Seaworthy Collective celebrated its fourth cohort of BlueTech startups and made several big announcements at its biannual Startup Showcase, which took place on May 23, 2024, at Ampersand Studios.
The event highlighted the latest innovations from BlueTech startup founders who participated in Seaworthy’s Spring 2024 Startup Studio and Incubator.
Four Major Announcements:
Seaworthy Collective wins Phase 1 of NOAA’s Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators program, which aims to develop and provide business accelerator services to start-ups and small businesses. The program will foster public-private partnerships to develop sustainable business models for ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observation technologies, products, and services. Seaworthy is currently applying for Phase 2, competing to earn $15 million in additional funding.
Seaworthy Collective announces its new platform, The Shoreline. The Shoreline is a new community and network platform designed to scale capacity and efficiency in supporting and educating current, aspiring, and potential BlueTech entrepreneurs. It was made possible in partnership with the support of the US Small Business Administration's 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. The Shoreline launches in August 2024, and pre-registrations are now open.
Seaworthy Collective announces that applications for Cohort 5 are now open! Interested startups can apply at https://www.seaworthycollective.com/seachange. Limited partnership opportunities are available for the fall showcase. Contact info@seaworthycollective.com for more details.
Seaworthy Collective announces the new Miami Dade College Sea Change Maker Fellowship. The fellowship, launching in June, will provide students with hands-on education and experience in ocean and climate impact innovation, from BlueTech 101 to prototyping their first startup. The Fellowship will support at least 4 students leading up to the opportunity to co-create a startup in Seaworthy’s Fall Cohort. https://www.seaworthycollective.com/seachange
“Seaworthy’s 4th cohort continued raising the bar for both the local and global early-stage BlueTech ecosystem. We’re proud to have supported our first majority-female founder cohort, with incredibly promising startups from across the country, including significant regional representation from South Florida,” said Daniel Kleinman, Seaworthy Collective’s Founder & CEO.
“We were also thrilled to share our growing opportunities, from launching our first fellowship program with Miami Dade College, to the opportunity to bring $15 million to our community with NOAA, our new platform for startups looking to better access our support outside of our intensive formal startup programs, and most excitingly open the door for our next wave of Sea Change Makers to support this fall!” added Kleinman.
This year, after 12 weeks of programmatic support from Seaworthy Collective, seven pioneering startups with founders across diverse backgrounds and disciplines presented at the showcase. Thanks to our proud partners at Salesforce and the U.S. Small Business Administration's Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, the startups were able to receive support from Seaworthy Collective at no cost to them!
Each startup embodied technology, data, and science innovation to tackle critical environmental challenges, including coastal resilience and adaptation, upstream and downstream pollution, and greenhouse gas reduction and removal. Linda Olson, CEO & founder of Tampa Bay Wave, was the keynote speaker and shared invaluable insights into entrepreneurship and tech development.
The seven Spring 2024 cohort startups were:
CASTUS Technologies (San Francisco, CA) - Cofounders Mohamed Said and Mohamed Gad use AI and ocean meteorological data to find and track floating objects like plastic debris and oil spills in oceans, seas, and rivers. It combines this with satellite imagery to confirm accuracy, providing reliable results.
Coastal Protection Solutions (Boston, MA) - Led by Alex Berkowitz, Coastal Protection Solutions, Inc. provides innovative coastal protection systems, specializing in patent-pending technologies designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change-induced coastal flooding.
Green Thumb Strategies & Phytoflora (Miami, FL) - A dual initiative by Jazmin Locke-Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez, employing floating farms for water remediation and sustainable agriculture.
Igugu Global (Miami, FL) - Founded by Anele Bloch, this climate fintech startup aims to bridge Africa's $1.5 trillion sustainable infrastructure funding gap.
Sargassum EcoLumber (Homestead, FL) - Raquel de Antonio Crespo and Andres de Antonio Simancas's venture turns Sargassum seaweed and recycled plastics into eco-friendly lumber.
Strawfish (Boca Raton, FL) - Aaron Kleinert and Kyle Lansing's answer to single-use plastic, offering biodegradable alternatives.
Upwelling (Oakland, CA) - Shanee Stopnitzky's initiative leverages artificial upwellings to cool and regenerate vulnerable ecosystems.
Learn more about this cohort as well as past Seaworthy Startups on Seaworthy’s website here.
“The Seaworthy team drives founders' success by offering essential resources, valuable insights, and meaningful connections. Our twelve-week program also equips founders with a roadmap for the future and culminates in the opportunity to publicly showcase their remarkable progress," said Tamara Kahn, Seaworthy Collective’s Programs Director.
These startups were part of Seaworthy’s Startup Studio and Incubator program, which propels startups focused on ocean-based climate solutions. The program supports founders with weekly one on one support, and connects founders to Seaworthy's extensive global network, which includes over 2,400 members, 250 mentors, and a worldwide coalition of investors with over $1 billion in combined assets. This showcase marks the end of the program and spotlights the cohort's innovative endeavors.
Watch the full recording of each of the startups' pitches and highlights on our YouTube channel here!
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