Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning unveiled the 15 winners of the UpLink Regenerative Blue Economy Challenge at the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York.
The winners showcased innovative solutions whose goal is to protect and restore the world’s oceans and tackle challenges to their sustainability.
The 15 winning solutions – chosen out of 203 submissions by startups from around the world – were selected for their groundbreaking contributions to addressing marine pollution, promoting ecosystem restoration and rewilding, and accelerating ocean-based climate solutions.
Saudi Arabia has played a pivotal role in shaping opportunities for private and public sectors by enabling early-stage startups and facilitating their growth and scalability.
The winning cohort of the Regenerative Blue Economy Challenge will benefit from exclusive networking opportunities, targeted support, increased visibility, and a share of 300,000 Swiss francs in prize money to further develop their projects, as we
ll as participate in cutting-edge conversations at the forefront of innovation.
Winners will join a support program to scale their innovative solutions, backed by ecosystem partners offering business advisory, market access, global event opportunities, and financial grants and investments.
The top five finalists will present their projects to a high-level panel from Saudi Arabia and international organizations. The three highest-scoring projects will receive additional funding and entry into the Uplink Accelerator Program, which offers targeted support to further develop and scale their innovative solutions.
The winning startups present a diverse set of innovative solutions from across the globe, each making unique contributions to the future of ocean sustainability. They are:
* CHITELIX (Tunisia): Utilizing advanced biotech to convert seafood byproducts into valuable chitosan biopolymers for diverse industrial applications.
* SolarDuck (Netherlands): Innovating offshore floating solar energy with patent
ed semi-submersible platforms to maximize solar power generation at sea.
* Kind Designs (US): Designing 3D-printed Living SeawallS that integrate artificial reef features to enhance coastal resilience and biodiversity.
* Rongbient Biotech Company Limited (Vietnam): Boosting shrimp farming profitability through seaweed-integrated systems that enhance pond productivity and sustainability.
* GREENOV (France): Mitigating underwater noise pollution from maritime activities with the SubSea Quieter, developed through extensive R and D.
* Rrreefs (Switzerland): Restoring degraded coral reefs with modular 3D-printed systems that support marine life and coastal protection.
* Mwani Zanzibar (Tanzania): Empowering women seaweed farmers with innovative practices that increase livelihoods and support climate mitigation efforts.
* Blue Ocean Gear (US): Combatting plastic pollution of the oceans by equipping fishing fleets with Smart Buoy technology for real-time gear tracking.
* SEA CRAS d.o.o. (Croatia): Enhancing c
oastal monitoring with AI-driven satellite data analysis to detect pollution and manage environmental risks.
* Polychaeta (Tunisia): Converting aquaculture waste into high-quality bait and aquafeed using sustainable recycling technologies.
* Reefgen (US): Streamlining coastal ecosystem restoration with automated underwater systems for more efficient habitat rebuilding.
* ATAREC (Advanced Third Age Renewable Energy Company) (Morocco): Leveraging Wave Beat technology to convert ocean waves into renewable energy sources while protecting coastlines.
* Swiss Ocean Tech Ltd. (Switzerland): Improving anchoring safety with AnchorGuardian, a patented system that prevents anchor dragging and ensures vessel security.
* NextProtein (France): Revolutionizing aquaculture feed with BSF-based products, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional fishmeal.
* PolyGone Systems (US): Providing a cost-effective, modular filtration system for waterways that captures microplastics using biomimetic technology.
The Regen
erative Blue Economy Challenge is funded by the Ministry of Economy and Planning and spearheaded by WAVE and Friends of Ocean Action, along with various ecosystem partners.
The call for proposals was launched by Vice Minister of Economy and Planning Ammar Nagadi on April 29 during the WEF Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development in Riyadh
Source: Saudi Press Agency