From quieter ships and cleaner exhaust to self-powered ocean sensors and smarter electrified ports — this year’s Lab2Market Oceans / Validate cohort is built for real-world impact. The Ocean Startup Project (OSP) today announced the 18 research-driven teams selected for the 2026 cohort, an eight-week, full-time customer discovery experience designed to move ocean innovation from promising research to practical adoption. 

Delivered by the Ocean Startup Project and hosted by Memorial University’s Research Innovation Office, Lab2Market Oceans / Validate pairs coaching, workshops, and mentorship with an intensive customer discovery journey. Teams step out of the lab and into real conversations with potential users, buyers, partners, and decision-makers — pressure-testing assumptions, sharpening value propositions, and clarifying what it will take to earn adoption.

The Ocean Startup Project (OSP) announced today the first cohort of startups selected for funding through Amplify, a collaborative program supporting high-potential Canadian ocean technology ventures accelerate commercialization. Launched this past summer, Amplify provides up to $25,000 per company to support pilot projects, customer demonstrations, and technology deployments. In this initial program pilot, $100,000 in funding is available to help ocean startups close the gap between building innovative solutions and landing their first major customers.

The Ocean Startup Project is proud to announce Montreal-based V1 Studio as an official partner, further strengthening the national effort to support Canada’s emerging ocean technology entrepreneurs. As part of this new partnership, V1 Studio will join the Ocean Startup Project Steering Committee, contributing its expertise to help guide the strategic direction of OSP and ensure its programs continue to evolve in support of Canada’s next generation of ocean innovators.

The Ocean Startup Project (OSP) is proud to announce the winners of the fifth Ocean Startup Challenge, a national competition designed to discover and support the next wave of ocean innovators. This year, 15 Canadian companies have been selected to join the Challenge, receiving a total of $350,000 along with targeted support to accelerate the development and commercialization of their technologies. The 2025 cohort represents promising ocean innovations, addressing challenges in areas such as decarbonized marine transportation, renewable energy, plastic alternatives, sustainable construction materials, and more.

The Ocean Startup Project (OSP) today announced the launch of Amplify, a new co-designed and collaborative program created to help high-potential Canadian ocean technology startups reach commercialization faster. Unveiled during OceanFest 2025 at Startupfest, Amplify brings together ecosystem partners including COAST, COVE, Foresight Canada, Genesis, Invest Nova Scotia, and The Launch.

The 2025 Challenge will support up to 15 early-stage Canadian startups (Technology Readiness Level 6 or lower) with up to $25,000 in non-dilutive funding, mentorship from industry experts, and comprehensive ecosystem support. It is open to science- and technology-based ventures working to solve pressing ocean problems.