12 Solutions Celebrated as Finalists for 2023 in Global Pitchfest

Press release for immediate distribution
SYDNEY 12, OCTOBER 2023

Startups Rise to the Challenge to Improve Ocean Health as Momentum Swells
12 Solutions Celebrated as Finalists in Global Pitchfest

 Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) has today announced 12 startups as Finalists in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2023. 

The announcement coincides with a burst in momentum for OIO and the global ocean health innovation and investment sector, with the world’s most active ocean health investors and experts gathering during New York Climate Week to highlight oceans in the context of a stable climate and a sustainable economy.

Having recently returned from the events in New York, OIO’s CEO Nick Chiarelli said, “I’m excited and relieved that the ocean is finally gaining the attention it deserves amongst climate and biodiversity conversations. We can't protect biodiversity and maintain a liveable climate without ensuring a healthy ocean.”

OIO’s CEO Nick Chiarelli also visited Ocean Impact Accelerator Program participant Azul Bio’s lab in NYC during Climate Week.

Nick continued, “The past six-months have seen big developments in the ocean health innovation landscape, with growing investor interest, capital being deployed, and startups reaching new heights. Ocean health investing is the rapidly emerging little brother to climate tech”. He added,

“The goal of OIO is to discover, celebrate, and support diverse startups working on scalable solutions to transform ocean health and one of the ways we’ve done that to date is through our global Pitchfest competition. In four years we’ve had well over 700 startups apply and have been thrilled to hold 46 up as Finalists.”

Shortlisted from 200 applications across 54 countries, the 12 Finalists address diverse challenges with fascinating solutions. From ropeless fishing gear that protects endangered right whales from entanglements, to low-carbon construction material made from invasive seaweed - the 12 startups are each embracing new ways of thinking and doing to shape industries and fast-track new approaches. 

The 12 Finalists and a brief description of their solutions (in alphabetical order) are:

Cleaner Seas Group (UK): Cleaner Seas Group aims to keep microfibre pollution out of the ocean with every wash via their plug-and-play washing machine filters.

Kelp Island Australia (Aus): SeaBrick is a kelp-based building material for maritime architecture that aims to address invasive Sargassum blooms and reduce the construction industry’s environmental footprint.

LiftLabs (USA): LiftLabs’ ropeless fishing system mitigates whale entanglements, protecting the North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) and the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities.

NovFeed (Tanzania): NovFeed transforms organic food waste into a concentrated protein product for aquaculture, reducing the reliance on fishmeal from ocean forage fish.

Ocean Ecostructures (Spain): Ocean Ecostructures develop microreefs to turn grey infrastructure into blue oases by restoring marine life in damaged environments.

OnDeck Fisheries AI (Canada): OnDeck Fisheries AI aims to build a better future for the world's oceans by automating fisheries monitoring and analytics in an accessible, scalable way.

PlusTik (Indonesia): PlusTik takes low-value, hard-to-recycle plastic from landfill and create high-impact products that serve a circular economy. 

Pull to Refresh (USA): Pull to Refresh aims to sequester carbon by sinking invasive sargassum seaweed.

Seawater Solutions (UK): Seawater Solutions supports coastal communities with seawater farming and restoration projects, rehabilitating degraded land into wetland ecosystems for climate adaptation, carbon sequestration, and regenerative agro-ecologies. 

Unleash Future Boats (Germany): Unleash Future Boats develops zero-emission maritime solutions powered by green hydrogen and fuel cells.

Washbox (Australia): Washbox is a mobile, closed-loop tool wash system for construction trades that saves water and helps stop pollutants from entering waterways. 

Wholechain® (USA): Wholechain® is a blockchain-based traceability solution built to enable trust, coordination, and transparency in fragmented global supply chains. 

To decide the Winners, the 12 Finalists will be judged by representatives from the 1000 Ocean Startups coalition of ocean investors and incubators. With the Winners announced live at OIO’s INNOVOCEAN showcase event on 22 November 2023 at the Australian National Maritime Museum. 

Pitchfest 2022 Winner, Runners Up, and Spotlight Award Recipients on stage at INNOVOCEAN

The Winner will receive a $50,000 cash prize, with five additional $10,000 cash prizes awarded on the night. Supporters of the initiative in 2023 include Star of the South, Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, sponsoring the Climate Spotlight Award; Zip Water, home to the world’s most advanced drinking water appliances, sponsoring the Plastic Pollution Spotlight Award; Dicker Data, the Australian owned, operated and ASX-listed technology hardware, software and cloud distributor sponsoring the Ocean Monitoring Spotlight Award; and Auxilium Foundation, founded by environmental philanthropist John Preston, sponsoring the Sustainable Harvesting Spotlight Award. 

OIO’s recently appointed Innovation Programs Manager, Elisa-Marie Dumas said of the cohort of Finalists, “Whilst it was incredibly challenging to select the 12 Finalists from the talent pool of 200 applicants, I’m extremely proud of the result. Coming from a career in climate-tech I am impressed and excited by the potential for startups working at the nexus of oceans and climate. There’s a rich future in this space for Australia, the region, and the world.”

Update 25/10/2023 - Be among the first in the world to know who the Pitchfest 2023 Winners and Award Recipients are. Tickets are now available for Ocean Impact Organisation’s INNOVOCEAN showcase event.

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For press enquiries please contact:

Tim Silverwood
Head of Marketing and Community
info@ocean-impact.org

Press Kit & Assets
Pitchfest 2023 Finalist Announcement

About OIO

Founded in February 2020 by visionaries Nick Chiarelli and Tim Silverwood, Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) has emerged as Australia's leading ocean impact ecosystem and startup accelerator, dedicated to enhancing the health of the world's oceans. Headquartered in Sydney, OIO curates comprehensive innovation programs designed to help people start, grow, and invest in businesses that positively impact ocean health.