Some exciting partnerships unfolded during COP28 in Dubai, as the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, OceanX, and the World Economic Forum’s 1000 Ocean StartupsCoalition joined forces to advance ocean innovation.
The first partnership, celebrated aboard the cutting-edge OceanXplorer and featuring ocean innovators and their technologies on 4th December, underscored a collective commitment to promoting blue technologies and solutions in support of a sustainable ocean economy.
The second partnership saw the Forum and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) pledging joint support to the Foundation’s Ocean Innovators Platform, which showcases the most impactful ocean solutions and entrepreneurial innovations working to conserve the world’s ocean, seas, and marine resources.
“An entrepreneurial approach to ocean and climate issues is increasingly necessary and increasingly relevant,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. “The Ocean Innovators Platform has been set up to bridge the gap between solutions and financing.”
The two partnerships ladder up to a collective effort supporting pioneering entrepreneurs who are committed to ocean conservation and solving the future’s most pressing ocean health issues.
“OceanX has always pushed the boundaries of exploration, creating solutions and new technologies to address the unique challenges of exploring, understanding and protecting the ocean,” said Mark Dalio, founder and co-CEO of OceanX. “We are thrilled to partner with the World Economic Forum’s 1000 Ocean Startups coalition to support and promote ocean technology and innovation that furthers our shared goal of creating global change for the ocean.”
The three organisations will work together to foster cutting-edge technologies and inventive solutions at the forefront of ocean innovation. In addition, ocean innovators will be invited to test their creations during research missions aboard OceanXplorer, the advanced exploration, scientific research, and media production vessel utilised by OceanX in its operations. The vessel sports the latest technologies in ocean exploration, including two Triton deep-sea submersibles depth-rated to 1,000 meters and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) depth-rated to 6,000 meters. The trials will provide groups with insight on the impact, engineering and design of their innovations.
The new partnerships will also advance solutions to fast-track a sustainable ocean economy around the world.
“The ocean economy is vital to the livelihoods of three billion people, of whom up to seven out of 10 are women. Protecting and restoring ocean health supports the climate and biodiversity, strengthens community resilience and wellbeing, and stimulates local development. Ocean innovations that address people, planet and economic vitality remain a largely untapped opportunity,” said Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum. “OceanX and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation are early champions in the field of ocean innovation. We are delighted to be partnering with them through the 1000 Ocean Startups coalition to celebrate the ecopreneurs who are pathfinding solutions towards a more sustainable ocean economy.”
The celebration of the two partnerships took place during the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, UAE, where global ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX hosted a Blue Zone Pavilion with IOC-UNESCO.
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Photo of Prince Albert and Olivier Wenden (right), courtesy of OceanX