Sustainable Ocean Alliance

In the rush and chaos of everyday life, it is easy to forget that rest = restoration. But nature reminds us that in order to thrive, we must maintain a healthy balance—for ourselves and those around us. 🌎 As we wind down 2024, Sustainable Ocean Alliance will be going offline for our annual winter break to reset, refresh, and celebrate our collective achievements with our loved ones. Thank you for being a part of our journey this year and throughout our first decade at SOA. We would not be here without YOU—our incredible community of ocean changemakers and allies. Our mission toward a healthier, thriving ocean continues in 2025. ‘Sea’ you then! With love, the SOA Dream Team 🌊

Introducing the #EcopreneurNetwork, Class of 2024! 🌊 From mangrove restoration to zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cells, we are thrilled to announce that 8 incredible ocean-positive startups have joined our growing Network—all committed to achieving transformative planetary impact. 🌎 Welcome to the Class of 2024: 🌱 Vlinder – mangrove restoration in Asia and Africa through voluntary carbon credits, co-founded by Lena Mechenkova and Sergey Ivliev 🛥️ Genevos – zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells for the maritime industry, co-founded by Rebecca Sharp and Phil Sharp 👜 INVERSA Leathers – sustainable leather alternative made from invasive marine species, co-founded by Aarav Chavda, Roland Salatino, and Kahan Chavda 🌍 Koraï – strategic biodiversity consulting and marine restoration projects in Africa, founded by Jeimila DONTY 🪸 💧 Oneka Technologies – 100% mechanical desalination buoys to create freshwater resources using only the energy of the ocean swells, founded by Dragan Tutic 🧶 Phycolabs – seaweed-based biofibers to replace traditional, polluting textiles, founded by Thamires Pontes 🛰️ PierSight – 'constellation' of all-weather imaging satellites for persistent ocean monitoring from space, co-founded by Vinit Bansal and Gaurav Seth 🌊 SeaVoir Wellness – restorative wellness brand producing algae-based Omega-3 supplements, co-founded by Ashlan Cousteau and Philippe Cousteau With this impressive class of ocean changemakers, SOA is proud to now have supported and represented 64 diverse ocean startups from around the world! We cannot wait to witness what this powerhouse group of innovators accomplishes as we support their startup journeys to solve the greatest challenges facing our ocean and planet. Learn more about the Ecopreneur Network and the newest #Classof2024 here → http://bit.ly/soa-en2024 #JoinTheAlliance

Sustainable Ocean Alliance in the press! 📰 🎉 Today, SOA is incredibly proud to have our ten-year story told in TechCrunch, covering some of our greatest milestones over the last decade—from looking back on our early days born out of Daniela V. Fernandez's dorm room at Georgetown to celebrating the latest startup members to join our #EcopreneurNetwork Class of 2024. “Before us, no one in this space was even counting entrepreneurship or innovation as part of the solution,” said Daniela in the interview. “This is an investable industry! And we are so proud to have led the way." Senior Editor Devin Coldewey has been following our story since 2018 when we launched the world's first Ocean Solution Accelerator Program. Over the years, we have had the honor of bringing him along for the ride (including onboard our five-day Accelerator at Sea back in 2019), and we could not be more grateful. Thank you, Devin, for amplifying our mission and vision to the masses. This is a special one. Read the full article → https://tcrn.ch/4fo1Jcg Cheers to many more decades of ocean innovation to come! 🌊

Robots. Satellites. Seaweed. In this final edition of #RisingTides newsletter for 2024, you will uncover ocean-changing innovations such as:  🪸 Restoration robots planting seagrass and corals  🛰️ Shoebox-sized satellites for round-the-clock ocean monitoring 🌱 Innovations in seaweed packaging And more! Plus, learn about an exciting new ocean-positive certification on the market, upcoming events in the new year, and more. Dive in below and stay tuned for new ocean innovation stories & wins to come in 2025 → bit.ly/soa-rt 

We did it! 🎉🦑 After years of activism and campaigning, we received some of the best ocean news of 2024 last week: Norway has SUSPENDED plans to pursue #DeepSeaMining over the next year! THANK YOU to all of our partners, fellow NGOs, and ocean advocates who worked tirelessly to make this win a reality. But, this fight is not over yet until Norway declares a full ban on this destructive practice and joins the global resistance to deep-sea mining. Next step? We need YOU to help keep the pressure on Norway (and other pro-mining countries) to keep their mining interests OUT of our precious deep sea. Ready to give back to this meaningful cause? This #givingseason, Sustainable Ocean Alliance is activating our community to #donate to support our campaign against deep-sea mining. Help SOA make an even greater impact in 2025: make a tax-deductible gift by December 31 → https://bit.ly/soa-give #DefendTheDeep #NoDeepSeaMining

Activism works! 👏 After Norway announced its plans in January to pursue #DeepSeaMining exploration in the precious Arctic, the global ocean community, scientists, NGOs, and even European parliamentarians have banded together to reverse Norway's plans to ravage this critical ecosystem. And this week, our collective efforts were realized! Norway's plans were successfully interrupted after the nation's Socialist Left party threatened to block the national budget if licensing plans moved forward. 🚫 In response, the government has postponed issuing mining permits (originally scheduled for 2025). While we are celebrating this exciting victory, the fight is not over yet. The government intends to continue preparatory work, including creating mining regulations and mapping environmental impact... for now. We would be remiss if we did not shout out the incredible activists and young people who dedicated their voices and actions to make this win possible: Anne-Sophie Roux, Camille Etienne, Marie-Kell de Cannart, and YOU—the 500,000+ advocates who signed petitions, showed up for digital and in-person activations, and stood firm for what is right. Let's keep the pressure on → visit bit.ly/soa-action to take action for the deep sea and follow Sustainable Ocean Alliance for more ocean updates & wins. 🌊

A new wave of innovation is here! 🌊✨ Sustainable Ocean Alliance and Solar Impulse Foundation are proud to co-launch the #OceanSolutionLabel — a first-of-its-kind certification that recognizes ocean-positive, sustainable, and profitable solutions. 🌍🌱 This exciting label builds on the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label as a ‘stamp of approval’ for businesses deploying practices that protect and preserve our one ocean. Together, we're supporting the next generation of ocean innovators with a rigorous evaluation process, ensuring their contributions meet ocean-specific criteria in both sustainability and economic growth. 🌊 Are you an ocean-focused innovator? Learn more & apply now to join a global movement towards a healthier ocean and more sustainable future → https://bit.ly/soa-osl

PROTECT THE OCEAN. STOP DEEP-SEA MINING. 🚫🌊⛏️ The ocean is the heart of our #blueplanet — it is home to diverse marine life, regulates our planet's climate, provides half of the oxygen we breathe, and is the source of inspiration and hope for billions of people. But now, it faces a new and urgent threat: #DeepSeaMining. This #GivingTuesday, Sustainable Ocean Alliance is activating our global community to defend the deep sea from destruction. With the deep sea at risk, every donation, action, and moment counts. By donating, your contribution will help SOA: 📣 Support passionate young people on the frontlines of deep-sea advocacy. 💸 Fund projects and initiatives focused on preserving the deep sea and preventing harmful mining practices. 🧑🏫 Educate coastal communities and leaders on the harms and impact of deep-sea mining. ⚖️ Amplify global efforts to advocate for stronger policy initiatives and create lasting change. Together, we can make a lasting impact and protect the ocean for generations to come. Make a donation → https://lnkd.in/g25a8Sgi #DefendTheDeep #NoDeepSeaMining #Donate

Save The Date, Save Our Ocean: #GivingTuesday is December 3! 🌊 Every year, millions of people around the world participate in this annual day of giving to support important philanthropic causes—from humanitarian efforts to climate solutions. 🌎 As a nonprofit organization, Sustainable Ocean Alliance depends on donors of all capacities to support our mission to restore the health of the ocean. Whether you donate time as a mentor or donate funds to support our programs, every contribution counts towards a healthier, more sustainable future. This year, we are excited to launch our Giving Tuesday campaign to fund our efforts to #StopDeepSeaMining — a harmful, destructive practice that destroys deep-sea ecosystems critical to ocean, planet, and human health. By donating to this campaign, you will be supporting passionate young people and projects focused on preserving the deep sea, preventing harmful mining practices, educating communities, and advancing ocean-positive solutions and policies. Giving Tuesday is tomorrow, but you certainly don’t have to wait to make an impact for our ocean! Make your voice heard and your actions count, donate now → https://lnkd.in/g25a8Sgi #DefendTheDeep #NoDeepSeaMining #Donate

Looking for a little dose of hope? Here are 6 amazing reads to boost your climate optimism 📚🌎 Do you have a favorite climate read not listed? Share in the comments!