About
Nard Kempers
Nard grew up in a dynamic family business that ran a marina and campsite — surrounded by water, boats, and entrepreneurship. His love for the maritime world started early: sailing, entrepreneurial thinking, and contributing ideas about the daily operations of the family business were part of everyday life. After completing his management studies at the Hotel Management School Maastricht and earning a Finance Master at Nyenrode Business University, he started working at a concept agency where he helped start-ups not only develop their ideas but actually bring them to life.
But the water kept calling. During and after his studies, Nard turned his passion into his profession: he climbed the ranks and became a commercial skipper in the Mediterranean charter world.
It was there that he encountered a problem — one that frustrated not only him but also countless colleagues and boat owners.
A problem that demanded a solution.
But the water kept calling. During and after his studies, Nard turned his passion into his profession: he climbed the ranks and became a commercial skipper in the Mediterranean charter world.
It was there that he encountered a problem — one that frustrated not only him but also countless colleagues and boat owners.
A problem that demanded a solution.
How did you got the affinity with the water?
I guess boating is quite certain in the family DNA. My grandfather and his brothers founded Kempala in the 1980s — a Dutch boatbuilding company specializing in 8–12 meter Kotters and Kruisers. I was raised in a newer part of the family business, which included our own harbor and campsite, so I basically grew up on the water.
From sailing at the age of four to running charters as a commercial skipper in the Mediterranean during my Bachelor’s and Master’s, the sea has always been the red thread in my life. Over the years, I’ve captained hundreds of motorboats and sailboats, and eventually, I became fully immersed in the industry — head to toe.
From sailing at the age of four to running charters as a commercial skipper in the Mediterranean during my Bachelor’s and Master’s, the sea has always been the red thread in my life. Over the years, I’ve captained hundreds of motorboats and sailboats, and eventually, I became fully immersed in the industry — head to toe.
How did the idea YachtPass strike?
While working as a charter captain in the Med, I constantly ran into the same frustration: endless stacks of paperwork every time I checked in at harbors or immigration offices. It was like a paperwork proces as the 80s and nothing had been digitized.
That’s when the idea hit me: what if I could create a digital summary of all vessel documentation? I tested it with clients and the responses from boat owner, immigrations and harbors was amazing!
After completing my Master’s, I dove headfirst into building the platform — and the result exceeded all expectations.
Today, YachtPass is on a mission to revolutionize the recreational boating industry — from dealership to individual owners — it is time to digitize it all and make life on water a breeze.
That’s when the idea hit me: what if I could create a digital summary of all vessel documentation? I tested it with clients and the responses from boat owner, immigrations and harbors was amazing!
After completing my Master’s, I dove headfirst into building the platform — and the result exceeded all expectations.
Today, YachtPass is on a mission to revolutionize the recreational boating industry — from dealership to individual owners — it is time to digitize it all and make life on water a breeze.
