After a lengthy selection process, the Winner and two Runners Up of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 were announced today.

An external panel of experts judged the top three places from twelve Finalists, who were shortlisted from almost 200 applications from 38 countries.

In a boost to Ocean Impact Organisation and the reputation of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 the Winner’s announcement was made by globally renowned conservationist and ‘ocean elder’ Dr Sylvia Earle who made the announcement via a pre-recorded Zoom message saying, “We are beginning to see, maybe for the first time, how important the ocean is to every breath we take and every drop of water we drink and that what we do to the ocean is not just having an impact on our health, it’s also having an impact on the economy.”

After a six-week application period and a two-week shortlisting process, the Finalists of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 were revealed today. The twelve finalists were shortlisted from almost 200 applications received from 38 countries, with nearly 50% of the applications coming from Australia.

The Finalists are (in alphabetical order): ARC Marine (UK), Coral Vita (The Bahamas), ECOncrete Tech (Israel), Ingine (South Korea), Orbital EOS (Spain), Planet Protector Packaging (Australia), PumpFree Energy (Australia), SafetyNet Technologies (UK), SharkSafe Barrier (South Africa), Urchinomics (The Netherlands), Water Warriors (USA), and Wave Swell Energy (Australia).

We are one week into the six-week application window for The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 and all we can say is “Wow!” We have been thrilled to receive strong applications from around the world addressing a diverse range of ocean challenges and opportunities.

If you are passionate about the work of Ocean Impact Organisation we encourage you to share a post or information about Pitchfest with your community so more people know of the opportunity. A simple action you can take right now is to share one of our posts on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Today we are proud to launch The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, our inaugural campaign calling for applications from startups and businesses helping to create an abundant and sustainable ocean.

Are you working on a great idea to help Planet Ocean? Apply now to amplify your impact and take your great idea to the world!

Applications are open from Tuesday 25th August 2020 and will close on Monday 5th October 2020.

Ask any leader of an organisation working on the issue of plastic pollution if they think clean ups alone will solve the problem, and the answer will be a resounding, “No!”

“If all we ever do is clean up, that’s all we’re ever going to do” is a clear message you’ll receive from Heidi Tait, Founder and CEO of Australia’s Tangaroa Blue Foundation that has been cleaning coastlines for over 15 years.