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From the Director:

Dear Ocean Observing and Accelerator Communities,

As we enjoy the spring season — and the 25th anniversary of IOOS — I'm excited to share with you the latest developments and achievements in our ongoing mission to observe, understand, and protect our oceans. 

For example, NOAA kicked off Phase 2 of the Ocean Enterprise Accelerators program through the announcement of an additional $54.3 million in funding for four accelerator organizations. These organizations will provide guidance, support, and funding to help small businesses scale quickly to spur the development of technologies and services that address a wide range of maritime needs. All four are now focused on the application and cohort announcement process; see below for more details.

Additionally, events in late March focused on advancing IOOS priorities included: 

  • IOOS spring meeting that brings together IOOS representatives from across the national office, the Regional Associations, and the IOOS Association to collaborate on the key priorities for ocean observation and data management. 
  • Bipartisan 2025 IOOS Reauthorization Bill was introduced. It “includes minor but important updates to improve the program’s effectiveness, including:
    • Clarifying the type of data IOOS provides as operational oceanographic information;
    • Updating statutory references to reflect current law by replacing the National Ocean Research Leadership Council with the Ocean Policy Committee;
    • Enhancing the role of the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee to ensure IOOS is used to its full capacity as an integrated system.”²

I am also excited about other current projects, including:

  • Benefits of Ocean Observations Catalog. BOOC is a tool for collecting, peer-reviewing, collating, cataloging, and searching ocean observation use cases. It will help the Ocean Enterprise community to better understand and quantify the diverse economic and societal benefits derived from ocean data and information, and help prioritize future investment in ocean observing systems. Sign up here to learn more about becoming a BOOC beta tester, submitting a use case, or reviewing submitted use cases. We are looking for innovative uses of ocean observations, so please sign up today! 
  • 2025 Ocean Enterprise Study. Later this year, we will be completing an update to our Ocean Enterprise Study series, focused on assessing the size and characteristics of the U.S. Ocean Enterprise.

As we move forward, IOOS remains committed to fostering innovation, expanding our observing capabilities, coordinating with our Ocean Enterprise partners, and delivering user-defined products and services that serve our stakeholder community.

As we move forward, IOOS remains committed to fostering innovation, expanding our observing capabilities, coordinating with our Ocean Enterprise partners, and delivering user-defined products and services that serve our stakeholder community.

Sincerely,
Carl C. Gouldman

 

² “Ezell Introduces Bipartisan 2025 IOOS Reauthorization Bill to Strengthen Ocean Monitoring.” March 24, 2025.

NEXT STEPS

Ocean Enterprise Accelerators

This winter, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced an additional $54.3 million in funding for four accelerator organizations to support small businesses and entrepreneurs to bring to market solutions that will benefit coastal resilience and a sustainable Blue Economy. The four accelerator programs will provide guidance, support, and funding to help small businesses scale quickly to spur the development of technologies and services that address a wide range of maritime issues.

  • VentureWell Ocean Enterprise Accelerator will scale its efforts to support up to 220 ventures over the next four years. Currently, VentureWell is accepting applications from founders and innovators who are working in core technology areas such as sensors, robotics, modeling, and more that can be deployed across marine and coastal sector industries, including coastal management, marine carbon, water quality, aquaculture, shipping, ports, tourism, and others. In-person workshops and virtual sessions are available to support those whose applications are accepted. VentureWell recently announced their first cohort of 15 startup companies in the first stage of their Ocean Enterprise Accelerator program.  Read More →

     

  • The Continuum’s Ocean Enterprise Accelerator will redefine commercialization programs by creating a coordinated network of ocean enterprise accelerators to fast-track innovative technologies and data, prioritizing sustainable development goals, economic growth, and innovation leadership to leverage Florida’s position as a coastal and ocean resilience hub. By 2028, this initiative aims to drive advancements in renewable energy, pollution control, hazard mitigation, and ecosystem services while providing a “continuum” of support for hundreds of BlueTech startups. The effort bridges collaboration between industry leaders and research institutions, making resources and guidance freely available for startups innovating in a data-driven ocean economy. Applications for the next cohort are open from April 21 through June 26, 2025 (see announcement here). Read More →

     

  • StartBlue Ocean Enterprise Accelerator is the only university-led program funding awardee and it will provide startups with entrepreneurship training, technical support, industry mentors, fundraising, and extensive network connections. Startups will be provided with visibility and accessibility to the San Diego blue economy through various site visits, conferences, and workshops. Read More →

     

  • gener8tor Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator helps founders working on innovative water technology to build lasting companies that drive economic growth and technological advancement in the Great Lakes region. Applications are being accepted for startups that are interested in support from gener8tor’s experienced mentors, technologists, corporate partners, angel investors, and venture capitalists. Read More →

NOAA TOWN HALL AT AGU

The Ocean Enterprise and Weather Enterprise: Collaboration Towards Improving Forecast Skill

AGU’s annual meeting — the largest gathering of Earth and space scientists — convened more than 27,000 attendees from more than 100 countries this past December. As part of the event, NOAA conducted a town hall with representatives from the Federal government, academia, and the private sector to discuss opportunities for the Ocean Enterprise and Weather Enterprise to work closer together to help deliver improved short-term forecasts and longer-term projections. 

The panelists held an in-depth, interactive discussion with attendees, including:

  • Ocean data’s impact on forecasting. Ocean observations play a critical role in improving weather and climate forecasts, including extreme events such as hurricanes.
  • Strengthening Ocean-Weather Enterprise connections. Closer ties between ocean and weather sectors can directly boost the Blue Economy.
  • Improving data integration. Improvements in data assimilation are needed to enable weather models to incorporate more ocean data, thereby improving forecast accuracy.
  • Effective service delivery. Service delivery and decision support are critical to ensuring forecasts are available to those in need and that those forecasts help decision makers when impacts from weather events threaten lives and property.
  • Private sector contributions. Private sector investments in ocean technology and information services are: addressing market demands, developing innovative short and long-term weather solutions, and contributing to enhanced coastal resilience.

The panelists (in alphabetical order) were:

  • Clarissa Anderson, Director, Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS) and Director, Cooperative Institute for Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Systems (CIMEAS)
  • Zack Baize, Economist-Program Manager at U.S. IOOS.
  • Scott Glenn, Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University
  • Kelly Knee, Executive Director Ocean Science at RPS, A Tetra Tech Company.
  • Nicole LeBoeuf Assistant Administrator, NOAA’s National Ocean Service.
  • Cheyenne Stienbarger, Program Manager at NOAA/OAR’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program.

OCEAN JOBS IN ACTION

NOS Experts, Technology Support DCA Aircraft Collision Recovery Efforts

In the wake of the aircraft collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), NOAA’s National Ocean Service activated response teams to support response and recovery efforts. The incident created significant recovery and salvage obstacles due to the frigid waters and complex wreckage field. The NOAA team helped locate and recover wreckage, supported search and salvage efforts, and ensured safe navigation in the area. Read More →

OECD REPORT

The Ocean Economy to 2050

“The global ocean economy doubled in real terms in 25 years from USD 1.3 trillion of GVA in 1995 to USD 2.6 trillion in 2020, growing at an annual average rate of 2.8%...By strengthening ocean governance, promoting technological innovation, enhancing ocean data collection, and ensuring the inclusion of developing countries in global value chains, policymakers can lay the foundations for a future ocean economy.” Read More →

 

PREPUBLICATION: NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Forecasting the Ocean: The 2025–2035 Decade of Ocean Science

Description: “At the request of the National Science Foundation (NSF), this report provides advice on how to focus investments in ocean research, infrastructure, and workforce to meet national and global challenges in the coming decade and beyond, and in doing so, enhance national security, scientific leadership, and economic competitiveness through a thriving blue economy.” Read More →

 

UPDATED

MTS Ocean Enterprise Initiative Website

The website for the Ocean Enterprise Initiative at the Marine Technology Society has recently been refreshed to better serve the initiative’s mission: “Grow the ocean observing system through better public-private partnerships by creating a globally inclusive forum to understand market opportunities, incentivize ocean solution innovation, facilitate data and information exchange, develop a workforce, and proliferate scalable technology to achieve benefits for all stakeholders of the Ocean Enterprise.” Read More →

 

 

EDUCATION

Prioritizing Workforce Growth for the Rapidly Expanding Ocean Enterprise

The Ocean Enterprise demands talents ranging from technical skills—such as ocean sensing and data analysis—to business acumen in marketing and management across various sectors throughout marine industries, including fisheries, navigation, ports/shipping, infrastructure, national security, and tourism.  

To that end, the Ocean Enterprise Initiative at the Marine Technology Society is advancing workforce demand priorities focused on the role of competency-based training supporting new workforce development along with upskilling/reskilling of existing talent. Future Ocean Enterprise workforce programs must break away from the conventional, compartmentalized education model and, instead, offer multiple expedited routes to degree and certification attainment. This shift towards a competency-focused credentialing framework will open opportunities to meet expanding ocean workforce requirements.  

The Ocean Enterprise Initiative will further develop these strategies at a small group convening to be held this summer in Houston, TX.  One output will be new microcredentials tailored toward critical marine industry needs and interests while elevating opportunities for transitioning personnel from the U.S. military into the private sector of the marine industry. For more information reach out to Hans VanSumeren at [email protected] and Zack Baize at [email protected].

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Open Federal Opportunities

  • NOAA Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants. The objective of this solicitation is to support transformational habitat restoration projects that restore marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lakes ecosystems, using approaches that enhance community and ecosystem resilience to climate hazards. Funding will prioritize habitat restoration actions that: demonstrate significant impacts; rebuild productive and sustainable fisheries; contribute to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species; promote climate-resilient ecosystems, especially in tribal, indigenous, and/or underserved communities; and improve economic vitality, including local employment. Closing date: April 16, 2025.
  • NOAA FY2025 Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects. NOAA’s The National Sea Grant Office will support approximately 2-3 awards in order to develop and execute local, regional, and national programs, workshops, and services to enable fishermen to enter career paths and make a living supplying seafood from our Nation's oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Successful projects will create and implement training programs that include the following: seamanship, navigation, electronics, and safety; vessel and engine care, maintenance, and repair;  sustainable fishing practices; and other training needs as identified by the community. Closing date: April 23, 2025.
  • Port Infrastructure Development Program. The PIDP is a discretionary grant program administered by the Maritime Administration. Funds for the PIDP are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port. Closing date: April 30, 2025.
  • NOAA Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities. The objective of this funding opportunity is to support opportunities for tribes, and/or tribal entities, and underserved communities to engage in coastal habitat restoration activities, with priorities focused on capacity building, meaningful engagement, and restoration project activities that enhance resilience of these communities and have the greatest potential to lead to habitat restoration in coastal, estuarine, marine, and Great Lakes areas. Closing date: May 12, 2025.
  • Environmental Literacy for Community Resilience in the Gulf. NOAA's Environmental Literacy Program is partnering with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program to enhance community resilience and increase the environmental literacy of community members across the U.S. Gulf States (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) through place-based education. Closing date: May 21, 2025.
  • NOAA Great Lakes Fish Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants. The objective is to provide federal financial and technical assistance to habitat restoration projects that meet NOAA's mission to restore coastal habitats and support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) goal to protect and restore habitats to sustain healthy populations of native fish species in the eight U.S. Great Lakes states.  Closing date: September 5, 2025.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Upcoming Events