Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: UNCW Burney CenterOrganized by: UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) and the Alliance for the Blue Economy (All Blue)
“Preserving, protecting, and restoring our waters are tasks for many lifetimes, and sometimes the effort can seem overwhelming. But as long as we stay connected with all of the many, many blessings that water provides, and continue to keep that love in the forefront of our minds and hearts, as long as we remind ourselves to hope, then our stories will help connect others to water and encourage them to do what they can to help care for this beautiful Blue Marble world.”
― Wallace J. Nichols, Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do
Thought leaders, innovators, and change makers will gather at the Ocean Innovation Conference to learn, explore, and vision new solutions for our ocean and waterways.
From climate change to overfishing to pollution, many problems must be addressed to protect our ocean. Entrepreneurs, universities, and governments are focusing on "what's next" in protecting the ocean.
But even greater than that, we must protect our ocean and waterways to protect our community and the happiness, creativity, and romance that water provides for us as individuals.
Attend this conference to explore how those in Southeast North Carolina and others are embracing the opportunity to protect our ocean. We will reflect on current ocean trends and challenges, grow the local economy and improve livelihoods by protecting the ocean and increasing innovation. Throughout the day, there will be discussions of our blue ecosystem in the region, advancements in ocean-based innovation and technology, opportunities for investment in these innovations, and endeavors to preserve the precious resources of our oceans. You'll have a chance to meet startup founders, nonprofits, and support organizations first hand at the Innovation Fair.
