StartBlue Accelerator Program Awarded $13.5 Million from NOAA to Expand Support for Ocean-Focused Startups

Story by:

• Karissa Duran- [email protected]

Share This:

Article Content

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will award UC San Diego's StartBlue accelerator program $13.5 million to evolve into a program called the StartBlue Ocean Enterprise Accelerator, with the goal of providing a coordinated continuum of support from early stage through small-medium business ocean-based startups across the nation with their technology and business development solutions.

Launched in fall 2021, the StartBlue program has supported innovation and industry growth within San Diego's blue economy. Co-led by the Rady School of Management and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, this program has supported the formation of science and engineering startups tackling ocean-focused challenges and solutions integrated into science, industry, investment and government.

The World Bank defines the blue economy as the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic prosperity, livelihoods and ocean ecosystem health." A significant portion of this funding will be invested directly into these small businesses to support technology and commercialization development to build upon the blue economy nationwide.

"Scripps is a foundational part of the San Diego Blue Tech community, and we are so glad to be working with them in our accelerator program," said U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Office Director Carl Gouldman. "With their extensive expertise and broad network of partners, we're excited to see where this program leads."

StartBlue is part of UC San Diego's StartR accelerator program that was founded at the Rady School of Management in 2012, which has supported more than 300 startups and raised more than $200 million in funding. StartR provides training, mentorship and an ecosystem of resources to advance entrepreneurial ideas from concept to impact.

The initial funding for StartBlue came in 2020 from the Economic Development Administration's "Industry Challenge Award" and a local match donated by members of the Scripps Director's Council, Builder's Initiative and other philanthropists. The program's impact to date includes support for 22 ocean-focused startups, 50% of which are female-founded, that have collectively raised $10.1 million during their time in the program.

"San Diego is an exceptional location to launch and scale ocean-focused companies. The region is home to cutting-edge life science, telecommunications, software, defense industries, an established Blue Tech cluster, active Port, and a significant innovation economy," said Vanessa Scott, co-lead of StartBlue and director of corporate affiliates, business development, industry outreach and innovation for Scripps Oceanography. "The combined expertise, industry sector representation and access to state-of-the-art oceanographic and atmospheric resources amidst a highly active startup ecosystem is unique and enables StartBlue to support and accelerate ocean intelligence startup solutions."

This funding is part of NOAA's Ocean Enterprise Initiative, a grant opportunity created to develop and implement accelerator programs that support small business and entrepreneurs commercializing ocean, coastal and Great Lakes-based observation technologies, products and services addressing ocean resilience needs.

As the only university-led program funding awardee, StartBlue will implement the design and approach of their accelerator program to foster sustainable business models that are aimed toward ocean resilience.

StartBlue will continue to build upon the success of the program's previous work by providing startups with entrepreneurship training curriculum, technical support, industry mentors, fundraising and extensive network connections. Startups will be provided with visibility and accessibility to the San Diego blue economy through various site visits, conferences and workshops.

"StartBlue drives growth in the blue economy through our model of entrepreneurial education, mentorship, technical expertise and connection to the blue tech ecosystem. This funding gives StartBlue the opportunity to further and more greatly impact the economy by providing increased support to early-and mid-stage startups as they are developing their technologies and building their customer base," said Karen Jensen, co-director of the StartBlue program.

Workforce development, broad community engagement and education principles will continue to be promoted and integrated throughout StartBlue's design, culture and operations.

"Builders Initiative has proudly supported the StartBlue program since its inception in 2020, and it's been inspiring to watch the team develop their model in support of early-stage innovators making a positive impact on the Blue Economy," said Oceans Program Director at Builders Initiative Peter Bryant. "We look forward to StartBlue's continued leadership in advancing ocean-based startups nationwide, thanks to this historic investment from NOAA."

StartBlue has over 80 coordinated partners and its key partners include: Port of San Diego and Blue Economy Incubator, TMA Blue Tech, CONNECT, Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS), California Sea Grant, University of San Diego, San Diego State University, Southern California Energy Innovation Network (SCEIN), Cleantech San Diego, Ocean Visions, 1,000 Ocean Startups, AltaSea, U.S. Coast Guard Blue Tech Center of Expertise, We Tha Plug, San Diego Small Business Development Centers, and Synchro.

To stay up to date on the StartBlue program and find out when applications open for the next cohort, subscribe to the program's newsletter.