We are pleased to announce the successful completion of the inaugural Ocean Impact Accelerator Program 2023, congratulations to the six brilliant startups for completing the program and achieving this milestone.

Australia’s Ocean Impact Organisation has today opened applications to the Ocean Impact Accelerator Program (OIAP) 2023, and is seeking ten “game-changing” startups working on solutions to improve ocean health to join the six-month program.

We are pleased to announce the successful completion of the inaugural Ocean Impact Accelerator Program 2022, congratulations to the six brilliant startups for completing the program and achieving this milestone.

Australia’s Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO), has today announced a 3-year partnership with US based impact platform Builders Vision to enable the organisation to scale its reach and impact.

The Winners, Runners Up and Spotlight Award recipients of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2022 were revealed on Thursday 24 November at OIO’s inaugural INNOVOCEAN event at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney. See below for a full list of the Award recipients.

Australia’s Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) has today announced the top ten Finalists in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2022. The remarkably diverse range of applications, from 38 countries around the world, highlights the groundbreaking efforts being made locally and globally to address the growing pressures that humans are placing on the ocean.

Australia’s Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) has today announced a new three-year partnership with Minderoo Foundation to further the organisation’s mission to: support and accelerate ocean impact businesses.

In a boost to ocean health worldwide, Australia’s Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) today announced the return of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest, a global initiative to find, support and accelerate startups working on solutions to transform ocean health.

We are proud to announce that applications are NOW OPEN for The Ocean Impact Accelerator Program 2022.

The Ocean Impact Accelerator Program is OIO’s flagship program, providing the best ocean impact startups with the support they need to reach their potential.

We’ve partnered with EnergyLab to deliver a custom-designed program for startups working on scalable solutions to improve ocean health. The program is industry and technology agnostic, your ocean impact solution may be addressing climate change; plastic pollution; fisheries and aquaculture; ocean data and monitoring and many other challenge areas.

It’s with great excitement that we announce the BIG news for 2022 - the launch of the Ocean Impact Accelerator Program - OIO’s flagship new program to find, develop and accelerate the most impactful new companies improving ocean health.

This is a milestone moment for OIO and the chance many startups have been waiting for to work closely with OIO to access the knowledge, skills, partners and resources to dramatically accelerate their business and their ‘ocean impact’.

We are pleased to announce that expressions of interest for the Ocean Impact Accelerator Program are NOW OPEN with formal applications to open in late January 2022. Register your interest here.

The 7-month virtual program will commence in April 2022 and is open to startups across the Pacific Rim (Australia, Pacific, West Coast USA, SE Asia - locations based on conducive timezones for virtual sessions).

18th November 2021: We’re hiring!

OIO is seeking a motivated and creative communications specialist with a passion for dynamic content and campaigns driven by our purpose: to transform ocean health.

In a busy world, saturated with content, we require communications that ‘cut-through’ the noise to inspire innovation, investment and action to transform the health of the ocean. The ideal candidate will have a passion for the ocean, conservation and accelerating ‘good business’ for a better future.

The ideal candidate will be excited about the future of OIO and the impact the organisation intends to make. Entering the organisation at an early stage of its journey, the candidate will be motivated to work closely with the Founders to optimise the organisation’s communications; contribute to its future success and develop your own professional skills within the organisation and the growing ‘ocean impact’ innovation ecosystem globally.

Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) has today announced the Winners of the Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021, highlighting how innovation and ocean-focussed solutions can play a significant role in tackling the climate crisis and transforming the health of Planet Ocean.

The Winner of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021 is Sea Forest, a Tasmanian startup pioneering the commercial production of asparagopsis seaweed, which, when fed in small quantities to livestock, can reduce methane emissions by 90%. The first Runner Up is Saathi, an Indian startup improving the lives and livelihoods of women and farmers with healthy, biodegradable and accessible sanitary pads created from banana tree waste - greatly reducing pollution and promoting a circular economy. The second Runner Up is Great Wrap, an Australian startup creating compostable plastic (cling) film from food waste with the goal of making the in-demand product ocean friendly by being completely marine biodegradable.

In August this year, Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) announced a new Major Partnership with HP Australia, with the leading global brand becoming the first Major Technology Partner for OIO. The first official project of the newly announced partnership is the HP Generation Impact Incubator, a program designed to support and accelerate early stage innovators on a mission to transform the future of ocean health.

The HP Generation Impact Incubator launched on 10th August 2021 with a call for applications from young innovators and entrepreneurs (aged 35 and under) residing in Australia with the opportunity to win cash, HP technology and expert mentorship from OIO and HP to help bring their ocean innovation to life.

The HP Generation Impact Incubator shortlisted Finalists were announced on the 12th of October 2021, alongside The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021 shortlist, of which HP is proud to be a Presenting Partner.

After a seven-week application period and a two-week shortlisting process, the Finalists of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021 were revealed today. The twelve finalists were shortlisted from almost 215 applications received from 45 countries.

The Finalists are (in alphabetical order):

Ace Aquatec (UK); Aquaai (Norway); Atlantic Sea Farms (USA): Better Packaging Co. (NZ): Firetail Robotics (Australia); Great Wrap (Australia); Litterati (USA); Matter. (UK); nextProtein (Netherlands); Pinovo AS (Norway); Saathi (India); Sea Forest (Australia).

Scroll down to read all about the Finalists and watch their pitch videos. 

For centuries, humanity has viewed the ocean as a metaphor for infinity. The assumption was—and frankly still is for many people—that the enormity of the sea comes with a limitless ability to absorb and metabolize all. This vastness is what lends the ocean deity-like potential. And more dangerously, it is what has given humans the license to dump virtually anything offshore. Oil, sewage, corpses, chemical effluvium, garbage, military ordnance, and even at-sea superstructures like oil rigs disappear into the oceans, as if swallowed up by a black hole, never to be seen again.

Ships knowingly release more engine oil and sludge into the oceans in the span of three years than that spilled in the Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez accidents combined. They emit huge amounts of certain air pollutants, far more than all the world’s cars.

Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) this week launched The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021, a six week global initiative to find, support and accelerate innovative solutions that can transform the health of the ocean. Applications are open until 21 September 2021 with the Winners announced on 4 November 2021.

With $150,000 in cash prizes and $150,000 of additional products and support from OIO and their partners, startups and entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the chance to accelerate their ocean impact and help to improve the health of Planet Ocean. This year also sees the debut of the HP Generation Impact Incubator, a new program for young (35 and under) innovators residing in Australia with an idea to transform ocean health.

Coinciding with the launch of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021, OIO are pleased to announce a new Major Partnership with HP Australia.

HP will join Ocean Impact Organisation as our Major Technology Partner and the co-Presenting Partner of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021 alongside Bank Australia.

The team at OIO are thrilled to have the support of HP as we pursue our purpose to transform ocean health through inspiration, innovation and good business.

We’re very excited to announce a new Major Partnership with Bank Australia! The Major Partnership will support OIO’s annual innovation programs including the very successful Ocean Impact Pitchfest we are proud to be launching again in August 2021. See how you can pre-register for Pitchfest 2021 below.

The Major Partnership continues Bank Australia’s strong support of Ocean Impact Organisation that commenced with them being the Presenting Partner of our inaugural Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020.

Kirstin Hunter (co-founder, ex CEO of Future Super) and Professor Peter Steinberg (Founding Director and ex CEO of Sydney Institute of Marine Science - SIMS) have been announced as new Directors of Sydney based Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO).

The announcement was made at a special Earth Day gathering of OIO supporters at Manly’s Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve attended by Federal Independent Member for Warringah Zali Steggal and State Member for Manly James Griffin.

Taking out Pitchfest’s top spot and the $15,000 cash prize from Bank Australia was Planet Protector Packaging, an Australian-based business using waste from the wool industry to create insulation that replaces polluting polystyrene (EPS). Their thermal packaging solutions are currently being used for a range of products from varying industries, including cooked meals, fine wines, seafood transportation and pharmaceuticals. 

Incredibly, Planet Protector Packaging has posted $14 million in revenue since launching, growing entirely without the aid of external investment. Chiarelli says this is in part due to polystyrene waste being “a very clear, well-understood problem”, while their wool-based insulation offers a simple solution and viable alternative.