A Surge of Ocean Innovation: Meet the 26 Winners of the 2025 Idea Challenge
Now entering its fourth year, the Ocean Idea Challenge has attracted an unprecedented wave of early-stage entrepreneurs passionate about solving some of the ocean’s most pressing challenges. The surge in applications reflects the growing strength of Canada’s national blue economy pipeline and the country’s commitment to scaling ocean solutions that align with global sustainability goals.
“We were impressed by the increase in applications from idea-stage innovators for the 2025 Ocean Idea Challenge,” said Natasha Legay, Ocean Challenge Director at the Ocean Startup Project. “This year, we received more than 70 applications and awarded $182,000 to 26 winners—bringing our total support since 2022 to $404,500 across 59 recipients. This growth is a clear indication of the sustained momentum and appetite for the development of ocean solutions within Canada’s ocean startup ecosystem. The fresh perspectives and passion of these new founders are not only inspiring—they also signal a promising future for ocean innovation. We’re thrilled to welcome these dynamic thinkers into our program pipeline and support their journeys as they help shape a sustainable ocean economy.”
Each year, a select group of innovators is chosen to receive up to $7,000 in non-dilutive funding, expert mentorship, and guided training through a customer discovery sprint. The 2025 cohort of Idea Challenge recipients includes:
Alaagi Inc. (NS): Tackling the global plastic pollution crisis with seaweed-based bioplastics that naturally decompose, offering sustainable food packaging alternatives.
Aqualift (NS): Developing a new method to gently lift lobster traps, reducing ghost gear and supporting healthier marine ecosystems.
Atalanta Climate (BC): Capturing and sequestering CO₂ using seawater and electricity in a scalable, flexible climate tech solution.
Binnov (QC): Real-time drone and AI solution for detecting marine mammals, winter ice, and coastal erosion.
CHEOH_energy (BC): A modular, containerized system that creates green methanol from seawater, captured carbon, and renewable energy.
CM Marine Safety Equipment (NS): Reinventing life jackets for fishermen with a slim, discreet, and safety-enhancing design.
DEKO-BLUE (PEI): IoT-powered water quality monitoring for small-scale shellfish farmers, enabling smarter, more sustainable aquaculture.
Equlantic Inc. (NS): Autonomous sensors for accurate, cost-efficient ocean monitoring and marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) verification.
FieldComplex (QC): Low-power underwater communication system to improve marine tech capabilities.
FinShield (ON): Real-time AI detection system for shark conservation to prevent illegal finning.
Flux Lines (QC): Flexible charging for electric cargo ships with AI-powered energy management—starting on the Great Lakes.
Horizon Rescue (ON): Aerial rescue drones that detect and assist people in distress faster than traditional methods.
Kitose (QC): Developing antibacterial, biodegradable textile fibers from fishing and forestry industry by-products.
Ocean GNS (NS): Mission planning platform enhancing AUV navigation and retrieval for ocean research.
Pure Ocean AI (QC): AI-powered route optimization for reducing costs and carbon emissions in the maritime supply chain.
Retssop (NS): High-efficiency oil spill response tech that absorbs more oil in less time while enabling offshore recovery.
Rift-Carbon Technologies (BC, ON): Producing clean hydrogen and enhancing ocean alkalinity for scalable carbon removal.
SeaFoam (BC, ON): Seaweed-based insulation that replaces high-GHG building materials, creating carbon-storing structures.
Seanetik (QC): Biofouling-cleaning tech that reduces ship emissions and invasive species transfer.
SoraRisk (QC): Real-time insurtech risk analysis platform that helps insurers dynamically adjust maritime premiums.
Subseaify (BC): Enhancing underwater imaging with AI to improve research, safety, and reliability.
Subvision Robotics (BC): Autonomous UV-based robot that prevents ship biofouling and reduces fuel use and emissions.
Thalios.ai (NS): Deep learning-powered marine mammal monitoring tools designed for energy efficiency.
Training Master Systems (NL): AI-driven tutoring for simulator-based ice navigation training.
Trash Crab (BC): Robotic AI for shoreline trash mapping and remediation, preventing debris from re-entering the ocean.
Waterlogged Robotics (NS): Automated gliders making ocean data collection scalable and accessible for smaller missions.
This program serves as a launchpad for innovators advancing ocean observation, marine conservation, climate resilience, sustainable aquaculture, blue circular economy solutions, and more.
The Ocean Idea Challenge is a cornerstone initiative of the Ocean Startup Project and aligns with Canada’s Ocean Supercluster Ambition 2035 strategy—an ambitious roadmap to grow the country’s ocean economy into a $220 billion industry by 2035 through a fivefold increase in ocean GDP and job creation.
As the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development reaches its midpoint and calls for bold cross-sector action, Canada is answering the call through initiatives like the Ocean Idea Challenge—mobilizing early-stage innovation as a critical contribution to advancing a regenerative, resilient ocean future.
For more information on the Ocean Idea Challenge, visit: www.oceanstartupproject.ca/idea-challenge
About the Ocean Startup Project
The Ocean Startup Project is advancing Canada as a global leader for ocean entrepreneurs, driving innovation across the ocean economy. Our mission is to transform Canada into a thriving hub for ocean startups, from inception to global market reach. Through partnerships with Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and regional organizations like Genesis, Springboard Atlantic, PEI BioAlliance, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF), Invest Nova Scotia, and the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST), and Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) we strengthen Canada’s ocean-focused innovation ecosystem. Recognized as one of the top 5 accelerators in North America and top 10 globally in the Blue Economy sector by Startup Genome, we’re accelerating the success of ocean startups, positioning Canada at the forefront of the global blue economy.