This week, we put the startup spotlight on Joris Van Aelst, co-founder of B-Craft, who designs and builds high-end boats that seamlessly combine luxury and watersports, featuring a patented automated ski pole system that doubles as a wakeboard tower for optimal functionality and aesthetics.

What’s your story? How did you come up with the idea for your business?

It was a classic case of ‘we couldn’t find what we wanted, so we built it ourselves’.

When we were younger, on holidays, we used to wake up early and go waterskiing or wakeboarding. The afternoon was for chilling, town visits or restaurants in the evening. As long as we did it by boat.

As a designer in the superyacht industry, I helped my parents look for a boat with classic, luxurious riviera vibes as well as the capabilities of a waterski/wakeboard boat. As said, we could not find it anywhere, so I went to work to design one for us.

From the very positive feedback we had while planning, my father and I decided to build a company to offer more people this perfect mix between style and water sports. We patented our special feature, an automated ski pole system, which is vital in the duality between action and rest.

Why does the industry need the solution you’re providing?

Firstly, the combination of function vs form is unique in the industry. Having worked in the Superyacht industry, I know first hand how tricky it is, specifically, to fit wakeboard boats in a tender garage. This is due to the impracticality of a wakeboard tower. As a wakeboarder, you need a high attachment for your rope to make high jumps. But this height gets in the way of a low ceiling, or bridges etc.

We are the first company to completely hide the wakeboard tower underneath the deck, without losing freedom of height while wakeboarding. A wakeboard tower also adds a cluttered, messy view in general, due to the storage capability of boards on the tower. We can store everything inside the boat, in the aft, in two large storage spaces. Our solution adds ease of boarding, there is no need to make weird angles and corners to try to fit the boat in.

Secondly, on a constructional level, the market is currently cluttered with similarly looking boats, which consist basically of a mouldable shape, covered in cushions. We add intricate details and styling, which you can’t just put into a mould. We are almost obliged to turn to true craftsmanship, skilled people who know what they are doing, in order to deliver a finished Akoya.

This makes our boat perfect for clients who demand the best, and we offer it both in practicality and aesthetics with the building quality that comes with the Dutch pedigree. Utilitas, Venustas and Firmitas in perfect harmony.

What have you enjoyed most about starting your own company?

One of the biggest advantages of doing this as a family is the freedom you get, as each of us respects one another and counts on their relevant strengths. Decisions were always quickly made and the result speaks for itself.

The prototype will always be used as a showmodel, but also as our family boat, so that in itself is something beautiful.

What challenges did you have to overcome at the beginning?

At the beginning of our journey, the biggest challenge was to be taken seriously by both friend and foe. We are working with big names in the industry, so it was quite tricky to convince certain partners to work with us, partially due to my age at the time and partially due to the difficulty of the project that was ahead.

During the build of our prototype, as a solution-minded individual, the negativity of some people (fortunately a rarity) was another big challenge. It’s a waste of time, it drains energy and at the end of the day, it was proven time and time again that you cannot let yourself get dragged down by negative people. Not in a metaphorical, cheesy kind of way, but practically, it’s simply a major inconvenience.

What’s next for your business? Where do you see it in 3-5 years?

The process of introducing us to the market and getting noticed by potential buyers is the biggest challenge we face today. We have our building process set up, but the coming time our focus is on finding representation and sales.

Based on our current trajectory, we aim to finish building our first sale by the end of 2026. If we get a sell, that is. In 3-5 years though, around 2028-2030, we should be operating at an average building rate of 4 Akoyas per year.

Any advice for entrepreneurs just starting out in this space?

Just do it. I know a lot of people with an ’employee-mindset’. It’s a settled way of thinking, which usually leads to blaming others for (futile) things.

Being an entrepreneur is all about having the guts to face your challenges head-on without finding excuses or pushing blame elsewhere. You are the one at the helm. You have the vision. You see the problem from all angles. Hold the wheel and adjust your course if need be, but by all means, keep going forward.

And a fun one—what’s a quote or some words that you live by?

I love this quote: “Everyone knew it was impossible, until a fool who didn’t know came along and did it.”

Sometimes, being ‘a fool’ isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

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