Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is the world’s largest ecosystem and competition for purpose-driven technology inspired by the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). XTC is proud to announce the launch of our inaugural XTC Marine Tech Startup Innovation Challenge at the Sustainable Ocean Solutions Summit during One Ocean Conference in Bergen, Norway. This year’s conference will focus on 3 missions: Green transition and new thinking in shipping, New energy solutions for the future, and Sustainable seafood proteins to meet global food demand. The Conference will bring together industry leaders, politicians, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and students – to discover, connect, and collaborate on how we together can find solutions for a more sustainable use of ocean resources.
We are seeking new ventures that have developed breakthrough innovations in:
FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE
We’re looking for innovative solutions to help improve water quality, fish health, waste management, pathogen recognition, remote sensing, data collection, autonomous control, inspection and maintenance, and address other industry challenges.
SHIPPING & MARINE TRANSPORTATION
We’re looking for innovative solutions to help increase efficiency, enhance marine security, optimize maritime traffic management, improve yard operations, optimize truck turnaround times, reduce environmental impact on local communities, and address other industry challenges.
OFFSHORE ENERGY
We’re looking for innovative solutions to help increase energy efficiency, enhance marine security, monitor disruptions to marine habitats, optimize maritime traffic management, improve sustainability and increase profitability, and address other industry challenges.
MARINE BIORESOURCES
We’re looking for innovative solutions to help identify bio-active compounds in marine life, characterize biodiversity in marine environments, repel and exterminate sea lice naturally, enhance the microbiome in common fish species to improve fish health and performance, and address other industry challenges.
NEW FRONTIERS
We’re looking for innovative solutions to help improve ocean monitoring, enhance communications and data telemetry systems, reduce strain on human resources, increase cybersecurity for marine assets, provide low-logistics underwater measurement and surveillance, and address other industry challenges.
All entries will go through the XTC evaluation process, with finalists invited to present at the One Ocean Conference on April 18, 2023 in Bergen, Norway.
Why Apply
Global Visibility: Live Pitch at the One Ocean conference in Bergen, Norway on April 18, 2023.
Access to Corporate Executives: Exposure to corporate executives, VCs and more attending the One Ocean conference.
Potential for Corporate Strategic Partnership: Network with influential industry leaders, with potential for business development and collaboration.
Eligibility
Must be a privately-funded startup company
Working on tech innovations in Marine Tech, specifically:
- FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE
- SHIPPING & MARINE TRANSPORTATION
- OFFSHORE ENERGY
- MARINE BIORESOURCES
- NAVAL & DEFENCE
See Official Rules
Judges
YOUNG SOHN
Founding Managing Partner, Walden Catalyst Ventures
Co-Founder, Extreme Tech Challenge
Chairman of the Board, HARMAN International
NICOLAS AUTRET
Partner, Walden Catalyst Ventures
Evaluation Criteria
Finalists and Winners will be selected based on the Judges’ assessment of the following equally-weighted criteria:
- TECH FOR GOOD / RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION FOR A RADICALLY BETTER WORLD – Is this innovative product addressing a significant global challenge to society and/or the environment, and can this startup’s product have a wide-reaching impact on same?
- PRODUCT/MARKET FIT – Is there traction and enough scale in the addressable market for sufficient growth/profit to be an attractive investment?
- PRODUCT INNOVATION – Is this a disruptive innovation that is differentiated from competitive or substitute offerings?
- TEAM – Is this team uniquely qualified to develop this project? Do they strongly understand their users and the industry and ecosystem in which they operate? Do they have the determination and endurance to carry this through to completion?
