Australia’s First Ever Offshore Wind Innovation Challenge Seeks Net-Positive Solutions

Press release for immediate distribution
SYDNEY | 14 November 2024

Blue Economy Innovation Grows in APAC with Ocean Impact Organisation’s Third Accelerator Cohort

Southerly Ten and Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) join forces to advance net-positive innovations for the region’s emerging offshore wind (OSW) sector.

In a first for Australia, OIO and Southerly Ten have today launched the Offshore Wind Net Positive Challenge, seeking innovative solutions to help the emerging OSW industry have a positive impact on the ocean, biodiversity and climate.

With the OSW sector experiencing rapid growth (15% growth in 2023), and the Australia/Oceania region needing to rapidly diversify energy systems away from fossil fuels, offshore renewable energy projects illustrate the enormous potential of the ocean to provide critical solutions for a sustainable future.

The Challenge seeks to discover and connect startups, scaleups, science institutions, and small-medium enterprises with the OSW sector, to advance solutions that will help responsible offshore wind projects accelerate the renewable energy transition whilst having a net positive impact on the ocean and biodiversity.

““We’re incredibly proud to launch the first-ever offshore wind innovation challenge in the region alongside our longtime partners Southerly Ten,” said Elisa-Marie Dumas, Head of Global Programs at OIO. “We know from our experience at OIO and the work being done by our peers around the world that incredible solutions exist. This project will connect the dots, so that Australia’s OSW sector has access to the leading entrepreneurs and experts with highly valuable solutions.”

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The project aims to illustrate the potential for Australia’s emerging OSW sector to go beyond the historical industry practice of “no net loss”, by finding ways that offshore infrastructure projects can have a positive impact and actively enhance biodiversity.

““Offshore wind projects provide a reliable climate and energy solution, and the challenge we’re putting out there is – ‘what can we do better?’” explained Erin Coldham, Chief Development Officer at Southerly Ten. “We’re looking forward to uncovering new innovations to support the offshore wind industry, in Australia and globally, to leave a positive legacy for nature and climate.” ”

*Southerly Ten’s Sarah Altman and Erin Coldham at OIO’s INNOVOCEAN event in 2023*

Solutions the challenge is seeking, include those addressing a range of technological advancements including:

Restoration technologies: eg. biomimetic structures to drive biodiversity; regrowth of ecosystems and species
Enabling technologies: eg. sensing & measuring; robotic solutions; autonomous systems and data analytics for biodiversity monitoring
Protection technologies: eg. mitigating harmful ecological impacts through improvements to equipment design or operations

The OSW Net Positive Challenge represents the first of many innovation challenges that OIO will deliver in the future, with the organisation strategically aligning with key blue economy sectors to deliver “innovation as a service”.

““Over the past 4.5 years, OIO has delivered a range of innovation initiatives to uncover great talent and help them get the support they need to grow,” said Nick Chiarelli, CEO and Co-founder at OIO. “Connecting scalable ocean impact solutions to the industries and customers that need them represents the greatest contribution we can make. I’m very proud to be launching our first innovation challenge with Southerly Ten, there’ll be many more to come.”
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Applications to the OSW Challenge will be evaluated by a panel of domain experts according to six criteria, including: experience; feasibility; scalability; innovation; impact and alignment to the challenge categories. Successful startups can benefit from: access to new customers; industry connections, investor awareness and broad exposure across OIO’s networks.

The OSW Net Positive Challenge is accepting applications until 18 December with shortlisted Finalists notified in late February 2025. Successful solutions will be showcased at Climate Action Week in Sydney in March 2025.

Learn more & Apply

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For press enquiries please contact:

**Tim Silverwood**
Head of Marketing and Community
info@ocean-impact.org

About Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO)

Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) helps startups make their greatest impact through funding and growth opportunities. Headquartered in Australia with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, their commercialisation programs and support initiatives accelerate the best solutions to transform ocean health. At the forefront of the ocean health innovation ecosystem, OIO is passionately driving impact and investment into the rapidly emerging sustainable blue economy.

About Southerly Ten

Southerly Ten is a specialist offshore wind energy developer for Australia and New Zealand, from the team behind Star of the South and backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. We bring unmatched commitment and capability to our mission – to advance a local offshore wind industry and leave a positive legacy of clean energy for future generations.