Entrepreneur, environmentalist and Arksen founder Jasper Smith is leading an expedition to reshape luxury, from status to purpose

Arksen Foundation, which invites owners to dedicate 10 percent of their vessel’s sea time to marine research and conservation efforts, seems very much symbolic of the brand values.

Yes, if you’re fortunate enough to have access to one of our vessels, you have a responsibility to use it to help better protect and understand our oceans. The Foundation provides a platform to allow a range of experts greater access to oceans so that they can tell their stories and share their findings. There is still so much to discover that could significantly impact how we approach the challenges of saving our planet. By actively involving our owner community, we will provide marine institutions with sea time for scientific research to encourage and motivate the next generation of explorers, scientists and adventurers.

Then at other end, the Explorers’ Club, your curated adventures and expeditions, seems also fundamental to the brand.

Absolutely. Adventure is at the forefront of Arksen vessels. Our aim is to help owners realise the potential of their vessel and of themselves, so we provide two kinds of adventures – custom and signature adventures. The latter are inspired by some of the expeditions, locations, oceans and aspirations of our greatest explorers. Their legacy fuels our sense of adventure, our love of the wild and the challenge of the unknown. And there seems to be a real appetite for these adventures.

You clearly share this passion for adventure.

I once sailed from Hong Kong to Petropavlosk, Kamchatka and then on to Alaska spending time climbing the volcanoes there and flying around in a huge helicopter with friends and local climbers. At the time, Communism was collapsing and so there was a great deal of uncertainty for the people who lived there. Yet, we were made hugely welcome and taken to some extraordinary places, offered wonderful meals and lots of vodka! It was a magical trip. I would love to try the North-West passage, sail around the top of Siberia, follow the Kon-Tiki route, cruise the Chilean archipelago, and explore some of the Norwegian fjords.

Do you think your tech background has shaped the way you approach the marine world, particularly in how Arksen vessels are designed to be autonomy-ready?

The tech world is ahead of other industries, and bringing expertise from one sector to another has huge benefits. As we move towards automotive and marine autonomy, much of the learning from the games industry is migrating to these sectors. At Arksen, I hope we will be able to create autonomous systems that will allow transport in the most economical manner possible. I am just one cog in the overall vision for Arksen though. We have an exceptional team from across the marine, aviation and technology sectors, as well as world-class partners. My experience has taught me that to deliver the best you need to collaborate with experts.

How would you describe the typical Arksen patron and partner?

Someone who craves getting off the beaten track, of being in the wilderness, of learning and discovery, of rare and amazing experiences and sharing them with people they love. They will have a passion for sailing and be naturally adventurous at heart. My hope is that the people we work with, our customers and partners, all share a vision to build a great company, and have a lot of fun in the process.

What was the spark behind Arksen; the moment or idea that set it in motion?

My children are perhaps the greatest inspiration for building the company. When they were young, we sailed extensively in and around the Mediterranean and the UK, yet I dream of taking them on longer passages, extraordinary journeys of our role models: following part of the Fram journey north, sailing in the wake of Bill Tillman, diving some of the sites Jacques Cousteau discovered, following the Kon-Tiki route. Life is short; it skips by. If there is one thing I can do for my kids, to allow them to see the world in a profoundly different way, is to show them the world at its most natural and complete.

You are clearly deeply concerned about our environment and the climate emergency. When did the fire start?

Harking back to my days as a climber, I felt a connection to the world around me and I felt responsible for protecting the environment I loved to explore. And I am noticing a stark change in the environment from one visit to the next. On one trip, looking across Greenland’s vast ice-covered landscapes, I could see the glaciers collapsing before my eyes. It was both humbling and frightening. How can I promise my children a safe future, if I’m not doing all I can?

How do you see your role?

As an entrepreneur, with the means to operate in a different capacity and the influence to drive change, it is almost an obligation to do what is possible. Be part of the solution. We are not blindsided that our journey ahead will be a smooth ride, but we are committed. We want to lead by example, provide the opportunities for others to change – be it through altering the distribution of philanthropic funding, granting greater access to the ocean for vital research, advocating for more adventures with purpose and conservation in mind.

How do you relate this to luxury travel?

Achieving positive momentum towards sustainability will enable us to redefine luxury as the opportunity to live comfortably today without depleting the resources that may be required by future generations. There is no perfect today: the carbon footprint of a boat or a car is huge. But what we can do now is invest in technologies, systems and processes that promote rapid change. We can design products that embrace the principals of a circular economy: design out waste, design for longevity, design for reuse, repair and recycling.

So the definition of a luxury product becomes one that is built with these principals, with heart and soul and with purpose… ideally, one that opens doors to a new world of experiences.

Are you optimistic about the future?

Sailing with my children when they were young, I loved teaching them about the fragility of the oceans and its ecosystems, then watching them take it all in with eager eyes and open minds. I have only recently understood the full impact of exposing them to all this at a young age. I have been amazed by their passion and advocacy for the current environmental issues, and their drive to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other young activists and make sure the message is heard loud and clear. It is the youth of today who are teaching those in positions of power and influence how we should all be more proactive in generating change, in taking responsibility for our own actions.