Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship

Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship
Name	Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship
Formation	2015
Type	Non-profit
Headquarters	Halifax, Nova Scotia
Region served	Atlantic Canada

Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship

The Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship is an Atlantic Canadian innovation hub located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, established to accelerate aquaculture and ocean technology commercialization across the Maritimes. It connects entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors drawn from institutions such as Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Community College, and industry actors including Irving Shipbuilding and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The centre functions within an ecosystem alongside organizations like Innovacorp, Mitacs, Ocean Frontier Institute, and Blue Economy Cooperative to translate research from facilities such as Bedford Institute of Oceanography into market-ready ventures.

History

The centre was launched following regional strategies promoted by actors such as Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and municipal partners including the Halifax Regional Municipality. Early initiatives referenced reports from Ocean Networks Canada and stakeholder consultations involving representatives from Canadian Coast Guard, Dalhousie Faculty of Engineering, and the National Research Council Canada. Founding milestones included site selection near Halifax Harbour, partnerships with NSCC Marconi Campus, and program inaugurations attended by officials from Province of Nova Scotia and delegations from Nordic countries and United Kingdom. The timeline intersects with regional developments such as investments by Innovative Solutions Canada and grants influenced by the Canada Innovation Fund.

Mission and Objectives

The centre's mission aligns with strategic frameworks promoted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and economic development agencies like ACOA to grow the blue economy cluster. Objectives emphasize accelerating companies similar to those supported by MaRS Discovery District, fostering workforce skills akin to SkilledTradesNovaScotia, and promoting sustainable practices echoed by World Wildlife Fund Canada and the Pembina Institute. Target outcomes include job creation, export growth tied to markets served by Port of Halifax, and technology transfer modeled on partnerships like Atlantic Technology Centre.

Facilities and Campus

The campus, situated on former industrial waterfront lands proximate to Pier 21 and Halifax Shipyard, houses co-working labs, wet labs, and test berths for vessels comparable to those used by Dalhousie Marine Robotics Laboratory and Centre for Marine Applied Research. Infrastructure includes fabrication shops inspired by MIT.nano and instrumentation comparable to installations at Bedford Institute of Oceanography. The site supports sea trials leveraging the approaches of coastal operational demonstration areas and docking arrangements similar to Halifax Marine Terminal.

Programs and Services

Programs emulate accelerators like Startup Halifax, incubators such as Communitech, and fellowship models used by Ocean Startup Programmes in Norway. Services span mentorship linked to networks like Atlantic Ventures, access to prototype funding akin to Innovacorp's investments, and technical support comparable to NSERC CREATE training. Entrepreneurial education sessions draw on curriculum approaches from Dalhousie Faculty of Management and workforce development initiatives similar to Skills for Ocean Futures.

Partnerships and Industry Collaboration

The centre maintains collaboration with universities including Saint Mary's University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and research bodies such as Ocean Frontier Institute and Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance. Industry partners include suppliers and integrators like Kongsberg Maritime, Siemens Canada, and regional employers such as Bluenose Fisheries. Collaborative arrangements mirror procurement pilots run by Innovative Solutions Canada and demonstration partnerships seen with Irving Shipbuilding and Seaspan ULC.

Research and Innovation

Research themes reflect priorities of organizations like Ocean Networks Canada, Canadian Institute for Fisheries Technology, and NSERC. Innovation foci include autonomous surface vessels inspired by designs from Saildrone, remote sensing approaches used by MDA (company), aquaculture systems comparable to those piloted by Cooke Aquaculture, and subsea robotics akin to Bluefin Robotics. The centre facilitates applied research projects with partners such as Dalhousie Department of Oceanography and technology transfer models seen at National Research Council Canada labs.

Notable Projects and Startups

Projects and tenant companies have included ventures similar to DeepSense Oceanography, Bluedrop Performance Learning style training providers, sensor developers inspired by Seabed Geosolutions, and aquaculture startups analogous to Grieg Seafood. Alumni and tenants have participated in pitch events comparable to Collision Conference and accelerator showcases like Creative Destruction Lab. Demonstration projects have leveraged testbeds used by Ocean Networks Canada and joint deployments with organizations such as Canadian Coast Guard and Halifax Port Authority.

Governance and Funding

Governance structures involve a board with members drawn from institutions such as Dalhousie University, NSCC, Innovacorp, and representatives of regional investors like BMO Financial Group and Scotiabank. Funding streams combine provincial contributions from Province of Nova Scotia, federal grants channeled through Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and programs like Strategic Innovation Fund, alongside private investment from venture capital firms similar to Northumberland Capital. Financial oversight models reflect practices used by MaRS Discovery District and non-profit management standards endorsed by Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.

Category:Organizations based in Halifax, Nova Scotia