Andrea Giannecchini (Yachtica and Alpha Plate): Pioneers and architects of the nautical world of the future
From automation to design with flexibility as a competitive advantage
Viareggio SUPER YACHT 24 met with Andrea Giannecchini, founder and CEO of VYCSrl, a company revolutionizing the yachting world with two distinct yet complementary brands: Yachtica, a leader in high-tech and automation to make yachts more functional, and AlphaPlate, which has transformed onboard accessories into authentic design objects. The meeting took place at VYCSrl's headquarters—in the heart of Tuscany's Nautical and Port Technology District, of which Giannecchini is currently president—to gain a closer look at its operations and understand how the ecosystem of local expertise, combining artisanal tradition and global demands, is shaping the future of yachting.
Let's start from the beginning: how did the idea for Yachtica come about?
I founded Yachtica in 2001, a brand born from the combination of the words "Yacht" and "automatique." The goal was to apply home automation, then still a niche technology, to the nautical sector, particularly to superyachts and gigayachts; an intuition that proved to be a winning one. I have a humanities background, but I've always had a strong passion for technology. In those days, automation technologies weren't accessible to everyone, and here I had the opportunity, thanks to my proximity to the world's most important nautical district, to bring technologies aboard vessels that could make life simpler and more comfortable. Since then, the technological evolution within vessels has been incredible.
You were pioneers in this field. What's your unique approach?
We were the first company in the world to specifically study the nautical sector and develop dedicated products, and this is what makes us unique. Our Yachtica systems are designed exclusively for boats, unlike those of our competitors, which are designed as industrial or residential products and then adapted to boats. Our systems, certified by RINA, are designed for the specific requirements of the nautical sector, which has different voltages, strains, and regulations, and must pass much more stringent tests than those reserved for residential systems.
Today, we are universally recognized as a leading company; we can count over 3500 superyachts with our products installed in the last 15-20 years, not to mention the thousands of small vessels under 20 meters. We supply all the major Italian shipyards, as well as many important European shipyards; lately, we have also acquired clients in Northern Europe, an area notoriously very selective when it comes to Italian technological quality. Every year, we supply and manage approximately 150 superyacht projects, supporting system installation companies, where, if necessary, we verify and test the system with our engineers.”
What kind of functions do your systems handle?
Through the bus module system, we fully manage all the yacht's lighting and controls, such as TV lifts, curtains, blinds, and more. The system interfaces with the dashboard or audio-video systems, and using a touchscreen or handheld device, you can turn the entire vessel on and off, activate scenarios, and adjust lighting levels or anything else connected to the system. We were also the first in the world to introduce advanced features like RGB control on a boat, allowing architects to create unprecedented color schemes and completely change the 'feel' of a space by modulating hues and colors. With our approach, the system drastically reduces the amount of physical wiring on board. This results in less weight and greater simplification, better management of space and cable routing. All thanks to a system offering maximum safety and reliability.
How do you compete with larger multinationals?
Our strength lies in our flexibility and ability to offer a highly personalized service. We also constantly invest in research and development to provide the advanced service this industry demands from an innovation perspective. Large corporations find it uneconomical to invest in a niche market like ours, which, despite its high value, boasts fewer than a thousand projects globally.
Alpha Plate is a division of yours: what does it consist of?
Alpha Plate is our second soul, combining technology and top-notch design. This range of keypads is born from our experience in the luxury yacht industry, but has also found significant application in the residential sector. Our products, entirely Made in Italy, are a perfect blend of craftsmanship and an industrial approach. We use high-quality metals like aluminum and offer over a hundred different finishes, from special galvanization to anodization, some of which are applied by artisans. The initial goal was to transform an element that was once considered a simple technical component into a true design object.
What role does the Tuscan nautical district play for a company like yours?
We operate in global markets, but our strength lies in the critical mass of expertise unique to the Tuscan district. Our close proximity and collaboration with other companies in the supply chain allow us to offer a tailored and flexible service that large multinationals simply cannot match. Ours is a meta-industrialization approach, combining high-quality craftsmanship with the efficiency of the industrial process, making this synergy our main competitive advantage.
Finally, are there any future projects you can share?
We are investing heavily in developing foreign markets, particularly in Turkey, which is a rapidly expanding region for yacht production. For the Alpha Plate division, our goal is to consolidate our leadership in the luxury residential sector. We will be at the Monaco Yacht Show and at the Light & Building trade fair in Frankfurt, the largest European event in the sector, to demonstrate how our approach to design can revolutionize this market as well. Seeing our products, architects have gone from hiding the control panel in renderings to making it a prominent feature. Our dream is for the choice of an Alpha Plate plate to become a design gesture as conscious as the choice of a vase or a painting.
SUBSCRIBE TO FREE SUPER YACHT 24 NEWSLETTER
SUPER YACHT 24 IS ALSO ON WHATSAPP: JUST CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL AND ALWAYS BE UPDATED
