Ocean Exchange Names Finalists for Three Non-Dilutive Awards

7 October 2024

With its 2024 event set for October 27–29, 2024, Ocean Exchange has named the finalists for their three $100,000 awards, which will be conferred on October 29. Ocean Exchange is a leader in supporting the acceleration of innovative solutions for healthy oceans, coastlines, and the sustainable Blue Economy.

Fifteen candidates will compete for two Neptune Awards and one Wallenius Wilhelmsen Orcelle^® Award. Eight of those shortlisted are from the USA, four from Europe, two from Canada, and one is from Oceania. Tech solutions being judged fall into the following categories: emissions reduction, vessel efficiency, alternative fuels, AI/ML & robotics, eDNA monitoring, waste management, alternative materials, aquaculture, fisheries, and food waste reduction.

The winners for each award will be chosen based on the impact, level of innovation, and ability to execute the proposed solution. Delegates representing business, academia, government, and nonprofits will vote for the three winners.

The two Neptune Awards will be given to solutions that advance our understanding of the ocean and help minimize our impact on these resources, resulting in more resilient bodies of water, including healthy marine life and coastlines.
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen Orcelle Award will go to the solution that holds the greatest potential to close the gap to their zero emissions ambition for either land or ocean operation.

“This year’s event marks the 13th anniversary of the Ocean Exchange awards program. Since the beginning, we have always been focused on searching for and rewarding Solutions Inspiring Action. These are innovative, proactive, and globally scalable solutions with working prototypes that can leap across industries, economies, and cultures–innovations that generate economic growth and increased productivity while reducing the use of nature’s resources and waste. It is so encouraging to see that our approach has been embraced by so many promising young companies around the world,” noted Millicent Pitts, Executive Director of Ocean Exchange.

Finalists for 2024 are:

ADHERE GEAR WAVE (Spain): Eliminates food loss in cruise supply chains.
Blaze Energy (USA, CO): Accelerating the adoption of alternative fuels.
BLUEIQ (USA, MA): Low-cost acoustic monitoring for ocean management.
CarbonBridge Inc. (USA, CA): Converting methane and CO2 into renewable methanol.
Eyesea (New Zealand): Pollution database through crowdsourced reporting.
KIDEMIS (Switzerland): Plant based aquafeed replacing fishmeal.
Newlight.blue (USA, NY): Hybrid diesel-hydrogen retrofits for shipping.
Nucleic Sensing Systems (USA, MN): Continuous-flow monitoring of eDNA.
OnDeck Fisheries AI Inc. (Canada): AI software for sustainable fisheries monitoring.
Oyster Heaven BV (Netherlands): Restoring oyster reefs as a nature-based solution.
Phoenix Waste Solutions (USA, LA): Mobile waste to energy furnace.
Seacork Studio (Canada): Acoustic panels from seaweed.
Soarce, Inc. (USA, FL): Converts excess seaweed into high-performance materials.
SynMatter (USA, FL): Sustainable coating additives for anticorrosion results.
ZEM Fuel System Limited (UK): Marine fuel powered by ammonia.

Ocean Exchange brings the finalists to Fort Lauderdale to pitch in front of and network with the leaders who gather in South Florida from around the world. For more information about the event and Ocean Exchange’s mission, visit the Ocean Exchange website.

As the exclusive media partner to the event, ON&T’s editorial team will be onsite in late October to bring readers all the news and insights from Fort Lauderdale.