About Pathways Events Speakers Partners News Contact
Innovation · Ocean · Community

Driving Oceanic Innovation for a Blue Future

We unite tech and marine innovators driving sustainable growth through networking, collaboration, and innovation.

Upcoming Events
About

A catalyst for innovation

We're an exclusive gathering: a catalyst for innovation, connecting South Florida's tech and marine pioneers. By bringing together visionaries, we're building a vibrant community that fuels sustainable blue growth and technological breakthroughs. Through curated discussions and strategic collaborations, we're shaping the future—one idea at a time.


We look for visionary tech founders, passionate entrepreneurs, and innovative start-ups ready to make waves in the industry. We seek investors, including venture capitalists and angel investors, who are eager to support groundbreaking ideas. We welcome professionals from the tech and marine sectors—experts, researchers, and industry leaders—who are driving change.

On a mission

to build a vibrant, collaborative network that unites South Florida's tech and marine innovators, fueling growth, innovation, and investment.

Collaboration

Innovation

Blue Economy

Capital Pathways

From idea to IPO

South Florida's blue economy entrepreneurs often don't know what resources exist — or how to chain them together. We help founders navigate each step.

It takes several different types of financial support to go from inception to Series A and beyond. We provide education, insightful conversations with open Q&A, and advisory services to help entrepreneurs build their capital staircase. Hover each stage to explore.

1
Ideation

Research, plan, and refine your idea before building.

Milestones
Conduct market research to identify problems & opportunities
Define core value proposition & business model
Identify and segment target market
Assemble co-founders or advisors
Secure basic IP protection if applicable
2
Validation

Prove real-world potential with minimal investment.

Milestones
Build & test a low-fidelity prototype or basic MVP
Gather user feedback through beta testing or pilots
Validate demand via sign-ups, pre-orders, or engagement
Achieve initial traction — first paying customers
Pivot based on data if initial assumptions fail
3
Acceleration

Structured programs to accelerate growth and investment readiness.

Milestones
Get accepted into an accelerator program
Refine product, GTM strategy, and pitch deck
Achieve key growth metrics during cohort
Network with mentors and investors
Present at demo day, secure follow-on interest
4
Seed

Raise initial capital and achieve product-market fit.

Milestones
Raise seed funding ($500K–$2M) from angels or VCs
Hire and build core team
Launch & iterate MVP to demonstrate PMF
Establish legal structure & initial partnerships
Set KPIs for tracking progress toward Series A
5
Series A

Scale the proven model and expand acquisition.

Milestones
Raise Series A ($2M–$15M) based on traction data
Expand team in critical areas
Scale acquisition channels, prove repeatability
Optimize operations for efficiency
Hit revenue targets (e.g., 3x ARR)
6
Series B–D

Aggressive expansion and market leadership.

Milestones
Raise progressive rounds (B: $10M–$50M; C/D: $50M+)
Expand into new markets or geographies
Build operational scale (supply chain, R&D)
Achieve category leadership
Prepare for exit — M&A or IPO readiness
7
IPO

Transition to public markets for massive scale.

Milestones
Achieve profitability or hyper-growth metrics
File S-1 registration, complete SEC review
Conduct roadshows and price the offering
List on exchange, raise public capital ($100M+)
Global expansion, shareholder value & compliance
Support Networks

Organizations spanning the stages they support

Marine Research Hub Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Continuum Miami, FL

Ocean Exchange Fort Lauderdale, FL $330K prizes · $13.9M NOAA grant

Seaworthy Collective Miami, FL $22.5M+ raised by startups

ClimAccelerator Amsterdam, NL Grants up to €30K

Port of San Diego BEI San Diego, CA $2.35M pilot funding

GMRI BlueTech Boost Portland, ME $2.5K–$7.5K microgrants

BlueBioValue Lisbon, PT

Blue Food Innovation Hub Accra, Ghana

Tampa Bay Wave Tampa, FL $1.6B+ capital raised globally

StartBlue (UCSD) San Diego, CA Up to $200K non-dilutive

Braid Theory Los Angeles, CA $13.9M NOAA · $1.2M TDC

World Ocean Council Honolulu, HI

Maritime Blue Accelerator Washington State $100K equity · $450M alumni raised

FAROS Accelerator Italy

gener8tor Great Lakes Great Lakes, US $100K non-dilutive

VentureWell Ocean Accelerator United States $15K–$125K staged

1000 Ocean Startups Global

Katapult Ocean Oslo, Norway €150K–€500K initial · €1.5M–€4M follow-on

Indico Capital Blue Fund Lisbon, PT €50M fund · €100K–€5M per co.

Hatch Blue Global

SWEN Blue Ocean Paris, FR €300M+ mobilized

SeaAhead Boston, MA ~$1.2M from MassCEC

Bold Ocean Ventures Gulf of Maine, US

Bay Bridge Ventures Berkeley, CA Seed – Series A

Faber Blue Pioneers Lisbon, PT Up to €2.5M first ticket

Blue Innovation Fund Seattle, WA

Blue Earth Capital Zug, Switzerland $1.6B AUM

Ocean 14 Capital Monaco

Blue Bond Accelerator Global $1B target by 2030

Events

What's next

Join us at our upcoming events connecting innovators across the blue economy.

Speakers

Past speakers

Leaders shaping the future of the blue economy through networking, collaboration, and innovation.

Partners

Our partners

Organizations driving the future of the blue economy alongside us.

Become a Partner
Executive Team

Our team

Jacob Ruytenbeek

Jacob Ruytenbeek

Executive Producer

Jacob is the Founder and CEO of SailPlan. He has over a decade of experience commercializing emerging technology across multiple domains including space, aviation, and maritime. Jacob served in key roles at the United States Air Force, Raytheon, and AirMap before founding SailPlan in 2020. As a passionate freediver, SCUBA diver, and a Fort Lauderdale native, Jacob is leading the charge to create a cleaner, more efficient marine industry.

Susan Zellers

Susan Zellers

Executive Producer

Susan is an accomplished dynamic leader with a background in association management, workforce development, economic development, advocacy, community coalition building, and event management. For two decades, she led the Marine Trades Association of Maryland as their Executive Director, working as a state lobbyist for recreational boating interests. She initiated the nationally recognized Marine Trades Industry Partnership for Workforce Development and previously served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Annapolis. In 2021, she was awarded the 'Chesapeake Bay Ambassador' award by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

Contact

Let's talk

Ask us anything or just say hi.

We'd love to hear from you. Whether you have a question about events, partnerships, or anything else — reach out.