NBOC Hosts Ecosystem Tour for Blue Tech Companies in New Bedford

by Jennifer Downing | Mar 20, 2024 | Blog, Innovation & Technology, News

NBOC Hosts Ecosystem Tour for Blue Tech Companies in New Bedford

In late February, the NBOC attended the Blue Innovation Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island. The BIS is the region’s premier blue technology event and truly keeps with its mantra of “by the industry, for the industry.” This year’s event presented a diverse range of topics and attracted 300 attendees, 100 speakers, and 40 exhibitors. The NBOC was among one of them and we certainly valued our time on the show floor meeting with so many ocean technology start-ups and SMEs advancing products and services to support our pillar industries.

Immediately following the conference, the NBOC hosted an Ecosystem Tour in New Bedford for 30 conference attendees, which included mostly blue technology companies. A good portion of those companies were part of a Canadian delegation organized by the Consulate General of Canada in Boston. During the tour, attendees heard presentations from NBOC Executive Director, Jennifer Downing; New Bedford Port Authority Executive Director, Gordon Carr; and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Managing Director for Offshore Wind, Bruce Carlisle. They also participated in a Port Tour and visited New Bedford Research and Robotics and UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science & Technology.

According to Jennifer Downing, “Attending the Blue Innovation Symposium and having the opportunity to host post conference tours in New Bedford for attendees over the last two years has helped the NBOC expand its blue tech network and develop several business connections that could have big impacts for New Bedford’s ocean economy. Bravo to Toby Stapleton and his team at the Blue Venture Forum for putting on another stellar event. We are pleased to participate and support it.”

Consortium of Partners from Rhode Island & Southeastern Massachusetts Launch Ocean Tech Hub

by Jennifer Downing | Mar 2, 2024 | Blog, Innovation & Technology

Consortium of Partners from Rhode Island & Southeastern Massachusetts Launch Ocean Tech Hub

In October, Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts were named 1 of 31 Tech Hubs, designated by the Biden-Harris Economic Development Administration (EDA). The Ocean Tech Hub of Southeastern New England (OTH) is a consortium-led cross-state initiative committed to activating the ocean technology ecosystem through research and innovation in undersea robotics, automation, advanced materials, and composites. (Read the full release here).

The OTH strategy builds upon Rhode Island’s Grow Blue initiative and the comprehensive study, Charting the Course: A Regional Assessment of the Marine Science & Technology Sector in Southeastern New England that was conducted by UMass Dartmouth in 2019.

The OTH Consortium, which is being coordinated by Rhode Island Commerce Corporation and includes the NBOC, UMass Dartmouth, the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District, and other partners. As an EDA Tech Hub Designee, the OTH is eligible to compete in Phase 2 of the competition to potentially receive between $40-$70 million in implementation funding to support the advancement of our efforts. Tech Hub proposals are due to the EDA on February 29^th and awards will be announced by the summer.

The NBOC has also joined with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to advance a project to develop and enhance critically needed ocean testing sites, programs and services that will support the commercialization of the key technology focus areas to grow the OTH, with an emphasis on ocean renewable energy (ORE) industry applications. The project’s ocean testing sites and support services will run through, and in parallel with, a new ORE Innovation Center being developed by MassCEC in the Port of New Bedford to support innovation, business incubation, and technology transfer.

Jennifer Downing, NBOC Executive Director believes the regional OTH is poised for success. “Those of us in economic development know that collaboration, especially across state lines, is challenging to say the least. However, it takes leadership and vision to get out of our siloes and look beyond our borders to leverage opportunities that if successful, will only make us stronger together. The Ocean Tech Hub is one such opportunity. Regardless of what happens with this competition, the Ocean Tech Hub is laying a strong foundation for regional collaboration and industry growth into the future.”