PROGRAM & WORKSHOPS

Starting a company is never easy, but it is possible with the right tools. What are the key metrics for a successful start-up? Why do you need an actionable plan to grow your business? How should you communicate your vision to investors, customers, and challengers? We all like a good story. But beyond the success, what we want to hear is the raw and honest truth lying behind the business and the product and be inspired by it.

You'll learn why and how they got started, how they established their business and scaled it, and how they run their venture today, profitably.

Honesty is key in that process because no one goes from “zero to hero” without breaking a sweat. You will have the opportunity to pick his brain on his venture in the ocean space, understand and tackle the challenges, and celebrate the ultimate triumphs.

• Although there are no “unicorns” in this space (yet), the blue economyis definitely a good investment for multiple reasons
• Breakdown of different examples of ROI
• Where will the next disruptive innovations from the ocean come from?

“If you could start over, what would you do differently?”
If starting a profitable and sustainable business were as easy as 1-2-3 wouldn’t everyone do it? Being an entrepreneur requires being comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Yet time and time again we come across entrepreneurs who struggle with the same problems that others have faced before them.
Get valuable tips and feedback that will help you to better position your vision, product, or service, and look into problem-solving techniques (how much to raise, understanding corporates’ and investors' expectations, and more).

• What is ocean/ blue economy innovation and why is it worth investing in? 
• What role do (Impact) investors play in blue/ ocean innovation ecosystem. 
• Sustainable Ocean Finance; What does this mean and why is it so important. 
• Ocean Finance: Financing the Transition to a Sustainable Ocean Economy
• Where is innovation leading to investable ocean-related opportunity?

BROUGHT TO YOU BY BRIGHT TIDE

Part 1 – THE WHAT

• What are the legal implications and requirements?
• What are the current barriers to scalability?
   

Part 2 - MONITOR IT

• What are the technological opportunities for measuring and monitoring blue carbon?
• What are the standards and mechanisms for assessing blue carbon?

Who first, then what. You may have heard that culture, values, and teamwork are what’s critical to success. However, they won’t help you much if you don’t have the right people on your team. As it turns out, the “who” factor is often more important than everything else combined.

When facing uncertainty, your best "strategy" is to have a crew who can adapt and perform brilliantly no matter what comes next.

• When, How, and Who do you hire first?
• Attitude over skills: How to create a strong team culture?
• Do you have the right culture and mindset to help you achieve your ultimate goals?
• Remotely better than ever? Today career and business potential are not limited by the boundaries of walls and start-ups with remote teams have experienced a high success rate. How to do it right?

What are the current trends and opportunities in the ocean innovation space?
When it comes to investing in blue projects here are some of the aspects one needs to consider: 

• Have you identified innovative ocean finance solutions? 
• How do you pick the right (sea) horse)?
• What do you need to look for when investing in ocean innovation?
• Some of the verticals and sectors in the blue economy are more "investable" - why? (blue food, ocean data, aquaculture...
   

Hear from different investor perspectives on where and why they invested in certain sectors and types of start-ups related directly or indirectly to a sustainable ocean economy. 

BROUGHT TO YOU BY BRIGHT TIDE

Part 3 - FINANCE IT

• Investing in high-quality carbon projects
• Collaboration is key to opening access to the international market

As people seek to manage marine resources in a sustainable way, they need tools to better understand these complex systems. Innovations in ocean technology can help make such tools a reality — by improving understanding of ocean health and ecosystems; measuring changes in the climate system at sea; monitoring the changing pressures on marine species; and enhancing understanding of ocean resources and how we use them.

Strategic innovation is about bringing measurable solutions to your business and creating ideas that will leave a lasting impact and make things better for our ocean (and be profitable for your business).

Learn how you can incentivize and ride the wave of innovative practices leading towards sustainable goals and objectives in order to achieve success in your business.

• Corporate Investing and Venture Capital for Ocean Sustainable Development
• Ocean Impact Investing and the Growing Ocean Funds Community
• Philanthropic Investment and the Blue Economy
• Family Office Financing for Ocean Health and Sustainability
• The Role of Banks in Ocean Sustainable Development
• Blended Finance and Blue Finance

This is why Seaweed startup investments have doubled since 2021

A sustainable ocean economy requires a shift in how we think about the ocean and its resources. Sustainability isn’t just a fad or a trend, it’s becoming an integral part of how business gets done. Many companies are embracing sustainability as a successful strategy for growth, but how does sustainability mesh with profitability?
The common misconception is that by focusing on expensive green initiatives, profit takes a back seat.

How can you achieve both? How do you make sure you are not falling into the greenwashing nets?

How do you create a sustainable ocean economy, with products and services that customers want, in a way that aligns with your values.
In that session, we’ll show you how to build a business model around an idea with growth potential, plus ensure that you’re profitable by leveraging partnerships along the way.

A diverse mix of investors on stage will share their thoughts on why they invested in a certain company or entrepreneur or why the deal fell through, sometimes even at the last minute. 

• What are the challenges and opportunities in investing in early stage startups in ocean innovation. 
• How to minimize the risks and maximize opportunities.
• The Do’s and Don’ts when financing ocean innovation
• How to prepare for challenging times in funding?

“Regenerative ocean farming is trending, but can it be a successful business model?”

Although aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest-growing food industries, concerns remain that it’s being spurred on at the expense of the environment. But the tide is changing: the industry is beginning to shift towards sustainable practices. Specifically, they point to regenerative ocean farming (growing seaweed and shellfish in underwater coastal gardens as a way of meeting the growing demand for seafood while protecting the environment).

This workshop aims to explore the potential of regenerative ocean farming as a profitable and sustainable business model. We will bring together experts from the fields of aquaculture, ocean conservation, and business to discuss the latest developments in this emerging industry.

• Sustainable aquaculture & harvesting 

• Alternative protein

How International Ocean Law & Policy could be (and should be) used to support and secure your business development in the ocean sector?

Defining your company’s sustainable development goals is crucial to ensure a viable business and it is fundamental to understand international law as a business advantage when it comes to developing your strategy and positioning your product in front of potential partners and investors.

What are the main challenges and opportunities that are associated with international law in the maritime sector?
Join us for this insightful fire chat presented by legal experts who will guide you through the complex field of international law applied in the blue economy, and assist you to better take into consideration the legal issues arising from sea activities, access or use of marine resources, and marine protection.