HALIFAX, NS (June 5, 2020) – Today, the Ocean Startup Project launched a competition, the Ocean Startup Challenge, for innovators and entrepreneurs from rural, Indigenous and urban communities, across Canada and internationally.

While the world’s ocean economy is projected to reach $3 trillion by 2030, to achieve that potential industry must first overcome significant challenges. To that end, the Ocean Startup Challenge is designed to find and support innovators and companies developing products or technologies that can be applied to solve such challenges. There has never been a better time to start and grow an ocean company in Canada.

The challenges span aquaculture, fisheries, ocean transportation, bioscience, energy, healthy oceans and ecosystem services, energy, enabling technologies and data analytics.

“For the Ocean Startup Challenge, we sought input from industry and thought leaders who shared their top pain points across each of those areas,” said Don Grant, Executive Director, Ocean Startup Project. “Based on that input, the Challenge presents innovators with a pre-identified, potential market need and asks them to step up to apply their ideas or technologies as ways to solve the challenges.”

For the Challenge’s initial phase, up to 10 prizes of $25,000 each will be awarded to the winning startups and scaleups to prototype their respective solutions. Winners will also receive key resources, support and connections that innovators need to succeed, including sharing $18,000 in collective services and resources from in-kind sponsors. They may also be eligible to participate in a follow-on Ocean Startup Project activity, involving up to another $100,000 awarded to finalists. Even those who are not selected as winners during the Challenge still stand to benefit from training through invitation-only, virtual bootcamps as well as guidance and support from partnering organizations in the Atlantic Canadian ecosystem.

“We welcome applications with innovative solutions and perspectives that could have a major impact on industry and the ocean economy,” added Grant. “The Challenge is an opportunity to identify, support and grow the next Canadian ocean tech success stories.”

The Ocean Startup Challenge is led by the Ocean Startup Project, the first Innovation Ecosystem Project announced by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. The Ocean Startup Project is a pan-Atlantic collaboration to create and grow high-quality ocean technology companies and attract more ventures to the region’s ecosystem. Collaborators include: Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) – Atlantic, Genesis, Innovacorp, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, PEI BioAlliance, and Springboard Atlantic.

In-kind supporters of the Ocean Startup Challenge include BDO Canada, Enginuity, IGNITE, McInnes Cooper, Propel, and Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre. For more information about the Ocean Startup Challenge, visit oceanstartupchallenge.ca.

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MEDIA CONTACT

Donald Grant, Executive Director, Ocean Startup Project

challenge@oceanstartupproject.ca

902-292-0244

 

Call for Proposals for Short-Term Ocean Projects to Help Stimulate the Economy

 Canada’s Ocean Supercluster to Invest up to $35M in New Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program

(May 8, 2020) Today Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced a Canada-wide Call for Proposals for its new Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (Program). Through the Program, the supercluster will invest up to $35 million in short-term ocean projects that will help stimulate the economy during this challenging time. This will supplement the OSC’s core programs in Technology Leadership and Innovation Ecosystem, and is intended to trigger additional industry investment in innovation, capability-building, and helping build resilience in the ocean economy.

“While we remain focused on staying healthy and safe, it’s incumbent upon us to also create opportunities to continue to deliver commercial outcomes and contribute to Canada’s economic recovery,” says CEO Kendra MacDonald. “As we look to new opportunities in ocean to help grow the economy post-COVID-19, advancing as many strong Ocean Supercluster projects as possible has never been more important.”

As significant impacts are being felt across ocean sectors, companies are looking to manage through this difficult time and come out stronger. MacDonald says for the Ocean Supercluster while the momentum continues to grow with increasing membership and an active pipeline of large-scale projects, this is an opportunity to further support members and stimulate activity with smaller-scale projects that can be completed in less than two years.

The Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program Call for Proposals is focused on three Project Themes including: remote operations; digital/automated technologies; and environmental technologies, and four Project Types that will be considered including: product/service advancement and commercialization; capacity and infrastructure; process enhancement; and innovation ecosystem. Projects must have a compelling strategy to capitalize on emerging opportunities and overcome challenges in the context of the current market and operational conditions, and deliver a definitive outcome in an accelerated timeframe.

The application process is now open and begins with Expressions of Interest which must be submitted by May 22, 2020 at 2 p.m. Atlantic time to be considered. For complete details, visit https://oceansupercluster.ca/projects/accelerated-ocean-solutions-program/

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About Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling the shared challenges of multiple ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions. This includes leaders in fisheries, aquaculture, offshore resources, transportation, marine renewables, defence, bioresources, and ocean technologies who are committed to leveraging collective strengths and working together. For more information visit www.oceansupercluster.ca

 

Media Contact

Nancy Andrews

nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca

709.725.7070

Across the country we continue to see the incredible efforts of frontline workers in the response to COVID-19. While there continues to be unknowns, we understand there is evidence that the steps we are all taking to keep each other healthy and safe are also helping in this effort. Last week the Prime Minister released a joint statement from First Ministers on restarting the economy and the criteria and measures necessary to do so. Provinces are rolling out phased approaches to reopening the economy over time, knowing there is an important road to economic recovery ahead of us. To discuss economic impacts and recovery post-COVID-19, I participated on a panel discussion last week with the other Supercluster CEOs, hosted by Research Money. From an ocean perspective it was important to share insights on the widespread impacts in offshore oil and gas, those in the fishery and aquaculture, and all ocean industries, but also the continued focus on OSC projects and the growing pipeline of exciting new project ideas, as well as increased membership from across the country. For more on this discussion, Research Money will be providing a summary in their publication, Innovation This Week, on May 6.

 

As we look to ocean opportunities to help drive Canada’s economic recovery post COVID-19, advancing as many strong projects as possible has never been more important. To help facilitate this, last week we announced new options to support our members and provide financial relief. These options include reduced innovation and administration contribution for industry members, contributions of up to $50,000 for eligible project development costs, and project advances. More information on these new options for members can be found in the video below:

 

In May there will be continued opportunities for virtual engagement, including our OSC member event on May 27 where technology will enable us to participate in an interactive afternoon including a keynote, virtual networking, industry booths, and a fireside chat. Members have been asked to save the date with details on the agenda to come shortly. For those who aren’t yet members but would like to join the Ocean Supercluster and attend this event, please contact membership@oceansupercluster.ca. Also, coming up this week on May 7 is the latest free Ocean Startup Project webinar on ocean tech sustainability, commercialization, and research with special guest Dr. Kate Moran.

 

OSC members and partners, stay connected, healthy, and safe. If there is anything the Ocean Supercluster can do to further support you, our team is here to help.

 

Kendra MacDonald

CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is pleased to welcome Pascal Milord to the organization’s team in the capacity of Technology Leadership Program Manager. Pascal has extensive experience in project management and innovation in manufacturing, marine technology, and offshore sectors with a particular focus on marine navigation systems, offshore and subsea projects, systems engineering, as well as harsh environment solutions. In his new role, Pascal will facilitate the initiation, development and execution of OSC Technology Leadership Projects.