It is not just funding, of course. The barriers to entry beyond financial means include ready access to the most appropriate business, legal, and regulatory advice, as well as the right invitations to network and collaborate. However, with the Blue Economy now central to the long-term growth plans of leading nations, the capacity to foster a culture of ocean tech innovation and entrepreneurship is more pressing than ever. This is where established ocean accelerators like Ocean Exchange make a real difference.
ACCELERATION IN ACTION
Ocean Exchange’s mission—broadly speaking, to accelerate blue tech innovation through a global ecosystem of professional support geared towards lasting outcomes for a prosperous Blue Economy—is built around two main pillars. First, an annual awards program that seeks to showcase the best of emerging talent and ideas, and second, a year-round effort to facilitate networking opportunities for promising startups to connect to market resources.
Now in its 14th year Ocean Exchange’s award program has helped facilitate more than $2 million in non-dilutive grants to startups as seed funding, typically at pre-revenue stage, with a further $300,000 recently announced for the organization’s 2025 edition due to take place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from October 26–28.
ON&T, both as an exclusive media partner to Ocean Exchange and a long-time supporter of the blue tech startup community, will be onsite to bring readers all the news, views, and insights from the event. But, for those eager to learn more, here is a sneak preview of what to expect.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Over the 3 days, 15 pre-selected candidates will compete for 2 Neptune Awards and 1 Ocean Enterprise Award. The 2 Neptune Awards will be handed out to solutions that advance our collective understanding of the ocean and help to minimize the impact of human activities on these resources and ecosystems, resulting in ever resilient bodies of water, including healthy marine life and coastlines. The 1 Ocean Enterprise Award, new to this year’s proceedings, will go to a solution that supports ocean observations, delivers improved data and services, and enables the growth of a sustainable Blue Economy.
The winners for each award will be chosen based on the impact, level of innovation, and the ability to execute the solution. Specially selected delegates representing business, academia, government, and nonprofits will vote for the 3 winners.
Nine of the finalists are from the USA, three from Europe, one from Africa, one from the Middle East, and one from the Caribbean. Solutions fall into the following categories: ocean intelligence, ecosystem services/ conservation, alternative materials, battery materials, vessel fuel/emissions reduction, and water monitoring/treatment.
Speaking to ON&T, Millicent Pitts, Executive Director of Ocean Exchange, sees the three days of healthy competition as a win-win for all involved: “Ever since we launched the Ocean Exchange awards program 14 years ago, we have always focused on rewarding real-world solutions that inspire action. With each year, we see increasingly innovative and proactive solutions designed to disrupt and inspire a productive and sustainable Blue Economy. In 2025, the competition is as fierce as ever, so regardless of which 3 companies scoop the awards, every candidate should be poised for acceleration in their journey towards commercialization.”
Finalists for 2025 are ABALOBI (South Africa); Algae Scope (Italy); Aloft (USA); Bio Clean Carbon (Denmark); Bluenose (France); Ceal Minerals (Israel); Cecilia (USA); Cetera Energy (USA); Dottir Labs (USA); NeuralX (USA); Nucleic Sensing Systems (USA); Orpheus Ocean (USA); Reefgen (USA); SOS Biotech (DR); and Sunfish (USA).
This spotlight appeared in ON&T Magazine’s 2025 October Edition, Subsea Infrastructure: Integrity & Security, to read more access the magazine here.
