The Ocean Startup Activator – NL Edition is an in-person event on March 11 at Memorial University’s Core Science Facility, designed for students, researchers, innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs passionate about the Blue Economy. This immersive day features dynamic ideation exercises, team-building activities, and insights from industry leaders, offering participants the opportunity to develop innovative solutions to real-world ocean challenges! Gain access to valuable resources, collaborate with like-minded individuals, and take the next step on your entrepreneurial journey in the ocean sector.

Prizes

1st Place: $400
2nd Place: $300
3rd Place: $200

For this Ocean Startup Activator participants can expect the challenge statements to fall under Sustainable Seafood or Autonomous Vessels & Robotics. Additional details will be presented on the morning of the Activator. You do not need to have a background, knowledge or experience in these areas to participate. We encourage those that have no exposure to these industries to participate to bring an outside perspective with unique ideas to solving these real world problems. Teams for the Ocean Startup Activator should consist of 2 to 4 members.

Following the Ocean Startup Activator, econext will provide student participants the opportunity to have their ideas reviewed by industry mentors and receive expert feedback. Students that incorporate the feedback into an updated pitch will be eligible to receive a gift card as a thank you for your effort.

Learn more and register here.

About the organizers

econext

econext is a not-for-profit association with a mission to accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador through a focus in three areas of activity: innovation, workforce, and net zero. econext has been working for over 30 years on behalf of its members across many sectors to support environmentally sustainable economic development. With a membership of over 150 businesses, research institutions, governments, and organizations – econext is Newfoundland and Labrador’s leading voice on the green economy.

Ocean Startup Project

The Ocean Startup Project propels Canada as the top destination for ocean entrepreneurs, driving innovation across the ocean economy. Our mission is to transform Canada into a global hub where ocean startups can thrive, from inception to global market presence. Leveraging a network that includes Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and partners from across the country – Genesis, Springboard Atlantic, PEI BioAlliance, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF), Technopole Maritime du Québec (TMQ), Invest Nova Scotia, and the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST) – we bolster Canada’s innovation ecosystem for ocean-focused startups. Our efforts have catapulted us to the forefront, being recognized in the top 5 accelerators/incubators in North America and top 10 globally in the Blue Economy sector according to Startup Genome’s Report. Launched in 2020, we’ve quickly become a global contender, not only speeding up market access for Canadian startups but also attracting international ventures. Join us in navigating the future of the ocean economy, where together, we can unlock the ocean’s full potential.

Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship

We inspire students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to seek ways to solve real-world local and global problems through innovative business solutions. By fostering collaboration and accelerating innovation, we aim to cultivate Newfoundland and Labrador’s next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. In doing so, we seek to be the early-stage catalyst that helps make Newfoundland and Labrador the most entrepreneurial province in Canada.

Genesis

As Newfoundland and Labrador’s pre-eminent innovation hub, Genesis is known for its flagship incubator program, Enterprise, which began over twenty-five years ago. Since its inception, Genesis has expanded its programming to support startups from the ideation stage all the way to scaling their business. Genesis’ mission is to create opportunity for the province by developing and supporting technology entrepreneurs.

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