African ocean-impact catalyst OceanHub is launching in Cape Town in a bid to tap into the city’s startup scene to find solutions to major environmental problems.
OceanHub Africa is on a mission to help existing ocean-minded initiatives grow by providing them with the resources they need to succeed and bringing together the key players from the ocean-impact economy.
Through an holistic approach, OceanHub Africa also hopes to inspire more entrepreneurs to join the movement and find innovative solutions to problems within threatened marine ecosystems.
“Time is running out to fix our planet’s largest ecosystem through more sustainable interactions between humans and oceans. We must find the sweet spot where both thrive, being mutually beneficial to each other. This revolution, as OceanHub Africa sees it, will be driven by Ocean-minded entrepreneurs and startups,” said Alexis Grosskopf, co-founder of OceanHub Africa.
“Around the world, ocean-impact accelerators are emerging as societies start to realise the importance of focusing efforts and investments towards healthier oceans – Africa must take part in this movement and Cape Town is the most relevant place to do so: being both a major international marine sciences’ hub and vibrant startup scene, literally sitting at the crossroads of three oceans – Atlantic, Indian and Southern.”
With all this is mind, the new hub is to hold an event – Ocean Innovation Africa – on November 27 at Workshop17 in Cape Town, aimed at fostering an ecosystem of ocean-minded players to drive change. This event will gather 50 selected key influencers to launch the ecosystem and validate OceanHub Africa’s workstreams and priorities for its first year of activity.
“Services will aim at providing startups with time, money, space and expertise. At its core, OceanHub will be an ecosystem-enabler focusing on ocean-impact economy bringing together relevant businesses, universities and research centres, foundations and NPOs, governmental institutions, ocean-minded entrepreneurs and investors,” Grosskopf said.
“Leveraging from this melting pot, OceanHub will then facilitate market leads and fundraising leads for the startups while providing the platform for inspiration and collaboration for entrepreneurs to learn and grow.”
Anyone that considers themselves part of an entrepreneurial solution to this issue is invited to apply to attend Ocean Innovation Africa, which is supported by WESGRO and the French Embassy.
