Hadleigh Ford is now CEO of SwipedOn
Hadleigh Ford’s journey to owning a multi-million-dollar tech company started when he saw an ad for a scholarship to MIT’s Maritime School.
In 2013, years after completing his study at the Maritime School, Hadleigh created the SwipedOn app, which provides a platform for signing staff and visitors on and off vessels.
In 2018, he sold SwipedOn for $11million but remains CEO of the company that has more than 6000 customers across a range of industries and offices all over the world.
The skills gained in the maritime industry have helped support this success in the tech world.
“It was 2000 and I was in College when I started to think of what’s next, which is when I saw the ad for a Maersk scholarship,” Mr Ford says.
“It looked appealing and an adventurous job with the ability to travel the world. I got accepted so I did the second mate course (Diploma in Nautical Science) and subsequently, the Masters programme.”
Mr Ford (right) off the coast of Santorini in the Greek Islands
Soon after graduating Hadleigh was travelling globally, including destinations like the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and transiting the Suez and Panama Canals.
In the ensuing years, progressing his way up to more senior roles working on container ships, cruise ships and super yachts.
One of the vessels he worked on was called ‘Dubai’ which, at over 160 metres long, was the biggest super yacht in the world at the time.
While working on a new build in Germany, the idea for SwipedOn came to him.
“We had to order everything from cleaning equipment to helicopter spare parts. One of the things I had to get was a visitor sign in book for visitors and crew. This was for a €100 million yacht so I was like, oh, people are still just signing in on a bit of bit of paper.”
“I thought we need something that’s better for the guests and the team running the boat.”
Mr Ford (middle) on the vessel called ‘My Yacht Pacific’ in the Mediterranean Ocean.
But it wasn’t until 2013 when Mr Ford had a job piloting vessels into Timaru Port back in New Zealand that he had the time to start working on the app.
“I wasn’t a coder so I just worked it out as I went. I’ve always been relatively technical and even when I did my studies, we worked with different technical aspects – radars, navigation, digital charting systems.”
“It helped me think about the technical side from the user’s perspective.”
After creating SwipedOn, Hadleigh published it on the Apple App Store and sent it out to his networks in the industry who started using it. It was doing so well he started working on it full-time and employed specialists like developers, marketing and salespeople. Along with his team, he soon realised it could be used in any industry which broadened the potential market significantly.
As the CEO, Mr Ford is now based at the global headquarters of SwipedOn in Tauranga.
Reflecting on his time at the Maritime School, Hadleigh says the real-world experience of the teachers was the core thing.
“We got all the theory but the commercial experience of the lecturers was important. There were plenty of stories – they had done the doing.”
At 162metres long, ‘Dubai’ is one of the longest super yachts in the world.
MIT’s Maritime School offers a range of programmes from certificate to master’s level.
Study areas include marine engineering, nautical foreign-going, domestic marine, marine electron-technology, super yachts and short courses in maritime.
