Whether you’re an innovator ready to advance your solution, an investor seeking promising technologies, an industry leader looking for new opportunities, an expert willing to share your knowledge, or an organization committed to a healthier ocean and stronger Blue Economy, Ocean Exchange connects people, ideas and resources to move innovation forward.
Now in our 15th year, we have aggregated solutions via a competitive process whereby more than $3.2 million USD has been given in non-dilutive grants to startups as seed funding, typically at pre-revenue stage.
$550,000 Nondilutive Awards were given in 2026
2026 brought the first Satellite Ocean Exchange Program with MEOPAR (The Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction, and Response Network) using the Ocean Exchange method we awarded CAD $100,000 to the Canadian company Awtij. Two new $50,000 awards funded by the Marine Research Hub and Wayne and Lucretia Weiner joined our three $100,000 Neptune awards (two Ocean Exchange $100,000 and one Ocean Enterprise $100,000 award).
The $10,000 Collegiate Awards grew from three awards to five in 2026. They were the Guy Harvey Foundation $10,000 award, the Oceaneering $10,000 award, the Florida Office of the Ocean Economy $10,000 award and two Ocean Exchange $10,000 awards.
Sponsor Support and Donations
Ocean Exchange’s mission is funded largely by private donations including those from Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, Marine Research Hub of South Florida, Oceaneering, Guy Harvey Foundation, Angus Littlejohn, Jr. Family, and others who share the passion for healthy oceans.




