In Panama, some 10 meters below the surface of the ocean, divers float in a cloud of white dust. The sound of a giant hydraulic drill cuts through even the muffled underwater soundscape. The crackle of snapping shrimp can barely be heard. This is part of the job description for scientists that study coral cores: long, cylindrical samples taken vertically from large coral colonies. These samples, when studied in a lab, can contain lifetimes. 

The carbon-curious had gathered in the Association’s historic Meeting Room, framed by gilded portraits and recessed lighting, to kick off Climate Week with a conversation about marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR). The event, hosted by Ocean Visions and The Columbia University Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, brought together panelists representing governments, academia, and business shared perspectives on the role of mCDR projects in the climate change fight.

In the ocean, monitoring and modeling can be pricey, complex, and inaccurate. One team in BlueSwell Cohort IV has decided to try to change that. atdepth was born out of hard work and fate, say Carlos Muñoz Royo and Raphael Ouillon, two of the three founders. From a chance meeting in an MIT lab to starting a company with their cofounder Professor Tom Peacock, this dynamic duo has set out on a mission to change how we monitor and model human interactions with the ocean.

Wrote announcement and contributed to the following white paper during my time as a Research Analyst for SeaAhead.

SeaAhead, in partnership with offshore wind experts Ørsted and The Venterra Group, is thrilled to announce the publication of our latest white paper Winds, Wings, Fins, and Shells: Innovations to Support Biodiversity in Offshore Wind.  

Plastic pollution in the ocean and access to clean drinking water globally are two of the biggest issues facing our natural world today. One of our recent BlueSwell cohort graduates, DetoXyFi, is attempting to address both. The company’s ambitious team, born from the labs of MIT and Harvard, has faced countless challenges along their journey, taking them in stride as they continue to understand what a pathway to commercialization may look like for their technology.

The turn of a new year often prompts us to reflect on the progress we’ve made and identify what might lie ahead. In 2023, we celebrated our 5th year in business, continuing to build, catalyze, and invest in a thriving blue technology ecosystem. As important as it is to celebrate past accomplishments, SeaAhead is future focused. Behind the scenes, we are drumming up exciting new partnerships and pathways. Navigating uncharted waters can present challenges and unknowns, so we gathered some insights from our community into how 2024 might shape up for the blue sphere:

Complete Report on Marine Katiaki Project