Ocean Innovation Africa 2024
Three members of the Catalyze team were on the ground at 2024’s hugely successful edition of Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) in February. Catalyze managed the event registration and the over 200 B2B Matchmaking meetings that were woven into the fabric of the 3-day event, forging in-depth connections between attendees.
Our Managing Director, Rex Bowden, also a co-founder of Ocean Innovation Africa, says, “There was such a great buzz around the event. It was awesome connecting with so many new people from countries around the world, it is such a diverse industry!”
OIA 2024 saw 600 attendees from around the world over 3 days, and included expert speakers, panels, workshops, business matchmaking meetings, pitch competitions, and networking events, including a sunset cruise on the last day.
It showcased African initiatives and brought together international entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, businesses and leaders that are working towards creating a positive impact on our Oceans. 20 African startups received support to attend and showcase their initiatives in the exhibition and on stage.
BELOW IS SOME WONDERFUL FEEDBACK FROM OUR OCEAN INNOVATION AFRICA PARTICIPANTS
Bernice Mclean (Left), Kendra MacDonald (Right)
“Really appreciated the opportunity to participate in the recent Ocean Innovation Africa conference. The agenda was very thoughtful with a combination of speakers, fireside chats, Pecha Kusha (which was new to me) and workshops. There was also a matchmaking platform and many breaks to allow for 1:1 meetings throughout the conference. If that was not enough, you also had a chance to network on a harbour tour at sunset and a historic winery to experience some of the highlights of Cape Town. There was always someone to help you get where you needed to go. I was impressed with the level of enthusiasm, the variety of speakers, the international audience and the building momentum of Africa’s ocean innovation ecosystem. I look forward to continued conversation.”
Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada's Ocean Supercluster, Canada
“It was a great pleasure to work with Catalyze. You made everything seem so easy, which saved my time and allowed me to focus on the job I came to do. I appreciate the fact that you were always there to assist whenever I needed it. It made my work flow smoothly. Thank you for being such a wonderful team.”
Mateus Tembe, COO, ProAzul - Blue Economy Development Fund, Mozambique
“When it comes to the challenges that humans and the ocean encounter in their interactions, OIA is the spot to find hope that we may find solutions. If the startups' showcased by the young entrepreneurs and the insights from experts who spoke are put into action, I believe our ocean has a bright future. Thanks to OIA, I gained fresh perspective and renewed faith that we can realize the ocean of our dreams with the help of motivated individuals of all ages.”
Dr. Arthur Tuda, Executive Director, Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), Tanzania
“Ocean Innovation Africa is a great conference! It's not too big but not too small either. It's a perfect place to meet both startups, other investors, ecosystem partners and research institutions from both Africa and globally.”
Ingrid Maurstad, Director, Katapult Ocean, Norway
“Participating at OIA for the first time has been very interesting for me. I personally liked the ‘reverse pitch’ by the donors/investors. I have also been involved in the preparation and facilitated one session on ‘Coastal Community Incubation’, which was jointly co-organized by GIZ and WWF. It was amazing to collaborate with highly skilled partners (from different organisations) under this project and made me realise that we’re facing the same challenges when developing/concretising the community enterprise agenda. The workshop helped explore solutions to these common challenges and a ‘Venture Builder’ could be one of these.”
Lovasoa Dresy, SWIO Sustainable Blue Economy Programme Coordinator, WWF, Madagascar
“Attending and participating at the Ocean Innovation Africa summit was an enriching experience. The workshops provided a unique platform for key stakeholders from diverse fields to come together and collaborate on tangible actions addressing shared goals and challenges in the realm of the blue economy. The diverse backgrounds and expertise of the participants fostered dynamic conversations and led to the identification of actionable steps for addressing pressing ocean-related issues.
The Ocean Innovation Africa pitch and reverse pitch sessions were a highlight of the summit as it provided a platform for Africa ocean-impact startups to showcase their innovations to a global audience of investors, innovators, researchers, policy-makers, and NGOs. The opportunity to pitch an enterprise to such a distinguished audience not only increases visibility but also opens doors to potential partnerships and funding opportunities. Although I was not directly a part of this it was amazing to be in the audience to see what others out there are doing and how passionate and optimistic people of Africa are. This also highlighted the great expertise and innovative ability Africa has at solving real world problems.
Overall, the Ocean Innovation Africa summit was an invaluable experience for anyone passionate about advancing ocean economy, health, sustainability and in the future innovations. It brought together stakeholders from across sectors to collaborate, innovate, and drive meaningful change in the African ocean landscape. I look forward to participating again in the future and continuing to contribute to the collective efforts towards a healthier and more resilient ocean ecosystem.”
Brishan Kalyan, PhD Candidate | Plankton Ecologist, South African Environmental Observation Network