(New Bedford, MA) – The New Bedford Ocean Cluster (NBOC) announced that it is awarding $100,000 in scholarships across five marine technology startups for testing and validation projects in and around the Port of New Bedford.
NBOC is a non-profit organization created to accelerate and expand New Bedford’s blue economy by connecting the maritime ecosystem to global innovation, capital, and commercial networks that strengthen business competitiveness and drive sustainable economic growth. NBOC organizes its work across four regionally significant industries: Aquaculture, Commercial Fishing & Seafood Processing, Offshore Renewable Energy, and Marine Innovation and Technology.
The Scholarships were made possible through a grant to NBOC from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Ocean Innovation Network and are intended to derisk and accelerate the commercialization of ocean technologies by supporting testing and demonstration activities.
NBOC’s first round of scholarship awards is supporting companies developing marine technology solutions that have applications in Aquaculture, Commercial Fishing, and Offshore Renewable Energy:
- NS2: Nucleic Sensing Systems (NS2) builds the NS2 Biosensor, an autonomous instrument that tests water on site and in near real time, detecting pathogens, harmful algal blooms, and invasive species from the genetic traces organisms leave in the water. With its scholarship, NS2 will deploy the Biosensor in local oyster-growing waters to give shellfish growers and regulators faster, more reliable water quality data.
- EvoNatura: EvoNatura develops a microbial additive that gives everyday plastic packaging a built-in digestive system. Dormant microbes embedded during manufacturing wake up if a product leaks into soil or water and digest the plastic into harmless organic matter, leaving zero microplastics behind, and manufacturers can use the additive without buying new equipment. With its scholarship, EvoNatura will test its marine-biodegradable plastic to help commercial fishermen and other ocean users reduce plastic pollution.
- LiftLabs: LiftLabs, Inc. builds EchoLift, an acoustically triggered ropeless fishing system that helps commercial fishermen stay on the water while protecting endangered right whales. With its scholarship, LiftLabs will work with New Bedford lobstermen, trap builders, and machine shops to develop and test four new inshore and offshore EchoLift configurations and two on-boat docking stations, with the goal of production-ready designs.
- Manifoldz dba Ithaca Clean Energy: Manifoldz (DBA Ithaca Clean Energy) is a New Bedford-based startup leading the digital transformation of the maritime sector. Its product, VesselOps, is a sensor-integrated fleet management system for commercial fishing fleets, offshore construction vessels, and ports that replaces paper records and spreadsheets with a single source of truth for compliance, documentation, and maintenance. With its scholarship, Manifoldz will test and certify VesselOps, using LoRaWAN-connected sensors to help fleet managers catch issues before they become incidents.
- Triton Anchor: Triton Anchor is a developer of innovative subsea technologies, best known for its helical pile anchoring systems that operate in shallow to ultra-deep water across a wide range of applications. With its scholarship, Triton will conduct an underwater demonstration of its latest anchor installation technology in New Bedford, further de-risking the system and accelerating market adoption to enable sustainable growth in floating renewables.
“Each of these companies is working on problems of critical importance to Massachusetts residents and businesses; from the safety of the shellfish we eat, to the efficiency and safety of our mariners, to lowering the cost of renewable energy installation. Funding for test deployments advances these technologies toward commercialization, puts dollars in the hands of local businesses, and catalyzes new partnerships between coastal stakeholders.” – Bruce Carlisle, Managing Director Offshore Wind, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
“Building on centuries of maritime leadership, New Bedford is uniquely positioned to bridge ocean research and real-world application. Our full service, working waterfront and proximity to worldleading research institutions create an environment where ocean technologies can be developed, tested, deployed, and commercialized alongside the industries they are built to serve. We are excited for the opportunity to host these impressive startups in our port and thank our partner, MassCEC for the investment.” – Jennifer Downing, Executive Director, New Bedford Ocean Cluster.
“For more than two hundred years New Bedford has been a hub of maritime innovation. Thanks to the efforts of the NBOC and the MassCEC, five new startups are now poised to expand on that legacy and create new opportunities for our city, its residents, and the local economy. I look forward to seeing them grow and flourish in the years ahead.” – Jon Mitchell, Mayor of New Bedford.”
NBOC is a partner of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Ocean Innovation Network and is administering scholarships on behalf of the state. The Ocean Innovation Network was created to expand the Commonwealth’s network of test sites for OceanTech solutions and strengthen the programs and services that accelerate tech development.
For more information about the NBOC and future scholarship opportunities, contact Nora McCarthy, Business Engagement & Navigator Services Lead (nora.mccarthy@nboc.org).