Barcelona, 24 April – The World Ocean Council (WOC) and OCEANOVATION are proud to announce a strategic partnership aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration to drive long term resilient ocean solutions in the public and private sector. This collaboration unites two global leaders committed to advancing the blue economy through technology, investment, corporate engagement and policy.
World Ocean Council, a premier global business alliance, dedicated to corporate ocean responsibility and stewardship, and OCEANOVATION, a dynamic innovation ecosystem powered by IMPACT2DAY, have formalized their multi-year partnership effective April 1, 2025. Together, the organizations will co-develop initiatives that catalyze holistic ocean innovation and resilience.
Key areas of collaboration include:
- Innovation & Technology Development: Co-hosting innovation challenges and competitions focused on ocean sustainability, along with publishing joint white papers and research to highlight ocean industry innovation trends.
- Blue Economy Growth & Investment: Facilitating funding and mentorship for ocean start-ups through WOC’s network, providing business incubation and market access, and enabling pilot projects between innovators and corporations.
- Events & Thought Leadership: Co-organizing an annual Ocean Innovation event as part of the WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) and Global Blue Finance Summit (BlueFIN) during “Barcelona Blue Week” in November; co-hosting webinars and expert panels, as well as launching an ‘Ocean Innovation Excellence Award’ to spotlight impactful contributions.
- Industry Collaboration: Creating specialized working groups to unite corporations, start-ups, and cross-sector partners in tackling critical ocean challenges such as plastic pollution, ocean data & AI, green shipping, and offshore renewable energy.
“This partnership is a major step forward in uniting the power of corporate and business leadership with innovation to tackle ocean resilience and sustainability challenges,” said Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, CEO / Managing Director of the World Ocean Council. “Together with OCEANOVATION, we aim to unlock new opportunities for ocean start-ups and scale meaningful solutions globally with our corporate members and partners.”
“OCEANOVATION is excited to collaborate with WOC and bring together innovators, investors, and industry leaders to build a healthier ocean future,” said Rick Wall, Founder, of OCEANOVATION. “By aligning our ecosystems, we can accelerate progress and amplify impact.”
Starting April 2025, WOC and OCEANOVATION will activate a shared roadmap of initiatives designed to unite start-ups, corporates, investors, and policymakers. By aligning their ecosystems, the partners will accelerate ocean solutions and foster a thriving, collaborative blue economy ecosystem.