At 17 years of age, Solli Raphael is the youngest guest to appear on the Ocean Impact Podcast to date. An accomplished poet, author, conservationist and public speaker, Solli was just 12 years old when he was the youngest person ever to win the Australian National Slam Poetry Competition (against an all adult field).

Solli has since performed his mission-driven poetry at distinguished forums around Australia including the Commonwealth Games, TEDx Sydney and on The Project.

In the podcast Solli performs some of his poetry taken from the two books he has authored: Spotlight (2020) and Limelight (2018).

Julie Mathers is the founder and CEO of Flora and Fauna, Australia’s largest online eco retailer and the world’s largest vegan online marketplace.

A genuine impact entrepreneur, Julie is an inspiring example of how a business leader can build a ‘better business’ with deeply held values to care for people, places, animals and the planet. Julie’s accolades for building and leading Flora and Fauna are considerable, including being awarded No.1 in eCommerce in 2019 and 2021 and Top Sustainable Retailer in 2020 and 2021.

In this conversation Julie shares a wealth of insights into her background and career working with ecommerce for large corporations that led to the journey of building her own business (with her husband Tom) that embodied their values and goals of creating a positive impact.

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. This is a mantra that had been drilled into Paul De Gelder since the earliest days of his military training in the Australian Army. It’s a mantra that Paul has embodied throughout his unique life but in particular, since a Bull Shark tore through his flesh, resulting in the loss of his right forearm and right leg during a routine Navy drill in Sydney Harbour in 2009.

Since that fateful incident that almost took the Navy clearance diver’s life, Paul has been on a wild ride that has seen him become a highly accomplished public speaker, TV host, actor, author and leading voice for the conservation of the species that so nearly ended his stint on Planet Ocean: sharks.

In this podcast, recorded whilst Paul was in Australia filming for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, we take a journey that reveals the extent to which the very existence of sharks is threatened and the critical role they perform in the ocean.

Dr. Cliff Kapono is a professional surfer, chemist and journalist from Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. Amongst a broad and distinguished career, Bruddah Cliff (as he’s become known) has become a proud and profound voice for stronger focus and representation of indigenous voices in decision making for the planet.

In this episode, our host Tim plays the role of the active listener as Cliff shares deep insights into the reasons why Cliff, as a young Native Hawaiian from a disadvantaged community in the remote Pacific, chose academia and a Doctorate to help him have a voice at the table in decision-making and policies for the ocean in his backyard and across the world.

Jess Leitmanis is an Australian sculpture artist and conservationist with a deep connection to Planet Ocean. Through her work Jess explores ideas that encompass the environment, design, consumer culture, sustainability, sociology and philosophy. Jess is interested in our connection to the space around us – how we sculpt our environment, and how it sculpts us.

In this episode Jess shares the story of her artistic journey and her passion for sculpture using found objects, namely marine debris rope (ghost gear) that has been washed ashore on remote coastlines. If you tune in to the YouTube recording of the podcast you can even see a work in progress of the artwork she completed at sea during the voyage. The finished piece can also be viewed on Jess’s website and social media.

We would like to send a huge thank you to Jess and the team at Schmidt Ocean Institute for arranging this conversation and recording.

This is the second time we’ve had Pete on the Ocean Impact Podcast, you can tune in to Episode 2 for a deeper dive into the origins and features of the innovation and the story behind the founders. In this episode we wanted to focus on recent updates from the organisation with a particular focus on the partnerships Pete has secured to scale this ocean clean up solution, notably, the recent announcement regarding a partnership with Coca Cola.

Since the announcement of the partnership between Seabin Project and Coca Cola in late May 2021 there has been plenty of conversation online from both sides of the fence. Pete declares that 99.9% of feedback has been positive but a vocal segment has certainly made it clear that the partnership is not to their liking and worthy of a ‘please explain’ from the CEO.

Please let us know what you think about the Seabin Project, the partnership with Coca Cola and the future plans for the organisation in the comments or on our social media channels.

Have you heard the buzz about asparagopsis seaweed and it’s remarkable ability to reduce carbon emissions from livestock when blended with animal feed? This podcast takes a deep dive into the wonderful world of asparagopsis through the eyes of Sam Elsom, Co-founder and CEO of Australian seaweed startup Sea Forest.

In this fascinating episode we learn how Sam and the Sea Forest team have rapidly built a remarkable seaweed business set to revolutionise the livestock, dairy and wool industries in Australia and across the world.

Professor Tim Flannery is one of the world’s foremost climate scientists, activists and communicators. Starting his science career as a paleontologist and mammalogist Professor Tim became absorbed in the science of climate change having seen the impacts first hand, notably in the mountains of New Guinea where he witnessed the tree line encroaching on alpine peaks and on the Great Barrier Reef where devastating bleaching events occurred for the first time.

In this episode we focus on the current state of affairs in 2021 and how humanity’s recent experience in “following the science” to address the Covid-19 pandemic sets the stage for a renewed approach to addressing the climate crisis.

In episode 12 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Dr Sara Andreotti, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at SharkSafe Barrier.

SharkSafe Barrier, a Pitchfest 2020 Finalist, has a mission to provide the tools for an environmentally friendly coexistence between sharks and humans. SharkSafe Barrier provides a novel and sustainable solution to shark and human protection through a patented technology that incorporates a magnetic field with a kelp-forest mimicking structure, where sharks are deterred without affecting other marine life.

Sara has been involved in marine biology since the age of sixteen, when she started working as a volunteer at the Natural Marine Reserve of Miramare in Trieste, Italy.

In episode 11 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Fanny Sauvignon, Business Development Manager at Ingine.

Ingine, a Pitchfest 2020 Finalist, are a South Korean startup with a mission to harness wave power to supply clean, sustainable, and affordable energy to remote island and coastal communities.

Offshore renewable energy systems face major challenges due to the violent and unpredictable characteristics of the open ocean. INGINE use a novel approach to creating ocean energy through a system that remains attached to land, minimising these risks.

In episode 10 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Juan Peña Ibáñez, CEO of Orbital EOS.

Orbital EOS, a Pitchfest 2020 Finalist, provide satellite-based solutions to challenges in the maritime domain, like oil spill detection, environmental performance monitoring and coastal erosion. Using artificial intelligence, or AI, and high-end ocean modelling, Orbital EOS reduces the cost of monitoring by a factor of 10 while increasing the surveillance capacity by a factor of 100.

One of the primary use cases for the Orbital EOS technology (EOS Viewer) is for oil spill monitoring. EOS Viewer leverages a network of radar and optical earth observation satellites, resulting in cost-efficient surveillance of assets, even at remote locations.

In episode 9 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Andrew Rella, Global Director of Engineering at ECOncrete Tech.

ECOncrete, a Pitchfest 2020 Finalist, have developed concrete technology that combines high structural performance with ecological benefits to restore and regenerate marine biodiversity.

The industrialisation and development of coastlines around the world has led to a drastic reduction in important shoreline habitat. By developing artificial habitat using bio-enhancing concrete ECOncrete can both restore habitat and protect coastlines from the increasing impacts of climate change.

In episode 8 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Sam Teicher, co-founder and Chief Reef Officer of Coral Vita. .

Coral Vita, a Finalist in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, are a Bahamas based startup that grows resilient corals to restore our world's dying reefs. Half of the world's reefs have died since the 1970s, and over 90% are on track to die by 2050. This isn't just an ecological catastrophe, but a socio-economic crisis. It’s estimated that coral reefs sustain 25% of marine life and the livelihoods of up to one billion people while generating $30 billion annually through tourism, fisheries, and coastal protection.

In episode 7 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with John Gradek, CEO of Water Warriors.

Water Warriors, a Finalist in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, are a US based startup that offers a circular economy solution to phosphorus and nitrogen pollution. Phosphorus is among the world’s most important chemical elements, and it benefits us in a staggering number of ways.

Most phosphorus production is in concentrated phosphoric acids for agriculture fertilizers where high levels of phosphorus runoff from agriculture can cause devastating consequences for waterways, wildlife and the ocean.

In episode 6 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Mark Runnals, co-founder and CEO of PumpFree Energy.

PumpFree Energy, a Finalist in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, are a Sydney based clean-tech startup that cleans oil from water and turns waste from commercial kitchens into renewable sources of energy.

Did you know that on average each person produces 8kgs of grease per year and that 1 litre of oil can contaminate up to 1 million litres of ocean water? Did you also know that cities like Sydney still have waste treatment plants that discharge several thousand tonnes of FOG and suspended solids (SS) into the ocean every year.

PumpFree Energy technology has been independently measured to reduce suspended solids by up to 65% and reduce the amount of fats, oils, greases (FOG) going to sewer by up to 75%.

In episode 5 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Brian Takeda, Founder and CEO of Urchinomics.

Urchinomics is a restorative aquaculture venture that aims to turn the environmental challenge of overgrazing sea urchins into a commercial, ecological and social opportunity.

As Nick opens this podcast he confesses that Urchinomics was “one of his favourite” Finalists in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 and from this conversation you can understand why.

Due to a combination of overfishing of predatory species, climate change and pollution, sea urchin populations have exploded, causing catastrophic imbalances in coastal ecosystems around the world.

In episode 4 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Dan Watson, the founder and CEO of SafetyNet Technologies.

UK based startup SafetyNet Technologies were a Finalist in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, impressing the judges with their novel technology, compelling written application and creative pitch video submission.

SafetyNet Technologies are in the business of ‘precision fishing’, creating solutions that can reduce the devastating impacts of fisheries bycatch.

Did you know that up to 40% of the total fish catch worldwide is unintentionally caught bycatch?

In episode 3 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Tom Birbeck, Co-Founder of UK based startup ARC Marine that was established in 2015.

With a vision “to accelerate reef creation around the world”, Tom and the ARC Marine team have made significant progress in recent years, particularly in the design and deployment of their patented ‘Reef Cube’ technology - carbon-neutral and recycled concrete structures that range in size from 15cm to 1.5m and include a open cavity for marine life to inhabitat.

In this conversation Tom provides some intriguing insights into the ARC Marine journey and how important it has been for the startup to be agile and adaptable to new opportunities and customers whilst remaining focussed on their big vision.

In episode 2 of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ Nick Chiarelli speaks with Tom Denniss, the founder and Chair of Wave Swell Energy.

Wave Swell Energy were the first Runner Up in The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, impressing the judges with their innovative approach to generating renewable ocean energy, the progress they’ve made to date and the future prospects for their technology.

Since placing second in Pitchfest 2020 the team at Wave Swell Energy have made significant progress on the installation of their major demonstration unit at King Island in Tasmania, Australia. Head to www.waveswell.com or our social media to see images of the unit now installed at Grassy Harbour, King Island.

In this first episode of the Ocean Impact Podcast ‘Pitchfest 2020 Series’ OIO co-founder Nick Chiarelli speaks with Joanne Howarth, the founder and CEO of Planet Protector Packaging (PPP).

Joanne Howarth is a true ocean impact innovator with a vision to eradicate expanded polystyrene (EPS) from the refrigerated goods supply chain. Her ‘why’ extends back to a previous role where she was sending tens of thousands of polystyrene boxes containing home delivered groceries to Australian households each week.