Founder Spotlight: Natalie Dakers (A2O Advanced Materials)

Meet Natalie Dakers, CEO of A2O Advanced Materials—a Vancouver-based materials innovation company transforming how we think about adhesives and coatings.

In 2021, A2O applied to the Ocean Startup Challenge to further develop, test, and validate its marine applications—and went on to win the Growth stream, receiving $50,000 in non-dilutive funding.

A2O’s technology is built around dynamic bonding enabled by amine catalysis, creating adhesives and coatings that are self-healing, reversible, and durable in demanding environments like the ocean. Their non-toxic, foul-release coatings help prevent biofouling, improve vessel efficiency, reduce fuel use, and lessen environmental impact.

A2O is also developing a self-healing, non-toxic adhesive that works underwater, designed to bond to plastics and metals while helping prevent corrosion and biofouling—with potential applications across marine engineering, energy, chemicals, and apparel. Through green chemistry and academic partnerships (including work with the University of British Columbia), Natalie and the team are pushing marine innovation forward and scaling solutions that can make boats more efficient and oceans cleaner.

“Adhesives don’t typically work very well underwater. This is a unique technology that’s going to work underwater, and it’s not just from a fouling point of view. We also think it’s going to have a real-world impact on preventing corrosion for small- and large-scale ocean infrastructure. We see high-impact applications beyond marine and shipping vessels.”
— Natalie Dakers, CEO, A2O Advanced Materials

Follow A2O as they continue to scale this work and bring it to new industries.