Ocean Exchange Announces Collegiate Finalists Competing for $30,000 in Environmental Innovation Awards

The Ocean Exchange has selected eight collegiate finalists who will compete for three $10,000 awards during the organization's upcoming event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from October 26-28. This milestone marks the 10th anniversary of the Ocean Exchange Collegiate Awards program, with all competing teams representing U.S. universities and post-secondary institutions. The competing solutions address multiple critical environmental categories including ocean sensors, biodiversity measurement, plastic alternatives, aquaculture and fishery management, robotics, and artificial intelligence applications.

Finalist teams include Bioluminescence from Cape Cod Community College/WHOIHBS Lab, UTD from University of Texas Dallas, Ignition Packaging from University of Florida, MADEIN U.S.T.A. LLC from Georgia Southern University, OctaPule from Carnegie Mellon University, SLA Robotics from North Carolina State University, SWPT from University of Rhode Island, and The Leatherback Project from University of Central Florida. Winners will be selected based on the impact, innovation level, and execution capability of their presented solutions by delegates representing business, academia, government, and nonprofit sectors.

The awards program includes the Guy Harvey Foundation Award and two Ocean Exchange Collegiate Awards, each carrying a $10,000 prize. Millicent Pitts, CEO of Ocean Exchange, emphasized the program's significance, stating that these awards are wildly popular with our ocean community, not just about the student-led innovation but about the ability to personally engage with and be inspired by the next generation. Ocean Exchange brings the finalists to Fort Lauderdale to pitch in front of and network with the leaders who gather in South Florida from around the world.

Jessica Harvey, CEO of the Guy Harvey Foundation, highlighted the educational importance of the initiative. Our mission is to better understand and conserve the ocean environment, she said. That is why education is a key focus globally for us. It's so exciting to see how these bright, creative, enthusiastic innovators and entrepreneurs are working to solve the world's environmental challenges. The Ocean Exchange Collegiate Awards Program is made possible by the support of sponsors, partners and leading industry experts from around the globe. For more information about the event and Ocean Exchange's mission, visit the Ocean Exchange website. The Guy Harvey Foundation, which collaborates with organizations to conduct scientific research and develop educational programs, maintains additional information at www.GuyHarveyFoundation.org.