Our Startup Spotlight series introduces you to the entrepreneurs in our community, sharing their unique journeys as founders.

This week, we put the spotlight on Kristian Rosenberg, CEO of Marlic A/S.

What’s your story? 

Marlic was established in 2022, based on our invention – the Full-hydraulic power steering system with integrated design.

What began as a simple attempt to optimize the inventor’s own boat turned out to be a unique and groundbreaking innovation with patent potential. This discovery became the foundation of Marlic, created to introduce the technology to the global market.

Our first product, the Marlic 3520, was finalized, certified and introduced in November 2024. It represents the first full hydraulic power steering system with integrated electronic interface capabilities that does not rely on electro-hydraulics or electric actuators.

Why does the industry need your solution?

Until now, traditional power steering systems have relied on electricity to generate steering power. This requires the main engine to drive a generator that charges a battery, which then feeds either an electro-hydraulic pump or an electric actuator to apply steering force to the rudder. This traditional setup is both relatively expensive and far from optimal, delivering inferior energy-to-force ratios and substantial energy losses at every conversion step.

At Marlic, we are introducing a more sustainable solution by eliminating the need for electro-hydraulic pumps, autopilot pumps, electric actuators, and large battery packs.

We provide a full hydraulic power steering system at the helm, along with direct plug-and-play interface capabilities for both autopilot and joystick control.

Read more: Floatist launches new onboarding platform

What have you enjoyed most about starting your own company?

Marlic is a family-owned company run by father and son, and we both have several other companies in our track record. This is not our first venture into new business ideas, and we have always enjoyed being self-employed. I guess what we both enjoy most is the freedom to explore and realize new potential business models.

Now, looking into the leisure marine sector for the first time, we have already discovered several other aspects within hydraulics that could be improved significantly.

What challenges did you face at the beginning?

The leisure marine sector was new to both of us, and I guess our first challenge was learning how to navigate the directives, ISO standards, and ABYC requirements. We chose to handle this ourselves, which was a bit difficult at first.

Our next challenge is to find a business partner who will adopt our innovative solution and take it to the global market – and we already have a few promising discussions underway.

What’s next for your business? 

Our main goal is to find a global partner interested in adopting and commercializing our current integrated hydraulic steering technology, allowing us to focus on further innovation within marine hydraulics. Over the next 3–5 years, we see Marlic expanding its presence in the global leisure marine sector — either directly or through other leading brands.

Our immediate focus is to secure a business partner who will adopt our innovative steering solution and help bring it to global markets. We also aim to continue exploring and improving other aspects of marine hydraulics, identifying opportunities to simplify systems, increase efficiency, and reduce energy consumption.

Any advice for entrepreneurs just starting out?

Understand the regulations, tackle challenges head-on, and don’t be afraid to do things yourself at first. Focus on creating simple, reliable, and efficient solutions, and always keep exploring new ideas — curiosity and persistence drive innovation.

A quote you live by:

Superior solutions, simplified.