The Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge (MOPC) celebrated its 8th edition on Wednesday at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, with record participation and groundbreaking solutions addressing critical marine challenges.
Applications for this high-profile international competition tripled from last year’s event according to Robert Calcagno, Chief Executive Officer of the Oceanographic Institute Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, who expressed pride at the competition’s growing global recognition.
Among 138 teams from 66 nationalities and 129 universities, six finalists presented their projects at the Grand Finale. Cool Equity (India) claimed top prize in the ‘Business Concepts’ category, earning a €4,000 cheque sponsored by Inalve and ADIM, alongside a mentorship programme from White Castle Partners.
The Indian startup presented by Layasree Lemmata Gopi addresses seafood wastage through innovative cooling solutions. “Did you know one in three fish caught never gets eaten?” explained the Cool Equity representative. Their solution replaces traditional ice with Phase Change Material (PCM) blocks that provide stable cooling without melting, eliminating harmful thermocol pollution in a closed-loop system serving fishermen in the Global South.
Singapore-based Rongbient Biotech emerged victorious in the ‘Startups’ category, securing €7,000 from Monaco Impact and ADIM, plus an accelerator programme including investment-ready services valued at €7,000 and a virtual spotlight event from White Castle Partners.
“Rongbient is a startup based in Vietnam with headquarters in Singapore,” explained their representative. “We’re doing co-cultivation of seaweed and shrimp because that helps us clean the shrimp ponds with the seaweed as a biofilter.” This approach creates additional revenue for small farmers while cutting environmental impact by approximately two-thirds.
Transforming waste into solutions
The special ‘Coup de Coeur’ prize, sponsored by CFM Indosuez Wealth Management, went to French startup Izalgue, led by Andrea Tassard, Klervi Gautier, and Quentin Brissart, which receives business acceleration support valued at €3,000.
Izalgue presented a compelling vision for algae-based building insulation. “Close your eyes. Imagine you are at the sea. I bet you imagine coasts like the ones in the French Riviera. Now open your eyes. This is not what we experience in Brittany where our seas are full of algae—a problem for the environment and for the government,” said a representatives. Izalgue’s solution transforms problematic algal waste into fire-resistant, anti-fungal insulation, addressing environmental challenges as green building demands grow.
Other notable finalists included Canadian startup Aruna Revolution Health Inc., creating fully compostable menstrual products that break down in just 30 days compared to 500+ years for traditional alternatives, and MolluSCAN-eye, with their innovative water scanning technology—described by competitors as “mecha oysters”.
The Rongbient representative acknowledged the strength of the competition: “I was surprised because I was not confident at all. There’s something you can’t control and that is the externalities, the other competitors who were absolutely amazing.”
Strategic timing for international initiatives
This year’s competition precedes major international ocean events, including the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference co-organised by France and Costa Rica in Nice (9-13 June) and the Blue Economy and Finance Forum—a UNOC Special Event co-organised by Monaco.
MOPC winners will participate in the Blue Economy and Finance Forum, connecting entrepreneurs with institutional and economic ecosystems capable of scaling their ocean preservation initiatives.
Organised jointly by the International University of Monaco, the Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, Monaco Impact, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the competition has gained international recognition through ambassador networks across five continents.
CFM Indosuez Wealth Management served as lead sponsor, with additional support from organisations including Dietsmann, White Castle Partners, ADIM, Clear Reef, Vitale Monte Carlo, Inalve, Ecocean, and AAMOM.
The event highlighted previous success stories, including 2021 winner Ocean Twist Biotechnology (formerly Ittinsect), which continues expanding its sustainable aquaculture feed production, and 2024 winner Innov&Sea, which has significantly grown its ecotoxicity testing business.
With global ocean conservation challenges intensifying, the annual MOPC competition continues to connect entrepreneurs with investors while showcasing innovative marine solutions. The event will return in 2026 with applications opening in January.
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Photo credit: Kyriaki Topalidou, Monaco Life