The Port of San Diego has released the sixth edition of its Blue Economy Incubator (BEI) Highlights Report.
As a catalyst for the region’s Blue Economy, the port established its Blue Economy Incubator in 2016 as a launch pad for sustainable shellfish and seaweed aquaculture and port-related blue technology ventures. In the nine years since it launched the Blue Economy Incubator, it is said to remain the only port-led incubator in the world.
“At the Port of San Diego, our Blue Tech Bay is more than an innovation hub — it’s a living example of where progress is measured by the health of the Bay and the prosperity it brings,” said Chair Danielle Moore, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners, in a prepared statement. “We’re injecting the blue economy with bold ideas and responsible stewardship, shaping a future where creativity uplifts our communities and preserves San Diego Bay for generations to come.”
The report spotlights partnerships with organizations like the port Innovator’s Network, Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST), and StartBlue Ocean Enterprise Accelerator at Scripps Institute of Oceanography funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The program’s impact in numbers includes:
- $5.8 million in research and development funds leveraged by Blue Economy Incubator companies.
- $2.35 million in funding to support the launch of sustainable aquaculture and blue tech pilot projects.
- 132 million impressions from local, national, and global media coverage.
- 25 panels and other forms of speaking engagements across the world have prominently featured the BEI and their leadership team helping the program reach an international audience of innovators.
- 20 million juvenile-stage oysters are expected to be produced annually when San Diego Bay Aquaculture’s FLUPSY is fully permitted and operating at full capacity.
- 600 pounds of edible seaweed is produced weekly by Sunken Seaweed.
- 60-plus different species, including sessile species, mobile invertebrates, fish, and algae found living on ECOncrete’s bio-enhancing shoreline protection armor units.
Through the end of July, the Board of Port Commissioners has approved 11 agreements with early-stage companies, including one re-investment, to launch innovative pilot projects, six of which have been completed. MarineLabs, a coastal intelligence company specializing in providing real-time climate resilience data, was the latest addition to the BEI. HyperKelp, which was added to the BEI in late 2023, successfully launched three of the five smart buoy platforms that will monitor underwater noise levels and various water quality parameters for the Port’s environmental monitoring initiatives.
Throughout the program, the port has received multiple awards recognizing its unique approach to port-based blue economy innovation through pilot project facilitation and has been recognized by state and federal agencies, industry, and academia for providing pathways for the sustainable development of aquaculture and blue technology in the region.