"Our Oceans Challenge" Finalists Deliver Sustainable Development Solutions

Start-ups and their Innovations for Addressing Ocean Sustainability Emerge from First "Our Oceans Challenge" Competition

The five new business ventures generated by the inaugural “Our Oceans Challenge” (OOC) - the competition and acceleration program for innovative solutions to ocean industry and sustainability challenges - are attracting the attention of potential investors:

• Polymore: Plastic recycling tools to recycle plastic waste into useful products (Bart Bleijerveld en Laura Talsma, Better Future Factory)‬‬
• Protecting with Nature‪: Protect static steel constructions against corrosion making use of biological processes (Harald van der Mijle Meijer, TNO and Edwin Foekema, Imares)‬‬
• Z Ships‪: Zero emission vessels, boats and fleets (Jose Luis Gutierrez, Upcycle the Gyres Society)‬‬
• Slow Mill‪: Light wave energy converter (Erwin Croughs)‬‬
• COSWEC‪: Continuous Ocean Wave Energy Converter (Menno Broers)‬‬

The OOC was launched in 2014 by a growing coalition of maritime leadership companies, industry organizations and knowledge institutes, including the World Ocean Council (WOC). The OOC online platform catalyzed a community of nearly 500 active participants in the co-creation of 88 ocean business concepts to advance cleaner oceans and industries. The OOC partners selected 16 entrepreneurs for business development support. The final 5 entrepreneurs were selected in late 2014 and received customized support for developing high quality business plans that are now being presented to potential investors.

The OOC will be on stage on 5 June 2015 at the Blue Business Forum (Lisbon, 3-5 June) in a session on “Our Oceans Challenge: Accelerating Innovation for Ocean Sustainability”. The WOC-organized session will outline the OOC process, outline the finalist ventures – with one of the startups being presented in detail, and describe the plans for the next OOC.

The second “Our Oceans Challenge” will be launched at the WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit (Singapore, 9-11 November, 2015). The SOS session will identify the new topics and partners for a second successful OOC to continue delivering sustainable development solutions in support of Corporate Ocean Responsibility.

For more information: 
OOC: www.ouroceanschallenge.org 
Blue Business Forum: www.blueweek.pt/en/events 
Sustainable Ocean Summit: www.oceancouncil.org/site/summit_2015 

SAVE THE DATE!

Sustainable Ocean Summit 2015: 9-11 Nov 2015, Singapore

The next World Ocean Council Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) will take place in Singapore the week of 9-11 November 2015. The specific venue will be announced soon. Mark your calendars for this unique global ocean industry event, which is held only every 2 years.