The NOAA Ocean Enterprise program encompasses public and private sector entities that provide infrastructure or capacity for collecting or delivering operational ocean information products and services. The program focuses on fostering the development, commercialization, and adoption of relevant technologies to generate economic and societal benefits for the US and its growing blue economy. Braid Theory, as part of The Continuum, a consortium of entrepreneur support organizations in the blue economy, works closely with NOAA and external industry stakeholders to identify innovation opportunities and prioritize businesses addressing these needs.
“The launch of these first Braid Theory cohorts marks an exciting milestone!” stated Zack Baize, Ocean Enterprise Program Manager at NOAA. “We are so glad to be partnering with Braid Theory and these small businesses and entrepreneurs from across the country to identify and develop the most critical innovations to power the US Ocean Economy into the future.”
Launching May 1st, Braid Theory is offering two accelerator programs designed to aid blue economy startups in commercializing their technologies. The Continuum Ocean Enterprise Accelerator focuses on three core commercialization pillars: building capability, capacity, and intellectual capital. The program offers a robust curriculum, including business model development, customer discovery, and go-to-market strategy formulation. Startups selected for this cohort include: Clean Earth Rovers, SeaWARRDD, Tini Scientific, Dottir Labs, Fleet Robotics, FlowShield Nano, Bluesonde, Hawaii Ocean Power Solutions, Actea, CASTUS Technologies, Coastal Resilience Solutions, and Coral X.
Additionally, Braid Theory is launching the The Ocean Enterprise Accelerator Commercialization Preparation Program. A four-week accelerator designed to support more advanced stage startups in refining their business models and preparing for the Technology Development and Commercialization (TDC) award process. Participants in this program will receive tailored mentoring, and workshops focused on pilot project proposals and TDC award applications. Selected startups include Tampa Deep Sea Xplorers, OctaPulse, Astraeus Ocean Systems, SeaTrac, HydrokinetX, Oceanfarmr, Bluemvmt, NeuralX, ExtremeComms Lab, and Robobuoy.
“Advancing innovation through public-private partnerships is crucial to ensuring that the solutions developed are ready for market adoption and scalable impact,” said Ann Carpenter, CEO of Braid Theory.
The next program offering by The Continuum is Seaworthy Collective’s Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator program. Applications are now open until June 26th, with the cohort beginning August 1st.
To learn more and apply, visit: www.seaworthycollective.com/seachange
