OceanHub Africa, a non-profit organisation that supports start-ups focused on various aspects of the Blue Economy, has announced the launch of its fourth acceleration programme for ocean-minded entrepreneurs across Africa. The programme is seeking eligible start-ups that can contribute to ocean sustainability and equity while operating in Africa.
According to Alexis Grosskopf, the founder of OceanHub Africa, the organisation is looking for entrepreneurs who are not only passionate about the oceans but also committed to making a positive impact in their communities.
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“We want to work with start-ups that are innovating and creating new solutions that will help solve some of the biggest challenges facing our oceans,” said Grosskopf.
The acceleration programme has been successful in supporting its portfolio of start-ups to raise $3.5 million in 2022.
It has also expanded their operations to other countries, growing their economic, social, and environmental impact.
Captain Fanplastic, a South African-based start-up that has scaled its international environmental education programme, leveraging behaviour science to lead children to consume less plastic and manage it before, is one of the start-ups that OceanHub Africa has supported. Captain Fanplastic scaled its solutions in eight additional countries in Africa in 2022, showcasing the potential impact of OceanHub Africa’s acceleration programme.
The organisation’s fourth acceleration programme is set to kick off in July and will include an in-person boot camp in Cape Town. The programme will offer training on investment readiness, access-to-market, pitching, and ocean-impact measurement and management.
Selected entrepreneurs will also receive tailored advice from key mentors and industry experts up until their graduation, coinciding with Ocean Innovation Africa, the accelerator’s international Summit dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the African Ocean Space, at the end of February 2024.
To be eligible for the programme, start-ups must have a scalable service or product available on the market, be clearly innovative and/or have a disruptive business model, and contribute positively to ocean sustainability while promoting ocean equity.
OceanHub Africa is urging eligible entrepreneurs not to miss the opportunity to become part of a network of ocean-minded entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and businesses who are committed to accelerating the development and adoption of new sustainable ocean solutions across Africa.
“We believe that Africa has the potential to become a leader in sustainable ocean solutions,” said Grosskopf. “Through our acceleration programme, we want to help entrepreneurs take their start-ups to the next level and contribute to a more environmentally conscious and profitable economy that would effectively mitigate the oceans’ overexploitation, pollution, and the effects of global warming on the oceans.”
Applications for the fourth cohort of OceanHub Africa’s acceleration programme close on Sunday, 14 May 2023. Interested entrepreneurs can visit the organisation’s website or email contact@oceanhub.africa for more information and registration.
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