Making Waves: World Ocean Month

Welcome to Making Waves—a LinkedIn-exclusive newsletter brought to you by Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) featuring the latest news and highlights from our growing network of 400 ocean-based solutions and the innovative changemakers behind them. 

June marks World Ocean Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness, advancing action, and collaborating around innovative solutions to restore, protect, and regenerate Planet Ocean. 

In this special edition, SOA is celebrating the many ways this community makes every day World Oceans Day—from improving marine mammal protection with AI to award-winning shipping innovations powered by shrimp shells. 

Dive in and join us in Making Waves.

Canada-based startup Whale Seeker has been awarded a $855,000 grant under the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR) to develop more effective methods of marine mammal observation and strengthen the protection of aquatic species at risk. Since 2018, CNFASAR has allocated over $110 million to over 140 projects across Canada that support biodiversity and conservation.

In collaboration with EDGEWISE Environmental consulting firm, Whale Seeker will deploy its award-winning Möbius technology to improve the detection of aquatic species for conservation efforts, leveraging drone and artificial intelligence technology to facilitate marine mammal observation in real-time.

“At Whale Seeker, we are deeply honored to contribute to the advancement of marine conservation through our innovative technology,” says Emily Charry Tissier, Co-Founder & CEO of Whale Seeker. 

“Our cutting-edge solutions, developed with a commitment to ethical AI and collaboration, are designed to meet the urgent need for high-quality and accessible tools. By leveraging our expertise and working together, we can provide real-time insights for data-driven decisions for all ocean stakeholders.”

Read the full press release from Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Pêches et Océans Canada here.

Returnity Innovations has announced the launch of In Rotation, a new service that seeks to maximize the circular lifespan of reusable shopping bags and reduce reliance on single-use plastics. This program addresses the growing surplus of reusable bags by offering consumers convenient ways to unload their extras as well as inviting retailers to participate with in-store collection bins. Collected bags are sent to qualified partners to be given new life, while those too worn for reuse are responsibly recycled.

"Reusable bags seemed like an ideal solution to the single-use bag problem, but their widespread adoption only created a different waste issue," says Mike Newman, CEO of Returnity. "In Rotation aims to balance the scales by empowering consumers and retailers to actively participate in circularity.”

Learn more at www.inrotation.co.

Sustainable packaging startup Cruz Foam has been named a 2024 Food & Wine Game Changer for the company’s revolutionary sustainable cold-chain shipping products made from discarded shrimp shells.

The Game Changers list consists of 17 people and companies driving innovation and shaping the future of how we cook, dine, and drink.

The print edition will be available on newsstands June 17 in Food & Wine.

French maritime tech startup Sinay has announced the acquisition of SafeCube—an advanced container tracking software to help companies track and manage maritime shipments, streamlined into a single platform. 

This acquisition expands Sinay’s portfolio to offer a complete container ‘journey’, including milestones, current location, vessel schedule, and trans-shipment info—all in one platform.

“This acquisition represents a strategic alignment of our shared vision for digital innovation in the maritime industry. Together, we are poised to deliver unmatched value to our customers and drive positive change across the supply chain," says Yanis Souami, Founder & CEO of Sinay, on the company’s new acquisition.

Plastic action startup TONTOTON has announced the distribution of a new ‘Impact Product’ line, designed to connect more people to the solution of stopping plastic leakage into the ocean under their ‘Plastic Free Coastline’ program. Impact Products are made from hard-to-recycle plastic and support the collection of non-recyclable plastic from the environment, certified under the Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) certification. 

Each product comes with a certificate of contribution, helping to raise awareness and promote plastic collection. Purchases directly contribute to the company’s ongoing efforts to clean up polluted areas, support the construction of new classrooms, and repair the homes of informal waste pickers—making a tangible difference for local communities and the environment.

General Applications Now Open for SOA’s Ecopreneur Network Class of 2024

Sustainable Ocean Alliance is actively seeking applicants to join the Class of 2024 Ecopreneur Network—a program of lifetime support that advances the world's most ambitious ocean startups and amplifies their efforts to achieve transformative planetary impact. 

General applications to join the Class of 2024 are now open through October 4. Learn more and apply here.

Apply to the Blue Prosperity Entrepreneur Fellowship by July 7

Entrepreneurs and sustainable businesses based in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are invited to apply to the Blue Prosperity Entrepreneur Fellowship—a year-long fellowship hosted by Sustainable Ocean Alliance and Blue Prosperity Micronesia to support emerging leaders advancing local ocean and community health.

Applicants can receive a grant of up to $8,000 to support their projects as well as access to capacity-building workshops and 1:1 mentorship. Learn more and apply here by July 7.

Investment Opportunities in the Ecopreneur Network

If you are a mission-driven investor interested in connecting with and supporting any of the SOA’s startups, please email Camila Vega at [email protected] or Matthew Mulrennan at [email protected].

June 19-20, OCEANOVATION Festival – The Hague, The Netherlands

The OCEAONOVATION Festival is a two-day event to connect groundbreaking ideas and cross-sector collaboration for sustainable solutions for our ocean. Join 450 fellow ocean innovators, investors, corporates, and experts all committed to transforming the blue economy for a healthy ocean. 

Featured event speakers from the SOA community include Natalie Gilson, Mathilda Dsilva, Karen Scofield Seal (OCEANIUM ), Alessandro Romano (Ittinsect - Feed for the Ocean), and more. 

Register for the in-person event here.

June 23-29, Aspen Ideas Festival – Aspen, Colorado

The Aspen Ideas Festival returns for its 20th edition from June 23-29 (Festival 1: June 23-26, Festival 2: June 26-29), bringing together brilliant leaders and thinkers from around the globe to discuss the ideas that will shape tomorrow and help us understand today. 

Sway Co-Founder & CEO Julia Marsh is a featured speaker (details here). 

Register for the in-person event here.

Thanks for reading! 

Stay tuned for future editions of Making Waves, dropping the second Wednesday of every month.