HP Generation Impact INCUBATOR

This year, HP and OIO launched Generation Impact – a new program to find, empower and enable Australia’s young innovators who can help transform the future of ocean health.

Applications are now closed.

Winners were announced on 4 November 2021. Read all about the Winners and Finalists below.

Proudly presented by HP Australia.

The HP Generation Impact Incubator was part of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021.

The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021 was a seven week, completely virtual, global initiative to find, support and accelerate innovative solutions that can transform the health of the ocean.

Winners were announced on 4 November 2021.

Check out the winners and runners up

what Is THE HP Generation IMpact INCUBATOR?

HP is on a global mission to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Together, we are seeking to enable the next generation of innovators to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing the ocean.

The HP Generation Impact Incubator is a partnership between HP and OIO that aims to find and support the next young Australian innovator with a solution to transform ocean health.

The Winner will have access to funding, technology, and expert mentorship from HP and OIO, to help bring their idea to life.

HP GENERATION IMPACT WINNER

Emile Theau

Co- Founder of Sine Surf

Emile Theau is the co-founder of Sine Surf, a company which produces sustainable and durable surfboards through the use of wooden materials, resulting in producing 1/12th the amount of plastic waste compared to regular surfboard production.

The manufacturing of a typical foam and fibreglass surfboard produces approximately twice its weight in industrial waste. This waste is generally plastic foams and PET or Epoxy resins that are often reduced to microplastics. With approximately 20 million surfboards sold per year globally, this accounts for 160,000 tonnes of plastic waste, much of which can take over 500 years to biodegrade. Sine Surf is aiming to shift the surfing industry towards more sustainable practices. Sine Surf has developed a new method and a new hollow structure to reinvent a more sustainable, wooden surfboard material. These methods drastically reduce the manufacturing time of hollow wooden surfboards to 25% of the previous 30 hours it would generally take a skilled craftsman. Furthermore, with new automation and design, surfboards are over 95% biodegradable by volume, produce less than 0.5 kg of industrial waste during manufacturing.

“To be named as the Winner of the Generation Impact Incubator is an absolute dream come true. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to have our initiative Sine Surf recognised in such a way and can say without doubt that my inspiration and determination has reached new levels! I’m dying to dig into the knowledge and resources available so that our initiative can immediately begin saving waste and reducing emissions to improve ocean health.”

— Emile Theau

HP GENERATION IMPACT Runners up

Sian Murray

Co-Founder of Pleasant State

The first Runner Up of Generation Impact was Sian Murray, a digital marketing specialist and co-founder of Pleasant State, who are on a mission to reduce plastic waste and promote the reuse economy with refillable, accessible and ocean friendly cleaning product solutions.

Curtis Sciacca

Co-Founder of Nurtured.Co

The second Runner Up of Generation Impact was Curtis Sciacca, co-founder of Nurtured.Co, which aims to restore and rejuvenate coral reefs worldwide by using new age technologies that enhance artificial reef growth.

HP Generation Impact Finalists

Curtis
Sciacca

Maria Isabel Toasa Cordero

Winner

$40,000 cash prize
Two HP laptops
A tailored program run by OIO and HP designed to provide the tools and know-how to rapidly develop and commercialise your idea.
Includes:
Structured startup learning modules
Technology expertise to assist with your solution design and development
Marketing mentoring to help launch your idea with impact
Access to HP global executives, engineers and product designers
Global exposure via OIO and HP
Free membership to the OIO Virtual Startup Community
First RUNNER UP
$10,000 cash prize provided by HP Australia
Two HP Laptops
Global exposure via OIO and HP
Free membership to the OIO Virtual Startup Community
second runner up
Two HP Laptops
Global exposure via OIO and HP
Free membership to the OIO Virtual Startup Community
finalists
Global exposure via OIO and HP
Free membership to the OIO Virtual Startup Community

generation impact eligibility Criteria

**Impact**
Applicants must have the potential to significantly improve ocean health

**Scaleability**
Applicants must have the potential for their solution to scale rapidly

**Startup stage**
From the earliest stage ideas right through to more established solutions, subject to the eligibility criteria

**Structure**
Applicants must be pursuing a profit motive business model. Entry is not open to not-for-profits

ocean impact Themes

**Ocean Health**
Eg. Ecosystem protection and restoration,Waste management & recycling, Circular economy, Alternative materials, Agricultural practices, Urban development, Blue financing, Sustainable tourism, Ocean sports & activities

Sustainable Ocean
Harvesting
Eg. Traditional fisheries & aquaculture, Smart fishing gear, Supply chain digitisation, Regenerative aquaculture, Aquaculture digitisation, Waste reduction, Fish feed replacements, Ocean farming, Lab grown seafood

Transport
& Security
Eg. Alternative fuels & ship design, Electrification of boats, Increased ports efficiency, Improved security & goods transparency, Container digitisation, Decarbonisation of vessels

Ocean
Energy
Eg. Harnessing renewable energy from the ocean to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Wave energy, Tidal energy from currents or ranges, Ocean thermal energy using temperature variations to create energy, Solutions to increase the supply and demand for ocean energy

New
Frontiers
Eg. Large scale seaweed farming, Marine bio solutions and products, Marine biomimicry, Ocean exploration, Underwater robotics, IOT for oceans, Offshore renewable energy aquaculture, Floating cities

**Inspiration & Leisure**
Eg. Increasing ocean literacy, Virtual and augmented reality, Sustainable tourism, Ocean accessibility, Mainstream media projects, Improving impacts of sports and leisure

Judging criteria

1. Potential for impact

Your solution must have the potential to significantly improve ocean health.

2. Innovation

Your solution should be highly novel or unique.

3. Product market fit

You must demonstrate a good understanding of product/market fit for your solution i.e. customers need/will need your solution and your number of customers or potential customers is significant.

4. Competitive advantage

Your solution must be able to compete against existing competitors and fend off copycats.

5. Business plan

You must have a realistic business plan and a high likeliness of generating sustainable profits.

6. Skills & Experience

You/your team have the right balance of skills and experience to build your business.

7. A great pitch video

You must be able to clearly articulate the problem you’re working on, the size of the opportunity & potential for impact, and why you have a great chance of being successful. Extra consideration will be given to applications with an attractive video entry.

HP Generation Impact INCUBATOR

what Is THE HP Generation IMpact INCUBATOR?