diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c160acf1d67..3d78ba242bf 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # CHANGELOG
 
+## 0.45.0
+
+
 ## 0.44.0
 
 * Add the "Unmanaged" KafkaTopic status update.
diff --git a/api/pom.xml b/api/pom.xml
index 40971a51732..19dd6a3a343 100644
--- a/api/pom.xml
+++ b/api/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>api</artifactId>
diff --git a/certificate-manager/pom.xml b/certificate-manager/pom.xml
index 031cdea645d..26303d0e50d 100644
--- a/certificate-manager/pom.xml
+++ b/certificate-manager/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>certificate-manager</artifactId>
diff --git a/cluster-operator/pom.xml b/cluster-operator/pom.xml
index 5c2188fd154..d2470f945cd 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/pom.xml
+++ b/cluster-operator/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>cluster-operator</artifactId>
diff --git a/config-model-generator/pom.xml b/config-model-generator/pom.xml
index 4e72ae407b2..a93bff82ca0 100644
--- a/config-model-generator/pom.xml
+++ b/config-model-generator/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/config-model/pom.xml b/config-model/pom.xml
index 7e49f8097cc..0fde55664d2 100644
--- a/config-model/pom.xml
+++ b/config-model/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/crd-annotations/pom.xml b/crd-annotations/pom.xml
index e501f5d049c..d4d8eb17b40 100644
--- a/crd-annotations/pom.xml
+++ b/crd-annotations/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/crd-generator/pom.xml b/crd-generator/pom.xml
index d04f1f68a62..e1004dca484 100644
--- a/crd-generator/pom.xml
+++ b/crd-generator/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>crd-generator</artifactId>
diff --git a/documentation/shared/attributes.adoc b/documentation/shared/attributes.adoc
index daeaabb874a..44db1ed1a97 100644
--- a/documentation/shared/attributes.adoc
+++ b/documentation/shared/attributes.adoc
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 :toclevels: 3
 
 //Latest Strimzi version
-:ProductVersion: 0.44.0
+:ProductVersion: 0.45.0
 //Strimzi versions used in upgrades sections
 :ConvertAfterProductVersion: 0.22
 :LastReleaseWithCRDUpgrade: 0.24
diff --git a/kafka-agent/pom.xml b/kafka-agent/pom.xml
index 46721fd07da..80e3bd65c9e 100644
--- a/kafka-agent/pom.xml
+++ b/kafka-agent/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/kafka-init/pom.xml b/kafka-init/pom.xml
index a05e5e4f3d0..b05618741ee 100644
--- a/kafka-init/pom.xml
+++ b/kafka-init/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>kafka-init</artifactId>
diff --git a/mirror-maker-agent/pom.xml b/mirror-maker-agent/pom.xml
index 2e4d540fb59..fa7da9a752b 100644
--- a/mirror-maker-agent/pom.xml
+++ b/mirror-maker-agent/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/mockkube/pom.xml b/mockkube/pom.xml
index 90623886ee6..634ec5e2d1f 100644
--- a/mockkube/pom.xml
+++ b/mockkube/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/operator-common/pom.xml b/operator-common/pom.xml
index 6e49e93893f..e2b15dc92c8 100644
--- a/operator-common/pom.xml
+++ b/operator-common/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>operator-common</artifactId>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 3556d8e2be4..bfef1f7a9d2 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
     <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
-    <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <licenses>
         <license>
diff --git a/release.version b/release.version
index 071c3fbccd4..167163c56c4 100644
--- a/release.version
+++ b/release.version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.44.0-SNAPSHOT
+0.45.0-SNAPSHOT
diff --git a/systemtest/pom.xml b/systemtest/pom.xml
index a64978cdc38..0e9acf33cab 100644
--- a/systemtest/pom.xml
+++ b/systemtest/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>systemtest</artifactId>
diff --git a/test/pom.xml b/test/pom.xml
index ef213ee4748..1e417c947ac 100644
--- a/test/pom.xml
+++ b/test/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/topic-operator/pom.xml b/topic-operator/pom.xml
index 9bdc0dfec52..0832864d84e 100644
--- a/topic-operator/pom.xml
+++ b/topic-operator/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>topic-operator</artifactId>
diff --git a/tracing-agent/pom.xml b/tracing-agent/pom.xml
index 97f254c2a89..f7dd8e38c81 100644
--- a/tracing-agent/pom.xml
+++ b/tracing-agent/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <parent>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/user-operator/pom.xml b/user-operator/pom.xml
index 6cb4da54730..efecd0a6cb1 100644
--- a/user-operator/pom.xml
+++ b/user-operator/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.strimzi</groupId>
         <artifactId>strimzi</artifactId>
-        <version>0.44.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.45.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>user-operator</artifactId>