Ocean Impact Organisation

🌊 Australia now protects 52% of its ocean territory, more ocean than any other country! 🌊 The 310,000km² expansion of the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Park – announced at the Global Nature Positive Summit last week – is fantastic news...but it doesn't mean we've surpassed our 30x30 target. Swipe to find out why ➡️ #30x30 #naturepositive #marinepark #oceanhealth #australia

🌊 Please meet our OIO Boost Cohort for 2024! 🌊 OIO Boost is our latest initiative to support founders before they enter growth or scaleup programs. The startups in our community are at quite diverse stages of growth. Some are early in their journey, while others have already gained product-market fit and are preparing to scale into new markets. And this isn’t just a reflection of OIO’s community, but of the entire ocean innovation and blue economy ecosystem. That’s how OIO Boost was born 🌏 The four startups joining this tailored initiative are: 🧪 AlgaeHive (Byron Bioreactor Technologies) | Australia: Sustainable microalgae growing systems 🧱 Kelp Island | Australia: Seaweed-based construction products 🛞 LIPPER | Japan: Reducing tyre dust microplastics 🌱 Sprout Materials | Australia: Compostable bio-based plastic alternatives Boost focuses on helping founders understand their market, sharpen their value proposition, and build a strong foundation to confidently approach investors and customers as they prepare for the next stage of growth. And that’s not all! As our alumni and other later-stage companies scale, we aim to provide them with additional support to succeed. To that end, we’re so excited to be working with OIO alumni Cleaner Seas Group® to support them in expanding their reach into Australia, New Zealand, and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Learn more about how we’re supporting startups at every stage ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gfcQjksz

🌊 We are excited to be attending the 1000 Ocean Startups Annual Gathering 2024 in Amsterdam! As part of this global coalition dedicated to accelerating ocean innovation, Ocean Impact Organisation will be joining over 30 other members to discuss the ocean’s crucial role in addressing challenges like climate change, food security, the energy transition and more. 🐋🌍 Convening under the theme, The Ocean Nexus, the gathering will spotlight the transformative power of ocean innovation and impact investment. Closing out the gathering will be a special reception where 50+ leading entrepreneur-supporting organisations, innovators and changemakers will celebrate ocean innovation — an inspiring opportunity to connect with fellow investors and changemakers, share insights and reflect on advancing the regenerative blue economy. 🎟 Request a ticket to attend the closing reception here: https://lnkd.in/d2vh4Ap8 See you in Amsterdam! #1000OceanStartups #OceanInnovation #OceanImpact #ImpactInvesting #OceanStartups #SDG14

🌊 MEET THE OIO INTERNS | PART ONE 🌊 Welcome to part one of our series introducing you to our amazing Spring/Summer interns! ⬇️ Hi everyone, my name is Henriette Maitland! I’m a Dutch ocean enthusiast living in Australia to pursue a Masters Degree in Ocean Leadership. I love the ocean community because it is full of passionate people who are determined to make the world a better place – and I can’t wait to start contributing to this as well! From a young age, the ocean’s strength, calmness, vastness, and diversity have amazed me. The more I have learned about the role the ocean plays in climate change, the more passionate I have become about protecting it. The passion, enthusiasm, hope, and commitment of entrepreneurs in the ocean tech and finance space inspires me tremendously. I think there is so much knowledge available that can benefit our oceans, and I’m so excited to start working with the brilliant people who are working to put this knowledge into action! ✨ Henriëtte – if you were a marine animal, which would you be and why? ✨ It’s hard to choose, but I would probably be a dolphin! They’re social, joyful and intelligent. I think this resonates with me because I feel like it’s important to find enjoyment in the things you do, and I believe strongly in the importance of connecting like-minded people to make an impact! Plus, I had dolphin wallpaper in my childhood bedroom for 10 years, so that might have been the start 😝 👏 Please join us in welcoming Henriëtte to our intern program! 👏

We’re buzzing from a huge week at the Global Nature Positive Summit 2024 last week. And how great it was to have Planet Ocean on the agenda! 🌊🌏 OIO CEO and co-founder Nick Chiarelli joined a high-impact panel to explore the opportunities (and challenges) of Blue Finance alongside Dr Emma Lee (National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice, Federation University Australia), Karena Lyons (The Pacific Community-SPC), Karen Sack (Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance), and facilitated by a good friend of OIO, Melissa Walsh, PhD. Then our friend Jas Chambers from Ocean Decade Australia (ODA) hosted a powerful plenary conversation on the “sea of opportunities” for a sustainably managed ocean alongside David Carter (Austral Fisheries), Vidar Helgesen (UNESCO Ocean), Dr Filimon Manoni (Pacific Ocean Commissioner), Her Excellency Ilana Seid (High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy/Palau Ambassador to the United Nations), and ocean conservationist & photographer Valerie Taylor AM. Topping off a huge summit, OIO was proud to host a “Connecting Ocean Friends” networking event with ODA on Wednesday night. And to wrap the week, we joined ocean stakeholders to explore the Australian Government’s draft Sustainable Ocean Plan and how we can sustainably manage all of our territorial oceans by 2040. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making sure the ocean is included as a crucial part of the nature and biodiversity conversation - at the summit and beyond! There’s a lot of work to do, but we’re certainly feeling “positive” for the future 🌊🩵

Microfibres. They’ve been found in the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. And microplastics overall have been found in human blood, placenta, brain tissue, bone marrow, breast milk and testicles (yep, you read those last two right). Cleaner Seas Group® is tackling this scary problem by capturing microfibres at a major source ➡️ your laundry. Listen to our full interview with Avril Greenaway on the Ocean Impact Podcast (available on all platforms): https://lnkd.in/gYfrgU7n

At the 1000 Ocean Startups Annual Gathering last year, we got to reverse-pitch Azul Bio – one of our accelerator program participants for 2023 – which is developing biotech solutions to protect coral reefs from warming water temperatures and disease. Read more below!

Did you know Australia is surrounded by 12,000 beaches? Or that we have one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones in the world? 🌊 As our very own Elisa-Marie Dumas says, we’re not lacking in innovation in this country and should be leading in the ocean innovation space! And offered this awesome advice for ocean health “startups, entrepreneurs, and wannabe oceanpreneurs” who are trying to build something impactful! Listen to the full podcast episode ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g_Yi5gnx

We're at the Global Nature Positive Summit today in Sydney, where our co-founder and CEO Nick Chiarelli will participate in the "Blue finance: Towards a sustainable ocean economy panel" facilitated by great friend of OIO, Melissa Walsh, PhD. Come and say hello if you see us! OIO is bringing the Ocean into the Nature/Biodiversity conversation, where it should be 🌊 As summed up beautifully by Nick below ⬇️

Check out the 'laundry' list of highlights (below) that OIO alumni Cleaner Seas Group® has achieved in just a year and a half! 🌊 If you want to learn more about their journey, solution, and advice to other entrepreneurs and ocean impact businesses, then listen to our conversation with Avril Greenaway on the Ocean Impact Podcast ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gYfrgU7n