On September 28, Founding Blue co-founder Jacob Ruytenbeek will join the Blue Tech Startups panel at The Hatch, hosted at Hough Hall at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Organized as an interdisciplinary summit pairing UF Ocean Science researchers with business and entrepreneurship students, The Hatch focuses on a core challenge across the blue economy: how to take lab research and field inquiry, bridge the gap with commercial execution, and build scalable ocean ventures.
The panel will be moderated by Katherine O'Fallon, Executive Director of the Marine Research Hub of South Florida. Jacob will be joined on the panel by Tyler Haden of Sunfish, a company developing autonomous underwater vehicles and subsea photogrammetry for complex, GPS-denied environments.
What The Hatch Is About
Scientific research and market execution often develop in separate silos. Ocean science students work on marine biology, coastal resilience, geology, and ocean sensing, while business students build financial models without direct contact with physical marine challenges.
The Hatch brings both sides into the same room. The day pairs technical poster sessions and team pitch development with direct conversations from operators who are building in the sector today.
The full-day program includes a keynote from Coral Vita, a dockside chat on funding mechanisms for ocean technologies, a student rapid pitch-off, and panels addressing both early-stage startup hurdles and UF campus resources.
Bridging Software, Hardware, and Field Reality
The Blue Tech Startups session, running from 2:30 PM to 3:20 PM EDT in Hough Hall 120, focuses on practical company building:
- Translating research into customer value: Identifying a specific pain point rather than general ocean capability, and defining what an operational solution looks like for technicians, vessel operators, or research teams.
- Interdisciplinary execution: How early-stage founders bridge deep technical or scientific backgrounds with sales, finance, unit economics, and operational rigor.
- Software versus hardware dynamics: Overcoming early assumptions, building trust with traditional operators in marine service corridors, and de-risking technology in unforgiving marine environments.
- Capitalization strategies: Navigating the mix of non-dilutive research grants, state innovation awards, strategic industry partnerships, and venture capital.
Strengthening Florida's Blue Economy Pipeline
From the research labs in Gainesville to the working waterfronts of Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Miami, Florida possesses the coastlines, marine infrastructure, and academic centers required for ocean innovation. The missing link is often connectivity: showing students and researchers a direct line from the lab bench to early customer traction.
Founding Blue was created to make those regional connections visible and accessible. Giving students direct access to active founders, investors, and industry hubs helps ensure that promising ocean research develops into durable, Florida-grown businesses.
Event Details
- Event: The Hatch: Blue Tech
- Date: Monday, September 28, 2026
- Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT (Panel: 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM EDT)
- Location: Hough Hall 120, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Networking: Swamp Meets Happy Hour follows at The Swamp Restaurant (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM EDT)