Blue Economy Startups
The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth's surface, regulates our climate, supports livelihoods for over three billion people, and provides vital ecosystem services. Yet overfishing, plastic pollution, acidification, and climate change are pushing marine systems to the brink.
The global Blue Economy is projected to reach $3 trillion by 2030, driven by investments in sustainable seafood, ocean conservation, marine renewables, and circular innovations. New technologies and regenerative approaches are essential to restoring ocean health while building resilient coastal economies.
This infographic highlights pioneering startups advancing the Blue Economy across four key innovation categories:
Sustainable Seafood & Aquaculture: Startups creating alternative seafood solutions, scaling regenerative aquaculture, and improving food security while reducing pressure on wild fisheries.
Ocean Restoration & Climate Solutions: Companies restoring marine ecosystems, advancing blue carbon capture, and leveraging ocean-based approaches for global climate mitigation.
Plastic Alternatives & Ocean Cleanup: Innovators developing biodegradable materials, reducing microplastic pollution, and scaling cleanup technologies to protect marine environments.
Marine Renewable Energy: Startups harnessing tidal, wave, and offshore wind energy to drive clean energy transitions and support resilient coastal economies.
Explore the innovators safeguarding our oceans for future generations!
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Blue Economy Startups: The full list
Please note that there may be overlaps among these criteria, such as multiple segmentations intersecting.
This list includes various water-focused companies spanning different areas of the industry. If your company isn't included and you have exposure to water startups, feel free to submit it here, and we’ll make sure to include you.
The Full List
Startup name
Sustainable Seafood & Aquaculture
Wildtype (USA): Produces cultivated sushi-grade salmon to reduce reliance on ocean fishing. CEO: Justin Kolbeck
Atlantic Sea Farms (USA): Grows regenerative kelp to support sustainable aquaculture and carbon sequestration. Former CEO: Briana Warner
Shiok Meats (Singapore): Develops cultivated shrimp, crab, and lobster products for sustainable seafood. CEO: Sandhya Sriram
BlueNalu (USA): Creates cell-cultured seafood alternatives to support ocean conservation. CEO: Lou Cooperhouse
Sophie's Bionutrients (Singapore): Grows microalgae-based protein for sustainable food applications. CEO: Eugene Wang
Kuehnle AgroSystems (USA): Cultivates algae for functional foods, aquaculture feed, and carbon capture. Cofounder: Gordon Wallace
Umami Bioworks (Singapore): Develops cultivated fish using low-cost, scalable production technologies. CEO: Mihir Pershad
AquaBounty Technologies (USA): Produces genetically enhanced salmon with a lower environmental footprint. CEO: David Frank
NatureDots (India) – Utilizes AI and big data to enhance freshwater aquaculture ecosystems. Founder: Mohammad Aatish Khan
KIDEMIS GmbH (Switzerland) – Develops mycoprotein-based aquafeed to replace traditional fishmeal and fish oil, reducing pressure on wild fish stocks. Founder: Constantin Marakhov
GreenGrahi (India) – Transforms food waste into sustainable insect-based products for aquaculture feed. CEO: Siddharth Sharma
Calysta (USA) – Produces protein-rich feed ingredients for aquaculture through gas fermentation technology. Co Founder: Alan Shaw, PhD
InnovaSea (USA) – Offers open-ocean aquaculture systems and real-time data solutions for fish farming operations. CEO: Mark Jollymore
Zivo Bioscience (USA) – Develops algae-based nutritional products aimed at enhancing aquaculture feed efficiency. CFO: Keith Marchiando
XpertSea (Canada) – Provides AI-driven solutions for aquaculture inventory management and growth prediction. Founder: Valerie Robitaille
Microsynbiotix (Ireland) – Creates microbial therapeutics to improve fish health and reduce antibiotic use in aquaculture. Founder: Simon P.
Knip (USA) – Engineers single-cell proteins as alternative feed for aquaculture, reducing dependence on fishmeal. CEO: Caitlin Wege
Aquabyte (USA) – Implements AI and computer vision to optimize fish farming operations and health monitoring. Founder: Steve Tucker
Prime Roots (USA) – Creates mycelium-based deli meats to reduce dependence on ocean-based or industrial animal protein. Founder: Kimberlie Le
Konscious Foods (Canada) – Provides plant-based seafood alternatives that eliminate the need for wild fish harvest. Cofounder: Gerard Klein Essink
Aquaconnect (India) – Offers precision aquaculture solutions to reduce chemical use and improve resource efficiency in fish farming. Founder: Rajamanohar
Aruna (Indonesia) – Digitally connects small-scale fishers to buyers, increasing traceability and promoting responsible sourcing practices. CEO: Farid Naufal Aslam
ReelData AI (Canada) – Develops AI tools to optimize feeding and minimize resource use in land-based aquaculture. CEO: Matt Zimola
Jala Tech (Indonesia) – Uses IoT to monitor shrimp pond conditions and reduce disease-related losses and chemical misuse. Founder: Liris Maduningtyas
Forever Oceans (USA) – Operates offshore automated fish farms that reduce habitat disruption and use sustainable feed inputs. CEO: Michael Cronin
Oshi (Germany) – Produces clean-label plant-based seafood as a sustainable alternative to conventional fishing. Founder: Ofek Ron
Rooser (UK) – Increases seafood supply chain transparency and efficiency to reduce waste and promote responsible sourcing. Founder: Erez Mathan
Unibio (Denmark) – Produces sustainable protein using methane fermentation, replacing fishmeal in aquafeed. CEO: David Henstrom
Good Catch (USA) – Offers legume-based seafood alternatives, reducing demand for overfished species. Former CEO: Pete Speranza
Atarraya Inc (Mexico/USA) – Builds AI-automated shrimp farming systems that minimize land, energy, and water use. CEO: Daniel Russek
Victory Farms (Kenya) – Implements scalable, closed-loop tilapia farming to address local protein needs with minimal ecological impact. CEO: Nche Wadike
New School Foods (Canada) – Develops whole-cut plant-based fish with scalable manufacturing for mass-market sustainability. Founder: Chris Bryson
Umitron (Japan/Singapore) – Uses satellite data and AI to optimize feed and water quality, helping aquafarmers reduce waste and improve yields. Founder: Takuma Okamoto
Fishpeople Seafood (USA) – Sources from traceable fisheries and promotes consumer transparency for sustainable wild-caught seafood. Founder: Duncan Berry
The Ish Food Company (USA) – Develops sustainable plant-based seafood using clean ingredients like konjac and chickpea protein. CEO: Christie Fleming
Salmon Evolution (Norway) – Utilizes hybrid flow-through land-based systems to farm salmon with minimal marine impact. CEO: Trond Håkon Schaug-Pettersen
Springworks Farm (USA) – Uses aquaponics to grow greens and fish with 90% less water and no synthetic inputs. CEO: Trevor Kenkel
InnovaFeed (France) – Produces insect-based aquafeed to reduce dependency on overfished species and soy inputs. CEO: Clément Ray
Gaia Salmon (Norway) – Develops sustainable land-based salmon farming with zero emissions and water recirculation.
Ittinsect (Italy) – Produces ocean-free fish feed using insects, microbes, and agri-food waste to replace fishmeal. Founder: Alessandro Romano
Ocean Restoration & Climate Solutions
Coral Vita (Bahamas): Grows climate-resilient coral to restore reef ecosystems. CEO: Sam Teicher
Running Tide (USA): Sinks biomass and kelp to sequester carbon and restore ocean health. Founder: Marty O.
Planetary Technologies (Canada): Enhances ocean alkalinity to draw down atmospheric CO₂. CEO: Mike Kelland
Blue Carbon Lab (Australia): Develops methodologies for restoring coastal wetlands to maximize blue carbon capture. Director: Peter Macreadie
Seafields (UK): Grows floating sargassum to capture carbon and produce sustainable biomass. CEO: John Wedge Auckland
Blue Ocean Barns (USA): Cultivates methane-reducing seaweed feed additives for livestock. CEO: Joan Salwen
Vesta Earth (USA): Uses olivine mineral weathering on beaches for coastal carbon removal. CEO: Tom G.
Seaweed Generation (UK): Deploys autonomous seaweed farms to sequester carbon and boost marine ecosystems. CEO: Patricia Estridge
Proteus Ocean Group (USA): Building the world’s largest underwater research habitat to advance ocean science. CEO: Fabien Cousteau
Ebb Carbon (USA): Enhances coastal ocean alkalinity through electrochemical carbon removal technology. CEO: Ben Tarbell
Equatic (USA) – Utilizes electrochemical processes to remove CO₂ from seawater while producing green hydrogen. CEO: Edward Sanders
Deep Sky (Canada) – Develops carbon removal facilities using direct air and ocean capture technologies to sequester CO₂. Founder: Joost Ouwerkerk
Phykos (USA) – Employs autonomous seaweed-growing robots to sequester carbon in the ocean. CEO: Nico Julian
OceanMind (UK) – Uses satellite data and AI to combat illegal fishing and promote sustainable practices. Founder: Nick Wise
Pelagic Data Systems (USA) – Provides real-time vessel tracking to enforce marine protected areas and sustainable fishing. CEO: David Solomon
Open Ocean Robotics (Canada) – Deploys solar-powered autonomous boats to collect ocean data for conservation efforts. CEO: Julie Angus
OceanAlpha (Hong Kong) – Designs autonomous surface vehicles equipped with AI for ocean biodiversity monitoring and pollution detection. Founder: Sam X Li
SafetyNet Technologies (UK) – Builds light-based fishing gear to reduce bycatch and support sustainable harvesting. Founder: Chad Doucet
Brim Explorer (Norway) – Offers electric-powered tourism boats to reduce underwater noise and water pollution. CEO: Agnes Árnadóttir
ARC Marine (UK) – Designs modular, low-carbon artificial reefs to restore marine biodiversity and protect coastlines. CEO: Tom Birbeck
Tēnaka (France) – Runs CSR ocean regeneration programs restoring coral and mangrove ecosystems with impact tracking tools. Founder: Robert Bessonnaud
CCell (UK) – Builds electrolysis-driven artificial reefs using seawater minerals and renewable energy. Founder: Will Bateman
planblue (Germany) – Maps and monitors the seafloor with AI-powered underwater satellites and hyperspectral imaging. Founder: Joost den Haan
Captura (USA) – Uses electrodialysis to remove CO2 from seawater and trigger atmospheric drawdown naturally. CEO: Steve Oldham
Gigablue (USA/New Zealand) – Uses sinking phytoplankton substrates to sequester CO2 on the seafloor for permanent storage. Founder: Sapir Markus-Alford
Kelp Blue (Netherlands/Namibia) – Grows giant kelp forests offshore to lock carbon and generate regenerative biomass. Founder: Daniel Hooft
Limenet (Italy) – Applies ocean alkalinity enhancement using lime to store CO2 as bicarbonate in seawater. Founder: Valdis Bisters
SeaO2 (Netherlands) – Uses electrochemical processes to capture CO2 from seawater and return treated water to absorb more. Founder: Ruben Brands
Vycarb (USA) – Develops mineral-based CO2 neutralization technology with real-time ocean monitoring and sensing. Founder: Garrett Boudinot
Cascadia Seaweed (Canada) – Cultivates seaweed to absorb CO2, reduce ocean acidification, and support regenerative food. Founder: Michael Williamson
ECOncrete (Israel) – Produces bio-enhanced concrete structures that support marine life and prevent coastal degradation. Founder: Ido Sella
Australian Seaweed Institute (Australia) – Develops seaweed-based biofilters to reduce nutrient runoff and protect reefs. Founder: Jo Kelly
Ashored (Canada) – Creates ropeless fishing gear to prevent whale entanglement and support sustainable fisheries. CEO: Aaron Stevenson
Ichthion (UK) – Develops high-capacity river and marine plastic extraction systems to reduce ocean waste. Director: Tames Jan Rietdijk
Blue Ocean Seismic Services (UK) – Creates subsea seismic nodes to support sustainable CCS and offshore energy development. Director: Erin Hallock
Origin by Ocean (Finland) – Converts invasive seaweed into sustainable ingredients while mitigating eutrophication. CEO: Mari Granström
North io (Germany) – Offers AI-powered marine data platforms to support sustainable ocean management and monitoring. Founder: Jann Wendt
Inclita Seaweed Solutions (Portugal) – Produces functional seaweed extracts to support circular marine bioeconomy. CEO: Ana Catarina Guedes
Ocean Oasis (Norway) – Uses wave-powered platforms for off-grid, emissions-free desalination. Founder: Kristine Bangstad Fredriksen
REEFY (Netherlands) – Builds modular artificial reefs to protect coastlines and restore marine habitats. Founder: Jaime Ascencio
Plastic Alternatives & Ocean Cleanup
Notpla (UK): Manufactures seaweed-based biodegradable packaging to replace single-use plastics. CEO: Pierre-Yves Paslier
Loliware (USA): Develops edible and compostable materials from seaweed for sustainable packaging. CEO: Sea F. Briganti
The Great Bubble Barrier (Netherlands): Uses underwater bubble curtains to divert and capture plastic waste in rivers. CEO: Anne Marieke Eveleens
Ocean Cleanup (Netherlands): Designs scalable systems to remove plastic from oceans and rivers. CEO: Boyan Slat
4ocean (USA): Funds ocean cleanup efforts through the sale of consumer products. CEO: Alex Schulze
Matter (UK): Creates filtration systems to capture microplastics from wastewater before reaching oceans. CEO: Adam Root
Kelpi (UK): Produces seaweed-based biopolymers for sustainable packaging solutions. CEO: Neil Morris
Grale (Sweden) – Transforms renewable resources into eco-friendly products to replace plastics. Founder: Allen M.
Recykal (India) – Offers an app-based system that rewards local refuse collectors for picking up waste, aiming to reduce plastic pollution at the source. Founder: Abhay Deshpande
Blue Eco Line (Italy) – Develops autonomous systems for intercepting and collecting plastic waste in rivers before it reaches the ocean. Founder: Lorenzo Lubrano Lavadera
SEADS Sea Defence Solutions (Italy) – Creates modular barriers to capture plastic waste in rivers, preventing ocean pollution. CEO: Jaime Ayala
River Cleaning (Italy) – Intercepts riverborne plastic before it reaches the ocean using passive in-stream systems. CEO: Vanni Covolo
PolyGone Systems (United States) – Passive, portable filters for microplastic removal from water sources. Founder: Nathaniel Banks
RePlastic Recycle (United States Virgin Islands) – AI-driven off-grid plastic recycling into usable products, with blockchain incentives. Steven Chmura
Planetixx (United Kingdom) – AI and satellite platform for marine plastic monitoring and geospatial analysis. Founder: Jack Lidgley
Relicta (Italy) – Transparent, water-soluble, biodegradable packaging made from fish waste. Cofounder: Giovanni Conti
Recycllux (Romania) – AI-powered marine plastic detection with decentralized cleanup and ESG reporting. CEO: Sorina Uleia
Algreen_tech (United Kingdom) – Compostable seaweed-based foam as a sustainable alternative to polystyrene. Founder: Rehaan Lulla
LitterSnap (France) – Deep-learning software using public and vehicle cameras to detect and map litter density. Founder: Luc HAUMONTE
C-PLASTIC (Portugal) – Certifies and coordinates plastic cleanup projects for marine sustainability and coastal erosion. Cofounder: Filipa Reis Carvalho
Aqua Catalysis (United Kingdom) – Photocatalyst technology to rapidly clean polluted water and destroy toxins. Founder: Luke M.
TONTOTON (Cambodia) – Inclusive collection of all types of plastic, including low-value waste, for responsible recycling. Founder: Barak Ekshtein
Circular Ocean (Portugal) – Recycles discarded fishing gear and ghost nets through circular economy initiatives. Founder: Robin Teigland
Algae Scope (Italy) – Develops seaweed coatings as PFAS-free alternatives to industrial pollutants. Founder: Natasha Yamamura
Digital Earth Solutions (Spain) — Models spill and plastic drift patterns to improve marine pollution interception. CEO: Juan Roos
HydrokinetX (US) — Supplies real-time ocean pollution data by powering monitoring systems using kinetic marine energy. Founder: Lori Eich
blueOASIS (Portugal) — Combines AI, CFD modeling, and data science to advance ocean cleanup and sustainable maritime tech. Founder: Guilherme Beleza Vaz
Eyesea (New Zealand) — Maps marine pollution using community-collected image data, building a platform like Waze for waste. Founder: Graeme Somerville-Ryan
Sway (United States) – Develops home-compostable, seaweed-based bioplastic films designed to replace single-use plastics in packaging. Founder: Matthew Mayes
MarinaTex (United Kingdom) – Produces a translucent, home-compostable bioplastic made from fish waste and red algae, designed to replace single-use plastics. Founder: Lucy Hughes
Clearbot (Hong Kong) – Utilizes AI-powered autonomous boats to collect and sort marine plastic waste, enhancing ocean cleanup efforts through robotics. Founder: Sidhant Gupta
ByFusion (United States) – Transforms unsorted, unwashed plastic waste into construction-grade building blocks called ByBlocks using a modular steam-based compression process. Founder: Heidi Kujawa
Fionn & Co. (Ireland) – Specializes in removing microplastics from water using magnet-based extraction technology, offering scalable solutions for water purification. Founder: Fionn Ferreira
Marine Renewable Energy
Orbital Marine Power (UK): Develops floating tidal turbines for sustainable energy generation. CEO: Andrew Scott
Minesto (Sweden): Builds subsea kites to harness slow tidal and ocean currents for energy. CEO: Martin Edlund
Eco Wave Power (Israel): Captures energy from ocean waves through nearshore infrastructure. CEO: Inna Braverman
Floating Power Plant (Denmark): Integrates offshore wind and wave energy into hybrid platforms. CEO: Anders Køhler
AW-Energy (Finland): Develops WaveRoller technology to harness wave energy. CEO: Christopher Ridgewell
Sustainable Marine (Canada): Designs tidal energy platforms to power coastal communities. CEO: Jason Hayman
OceanBased Perpetual Energy (USA): Develops ocean current energy systems in the Gulf Stream. CEO: Nasser M N Alshemaimry
CalWave Power Technologies (USA): Builds scalable wave energy converters for offshore renewables. CEO: Marcus Lehmann
Seatrec (USA): Generates renewable energy using ocean temperature gradients. CEO: Yi Chao
Mocean Energy (UK): Produces modular wave energy converters for offshore applications. CEO: Cameron McNatt
SolarDuck (Netherlands/Norway) – Develops offshore floating solar power plants that can withstand harsh ocean conditions. Founder: Koen Burgers
Wavepiston (Denmark) – Creates modular systems to harvest wave energy for electricity and desalinated water production. CEO: Michael Henriksen
SINN Power (Germany) – Develops wave energy converters to supply renewable energy to remote coasts and islands. CEO: Dr. Philipp Sinn
Oscilla Power (USA) – Designs wave energy converters for utility-scale energy production. CEO: Balky Nair
Carnegie Clean Energy (Australia) – Advances wave energy technology for sustainable power generation. CEO: Jonathan Fievez
HydroQuest (France) – Develops vertical-axis turbines for river and tidal current energy generation. President: Paul Rubin
Deep Anchor Solutions (USA) – Innovates anchoring systems for floating offshore wind platforms. CEO: Junho Lee
Ithaca Clean Energy (USA) – Develops digital twin systems for optimizing offshore wind operations. CEO: Khalid Kamhawi
CorPower Ocean (Sweden) – Develops compact, point-absorber wave energy converters using a phase control system and a patented WaveSpring to maximize energy capture and survivability in rough seas. Founder: Patrik Möller
Ocean Power Technologies (USA) – Specializes in PowerBuoy wave energy platforms that autonomously convert ocean waves into electricity, serving offshore industries such as defense, oil and gas, and environmental monitoring. Founder: Philipp Stratmann
Azura Wave Energy (USA/New Zealand) – Builds multi-directional point absorber wave devices, with potential to deliver power and desalinated water to remote islands. Director: Michael Byrne
OceanEnergy (Ireland) – Designs oscillating water column wave devices like the OE35, which uses wave-driven air flow to power turbines. CTO: tony lewis
Waves4Power (Sweden) – Creates free-floating wave energy systems like the WaveEL buoy, aiming to deliver continuous renewable electricity to coastal grids and islands with minimal environmental impact. Founder: Hans Fredrikson
Seabased (Ireland/Sweden) – Offers grid-ready wave energy parks using point-absorber floats and linear generators, with a focus on electrifying small island states. CEO: Laurent ALBERT
Nova Innovation (Scotland) – Operates the world’s first tidal turbine array in Shetland, using seabed-mounted horizontal-axis turbines. Director: John Meagher
Marine Power Systems (UK) – Engineers modular floating energy platforms that can be configured for wave, wind, or hybrid generation. CEO: Gareth Stockman
Sabella (France) – Manufactures robust subsea tidal stream turbines optimized for island grid support. President: Jean François DAVIAU
XOcean (Ireland) – Provides uncrewed surface vessels to perform autonomous ocean data collection and seabed surveys, enabling efficient site assessments for marine energy projects. Founder: James Ives
Magallanes Renovables (Spain) – Specializes in floating tidal energy platforms, having developed a full-scale prototype that generates electricity from tidal currents. CEO: Alejandro Marques de Magallanes Crespo
Ocean Renewable Power Company (USA) – Focuses on river and tidal energy solutions, with deployments in Maine and Alaska, utilizing cross-flow turbine technology. CEO: Stuart Davies
BioPower Systems (Australia) – Engineers bioWAVE and bioSTREAM systems that mimic marine life movements to harness wave and tidal energy. Founder: Tim Finnigan
AWS Ocean Energy (UK) – Develops Archimedes Waveswing, a subsea wave energy converter that captures energy from pressure changes caused by passing waves. CEO: Simon Grey
Ocean Grazer (Netherlands) – Designs hybrid offshore energy platforms combining wave, wind, and solar power, along with the Ocean Battery for energy storage. CEO: Frits Bliek
DRIFT Energy (UK) – Pioneers mobile energy-harvesting vessels that generate hydrogen fuel by harnessing wind and wave energy during voyages. Founder: Ben Medland
Zero Emission Industries (USA) – Develops hydrogen fuel cell systems for marine applications, aiming to decarbonize maritime transport. Founder: Joe Pratt
Pacific Fusion (USA) – Explores innovative methods to harness ocean thermal energy for sustainable power generation. Founder: Will Regan
DP Energy (Ireland) – Engages in developing tidal and wave energy projects, with a focus on sustainable and community-integrated solutions. Founder: Simon De Pietro
Leask Marine Ltd (UK) – Provides marine construction and support services, including the deployment and maintenance of tidal and wave energy devices. MD: Douglas Leask
Pelamis Wave Power (UK) – Pioneered the development of the Pelamis wave energy converter, a series of connected cylinders that flex with wave motion to generate power.
