Ocean Idea Challenge 2026

About

The Ocean Idea Challenge 2026 invites individuals and teams from Canada to submit innovative solutions for ocean sustainability, offering up to $7,000 in funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities to support the development of their ideas in the blue economy sector.

Benefits

• 💰 Financial Support
  Up to $7,000 CAD in funding support
• 🎓 Mentorship Program
  Access to mentorship from industry experts
• 🌐 Network Access
  Opportunities to build connections within the industry
• 🚀 Customer Development Sprint
  Participation in a Customer Discovery Sprint to develop client relationships
• 🏢 Innovation Center Resources
  Access to resources from a technology innovation center

Eligibility Criteria

• 🌍 Geographic Eligibility
• Open to individuals or teams residing in Canada
• 🏢 Legal Status
• Must be an unregistered company or a registered company less than one year old
• 💼 Age Requirement
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old
• 💡 Focus Area
• Innovative solutions must focus on ocean sustainability and serve the blue economy
• 🔬 Technology Readiness
• Technology readiness level (TRL) should be 3 or below

Participation Commitments

• 📍 Physical Attendance
• Must attend events related to the competition as required
• 🎤 Presentation Requirement
• Must present innovative ideas during the competition stages

Target Region

Open to participants residing in Canada

Target Sector

Focused on ocean sustainability and blue economy