Eleven startups have been selected to participate in the Fall 20205 Stage 0 workshop of the VentureWell Ocean Enterprise Accelerator. With the support of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we are pleased to recognize these innovators as they take the first steps in developing and commercializing technologies that will transform and build the future of America’s coasts. Together, VentureWell and NOAA are working to achieve the overarching goal of the Ocean Enterprise Accelerator program—to support the adoption of new ocean data technologies and services for economic and societal benefit to the United States and our growing blue economy.
This introductory Stage 0 program is designed to empower America’s innovators to reach commercialization, helping inventors and small businesses with both passion and bold ideas for coastal solutions to develop strategies for bringing their visions to life.
With three half-days of training in a virtual workshop plus a month of direct mentorship and customer discovery, participants will gain an understanding of the next steps they need to take to advance their innovations, exploring the commercialization pathways necessary to launch their innovations. The teams will receive ongoing mentorship from blue economy experts, intensive training, and opportunities to continue building and refining their innovations. With the preparation they receive in Stage 0, the ventures will be eligible to apply for continued support in the Ocean Enterprise Accelerator program funnel and the next step: Stage 1.
Meet the Cohort
BlueSense
Detroit, Michigan
BlueSense develops smart-material ocean sensing systems that enable resilient, adaptive, and long-lasting deep-sea monitoring while reducing costs and maintenance needs.
Coastal Monitors
Metairie, Louisiana
Coastal Monitors processes commercial camera imagery to obtain real-time coastal wave height spectra for data on water safety, bathymetry, currents, wave shock, algal/sediment content, and land loss/accretion.
Ecoattex
Athens, Georgia
Ecoattex develops sustainable leather and bioplastics from seaweed, replacing petroleum-based and animal-derived materials with ocean-positive alternatives for fashion, packaging, and industrial use.
GaiaXus Marine
Germantown, Maryland
GaiaXus Marine builds low-cost, high-accuracy water sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) tools that help citizen scientists, fishermen, and boaters detect harmful algal blooms for safer recreation and better commercial decisions.
Nautilus AI
San Jose, California
Nautilus AI is developing AI solutions to expand subsea cable operations to help extend safe operating windows with real-time weather and system predictions.
Nereis
Storrs, Connecticut
Nereis is developing Dielectric Elastomer Actuator (DEA) underwater robots to conduct inspections on oceanic equipment amid hazardous conditions and in challenging environments.
Net-Zeros Infra-Materials
Louisville, Kentucky
Net-Zeroes Infra-Materials focuses on the underwater ecosystem infrastructure system, providing solutions for the disappearing underwater habitats in the ocean.
OceanSonic
Savannah, Georgia
OceanSonic seeks to take its existing ultrasonic technology for algae elimination and scale it to create a device capable of eliminating or preventing red tide.
SeaSpark Energy
Atlanta, Georgia
SeaSpark Energy is developing the MantaHub: a novel and minimally invasive multi-energy floating platform at sea that can support autonomous marine vehicles, aquaculture, and AI data centers.
Silent Returns
New York, New York
Silent Returns combines edge AI, sensor fusion, and robotics systems to deliver real-time, ground-truth data for conservation and maritime awareness in ultra-remote locations.
Swivel-Based Mooring System To Improve Reliability of Marine Energy Converter Installations
Wanchese, North Carolina
This slip-ring swivel mooring system will enhance the reliability of marine energy devices by permitting transmission of pressurized water, for use cases like desalination and electricity, for power and communications.
We congratulate the selected participants of the Fall 2025 Ocean Enterprise Accelerator Stage 0 program. The program will be hosted virtually October 8-9, with support continuing through the closing session on October 30. Stay tuned for more exciting updates, and stay informed about VentureWell’s expanded offerings and opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs by joining our mailing list.