (up to 100 passengers).
• Water Sports & Excursions Diving, water sports, and bespoke excursion service for resort guests delivered through curated professional teams and luxury leisure vessels, featuring the flagship yacht Majesty 60.

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ritz Carlton Fari IslandscoreOthersPremier luxury resort partner using Smart Own's Pearl tier guests transport services with Majesty yachts. Represents Smart Own's flagship luxury service offering.
• Patina Fari IslandscoreOthersPremium resort partner utilizing Smart Own's Pearl tier guests transport services.
• SO MaldivescoreOthersLuxury resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• Club Med KanicoreOthersFamily resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• Club Med FinolhucoreOthersBeach resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• Sheraton Full MooncoreOthersLuxury resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• Banyan Tree MaldivescoreOthersLuxury resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• Dusit D2 MaldivescoreOthersLuxury resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• W Hotel MaldivescoreOthersLuxury resort partner using Smart Own's Seashell tier guests transport services.
• Club Med SeychellescoreOthersInternational expansion partner in Seychelles using Smart Own's water transport services.
• Bvlgari Resort RanfushicoreOthersUltra-luxury resort partner receiving water sports and excursion services. Eric van Melis brought expertise in luxury water-based leisure services for Bulgari's brand of understated luxury.
• Mandarin Oriental Bolidhuffaru ReefcoreOthersLuxury resort partner using Smart Own's water transport and excursion services.
• Eric van MeliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral Manager with over two decades of leadership in luxury water-based leisure services at prestigious Maldives resorts. Brings expertise and vision for creating unique water sports and dive experiences aligned with luxury brand standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trans Maldivian Airways: The dominant seaplane operator in the Maldives providing passenger transfers for resort guests across multiple atolls. Closest comparable B2B transport provider serving the same luxury resort customer base in the same geography.
• Atoll Speedboat: Maldivian speedboat and boat transfer company providing resort guest and staff transport between Malé and resort islands. Operates in the same B2B luxury hospitality transport niche.
• Mookai Speedboat Transfers: Maldives-based speedboat transfer operator serving resort guests with scheduled and charter services. Direct competitor in the inter-atoll passenger transport segment.
• Lily Maa Private Boat Charter: Maldives private boat charter and transfer service for resort guests. Comparable in scope, geography and customer profile to Smart Own's Seashell and Pearl tiers.

Broad incumbents

• Burgess Yachts: Global superyacht broker and charter company. Overlaps with Smart Own's Pearl tier on luxury yacht experiences and premium guest expectations, although operating at much larger vessel scale.
• Dream Yacht Charter: Global yacht charter operator offering crewed and bareboat charters in the Maldives and other Indian Ocean destinations. Adjacent in product (chartered yacht experiences) though serving a different mix of customers.
• Camper & Nicholsons: Established global luxury yacht charter and management house. Comparable in luxury yacht charter capability and ultra-high-net-worth guest experience, though serving a broader international clientele.

Emerging players

• GetBoat: Online marketplace for boat charters and water-based experiences globally. Indirect competitor addressing similar guest-experience bookings in island destinations, though as a marketplace rather than an operator.
• Maalhi Surf & Sail: Maldives-based water sports, excursions and charter operator overlapping with Smart Own's Water Sports & Excursions line and overlapping resort customer base.

Regional players

• Hummingbird Travel: Indian Ocean-focused luxury tour operator arranging bespoke Maldives and Seychelles itineraries including boat transfers and excursions. Comparable in targeting ultra-luxury resort guests in the same geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SmartOwnMaldives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-own
• Instagraminstagram.com/smart_own

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

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 Smart Own