The Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST), which calls itself Pacific Canada’s hub for the sustainable blue economy, has launched Blue Action Canada, a pilot accelerator to support eight British Columbia-based blue economy startups. Key areas of interest include offshore energy, ocean monitoring and data collection, aquaculture, and coastal resilience.
The new accelerator, a collaboration between BC-based COAST, global startup investor Founders Factory, and Bahamas-based climate investor Blue Action, will be based in British Columbia and will support eight startups solving challenges and creating opportunities across the blue economy. The organization said it is Canada’s first accelerator program to be wholly focused on ocean ventures.
“British Columbia is home to both a legacy of success and a rising tide of innovation in the blue economy—from AI-enabled ocean conservation, to marine renewable energy,” said Jason Goldsworthy, Executive Director of COAST. “Through COAST’s partnership with Blue Action and Founders Factory, the Blue Action Canada pilot will bring international partners and industry-leading experts to support BC’s ocean founders, and cement Pacific Canada’s position as a global hub for ocean innovation.”
The accelerator will provide a four-month program with a particular emphasis on operations, product development, technology, customer discovery, commercialization and fundraising. Blue Action Canada will also provide a platform for companies to access a global community of investors and partners, including Blue Action’s network of ports and government partners spanning ten countries, to explore pathways to pilots, testing grounds, and commercial partnerships.
The partners said BC’s blue economy is valued at over $21 billion, encompassing over 25,000 km of shoreline, 40,000 islands, and more than 450,000 square kilometers of internal and offshore marine waters. The west coast province is historically and economically significant to the country’s maritime industry, with the Canadian government recently announcing plans to invest in decarbonising heavy industry in British Columbia.
“As we expand our model for climate-resilient futures for coastal communities and their marine ecosystems, we are delighted to see growth into a cold-water marine environment in collaboration with one of the leading blue economy jurisdictions and partners in British Columbia, COAST,” said Rupert Hayward, President & Chairman of Blue Action.
The Blue Action Canada pilot will commence in January 2025, culminating in a residential program in May 2025 bringing startups to Vancouver, coinciding with Web Summit coming to the Canadian west coast city.
