Ocean Innovation Africa

Ocean Innovation Africa Africa's Ocean Innovation Summit

🌊 Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 brought together the people and partnerships shaping Africa’s blue economy.The programme ...
09/04/2026

🌊 Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 brought together the people and partnerships shaping Africa’s blue economy.

The programme was anchored by keynote addresses from Mrs Charlina Vitcheva, DG MARE at the European Commission, and Salma Baghdadi, Innovation Lead at WAVE powered by FII Institute, both of whom highlighted the importance of partnership, investment, ecosystem building, and implementation in advancing a regenerative blue economy.

Across the programme, participants engaged in focused B2B meetings designed to connect stakeholders around concrete opportunities. The workshop track, delivered with partners including GIZ, UNDP, the African Union, IUCN, WIOMSA - Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, Ocean & Climate Platform, SAILOR, Ocean-Climate Innovation Hub Kenya and Conservation Strategy Fund, explored practical pathways for blue economy acceleration, from AI for ocean impact and accelerator design to coastal resilience, marine carbon removal, and community-based conservation finance.

The Pecha Kucha sessions added fresh energy and insight to the programme. Shayle Ravera of Action Change and Patrik Huber of Mawimbi Ocean Innovations / Africa Fair Seaweed Finance Facility shared lessons on regenerative business models. Herland CERVEAUX of OceanHub Africa presented the organisation’s impact journey. On Day 3, Magdalyne Were of Mission inclusion, Fatuma Mang’ena of Healthy Seaweed, and Maryke Musson of uShaka Marine World / SAAMBR - The South African Association for Marine Biological Research led Women Leading the Wave, spotlighting women’s leadership across Africa’s blue economy.

The event also made space for connection beyond the stage, with a vibrant networking cocktail. And as part of the OceanHub Africa Cohort 6 graduation journey, the demo sessions closed on a high with Ambani Fish Leather, Fibertext Green Paper Limited, and CHITELIX recognised among the standout winners.

Across every session, one message stood out: accelerating Africa’s blue economy will require bold partnership, practical collaboration, and locally grounded pathways to scale.

26/03/2026

Following an incredible Africa Blue Economy Summit in Durban, we’ve transitioned into the Ocean Impact Retreat, and the energy is unmatched 🇿🇦

While Day 1 was all about grounding ourselves, defining our "offers and asks," and building relationships over a braai, Day 2 has been a deep dive into the "how."

We aren't just talking; we’re building a concise action record. Through pillar deep-work and cross-fertilization rotations, our three core working groups are mapping out the future:

1 - Science & Innovation

2 - Finance & Policy

3 - Convenors & Ecosystem Builders

The goal? Clear priorities, designated owners, and a solid coordination tracker to ensure these ideas turn into impact.

Grateful for this community of doers. Now, off to the Ocean Impact Soirée!

🚀 Jury is in for OceanHub Africa’s Cohort 6 Demo Session next week at Ocean Innovation Africa.These leaders will be eval...
20/03/2026

🚀 Jury is in for OceanHub Africa’s Cohort 6 Demo Session next week at Ocean Innovation Africa.

These leaders will be evaluating Cohort 6 ventures and selecting three winners for a fully funded trip to Katapult Future Fest. Expect big ideas, tough questions, and a few standout moments on stage.

OceanHub Africa’s Acceleration Program is a 12-month, founder-focused program that helps ocean-impact ventures across Africa strengthen their business models, build traction, and get ready to scale through the right partnerships and capital.

Meet our Judges:

- Ofek Liepaz — VC Scout, Katapult Ocean
- Andrew Douglas — Head of Strategic Alliances, RanMarine Technology
- Philile Mbatha — Deputy Director, One Ocean Hub
- Santatra Razafindratsimba — Blue Finance Lead and Senior Officer, WWF Madagascar
- Brenda Kibiku — Blue Economy Advisor, GIZ
- Fatuma Mang’ena — Co-founder and CTO, Healthy Seaweed Co. Ltd

Want to meet our jury or the startups pitching here is how to engage at OIA: https://youtu.be/16PpYZBUe3o

🌊 Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 is here.From 23 to 25 March at the Durban ICC, OIA 2026 brings together the people, ideas...
20/03/2026

🌊 Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 is here.

From 23 to 25 March at the Durban ICC, OIA 2026 brings together the people, ideas, and partnerships shaping Africa’s regenerative blue economy. Expect three days of plenaries, showcases, workshops, B2B meetings, and powerful conversations designed to turn momentum into action. Registration opens from 7:30am daily.

And one important note before you arrive: bring your lanyard.

No lanyards will be supplied on site. It is a small but intentional step to reduce waste and make sure sustainability shows up in the details too. If you have a spare, bring that along as well.

📍 See you at the Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC)

🔗 Register: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/355236-ocean-innovation-africa-2026/ #/

🤝 Remember to create your engage profile: https://youtu.be/DWlUH63T9UY

hashtag hashtag hashtag

🎤 🏄‍♀️ Speaker Announcement: Women of the Blue: Leading the WaveWhat does leadership in Africa’s blue economy look like ...
20/03/2026

🎤 🏄‍♀️ Speaker Announcement: Women of the Blue: Leading the Wave

What does leadership in Africa’s blue economy look like when it is shaped by women across science, entrepreneurship, and community stewardship?

At Ocean Innovation Africa 2026, our PechaKucha session, Women of the Blue: Leading the Wave, will spotlight diverse stories of women leading change across the ocean economy. Through short, dynamic presentations, the session will celebrate the distinct yet interconnected roles women play in driving innovation, resilience, and systemic impact.

We are pleased to announce:

🌍 Magdalyne Were, Regional Lead Gender and Blue Economy, Mission inclusion

🌿 Fatuma Mang’ena, Co-founder and CTO Healthy Seaweed Co. Limited

🌊 Maryke Musson, Executive uShaka Sea World / SAAMBR - The South African Association for Marine Biological Research

Together, these speakers will offer a compelling look at how women are shaping Africa’s blue economy from multiple angles, and why connected leadership across sectors matters for a regenerative future.

📍 Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 | Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC)

🔗 Register now: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/355236-ocean-innovation-africa-2026/

🐬 Workshop Announcement: eThekwini Blueprint for Coastal Resilience,How can coastal cities build resilience while unloc...
20/03/2026

🐬 Workshop Announcement: eThekwini Blueprint for Coastal Resilience,How can coastal cities build resilience while unlocking Inclusive Ocean Opportunity?

At Ocean Innovation Africa 2026, the Blueprint for Coastal Resilience workshop will spotlight a strategic roadmap for eThekwini’s coastline that balances ecological resilience, economic value, and inclusive coastal development. The workshop is framed around moving beyond fragmented coastal management towards a more integrated and resilient model.

This session is all about reimagining the coastline as a living asset, where infrastructure, ecosystems, and livelihoods can work together to support a more climate-smart future.

📍 Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 | Durban ICC

🔗 Register: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/355236-ocean-innovation-africa-2026/

🌊 4 DAYS to go: OIA 2026 starts this Monday. The best way to make the most of it is to arrive prepared.At OIA, networkin...
19/03/2026

🌊 4 DAYS to go: OIA 2026 starts this Monday. The best way to make the most of it is to arrive prepared.

At OIA, networking is designed with intention.

Alongside the programme, we have created dedicated spaces for the right conversations to happen in the right setting, helping delegates move from connection to collaboration.

From evening gatherings to curated meetings, these moments are designed to create space for strategic exchange throughout the event:

- Day 1: Premium Delegates Dinner. The programme ends at 18:00, with dinner from 19:00. Details will be shared directly with premium delegates.
- Day 2: Networking cocktail at the Durban ICC for all delegates. The programme ends at 17:00, with the cocktail beginning at 17:30 and continuing into the evening.
- Day 2: Curated B2B meetings and closed-door sessions designed to support strategic connections.

This is where conversations can turn into partnerships.

ENGAGE helps delegates do exactly that by making it easier to find relevant people, request meetings in advance, and organise your event calendar before you arrive. No guesswork, no last-minute scrambling, just a simpler way to turn attendance into real connection.

Here is how to Engage at OIA 2026: https://youtu.be/16PpYZBUe3o

Register here: https://engage.show/events/18/register

🌊 We are thrilled to welcome The Wave Global as the official sponsor of the 2026 Ocean Impact Retreat.Hosted in Umzumbe,...
18/03/2026

🌊 We are thrilled to welcome The Wave Global as the official sponsor of the 2026 Ocean Impact Retreat.

Hosted in Umzumbe, South Africa from 25 to 27 March 2026, the Retreat is Ocean Innovation Africa’s invitation-only convening created to strengthen coordination across the actors shaping Africa’s regenerative blue economy. It is where conversation turns into practical alignment, collaboration, and next steps.

The Wave Global’s work in ocean regeneration and actionable data aligns powerfully with this purpose. By supporting the Retreat, they are backing a space designed to connect innovation, science, finance, policy, and implementation, helping unlock the partnerships and pathways needed for real, lasting change.

We’re excited to build this alongside them and convene a community committed to healthier oceans and stronger coastal futures.

Retreat by invitation only.

🌊 How can AI unlock faster, fairer Ocean Impact?As part of OIA 2026, we are pleased to announce AI for Ocean Impact: a f...
18/03/2026

🌊 How can AI unlock faster, fairer Ocean Impact?

As part of OIA 2026, we are pleased to announce AI for Ocean Impact: a focused workshop convened by France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi , with the active support of a and the Ocean and Climate Platform.

The workshop sits within the wider context of Le Shift Lab, a cooperation project launched this year by the French Embassy to support innovators from South Africa, Malawi and Lesotho who are helping shape a digital and green economy.

Bringing together a small group of experts, the workshop will explore practical AI applications that can improve access to ocean knowledge and support faster, more informed decision-making across science, policy, marine spatial planning and investment. This aligns with the concept note’s framing of the session as a focused expert workshop on feasible AI use cases for ocean impact.

Designed for those working across ocean innovation, policy, data, finance and technology, the session will also speak to anyone interested in how digital tools can strengthen a regenerative blue economy.

Register to join us: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/355236-ocean-innovation-africa-2026/

🌊 What will it take to build the ecosystem Africa needs for blue economy scale?At **Ocean Innovation Africa 2026**, Day ...
18/03/2026

🌊 What will it take to build the ecosystem Africa needs for blue economy scale?

At **Ocean Innovation Africa 2026**, Day 3 centres on **Scaling-Out Impact for People and Nature** and asks how we move from momentum to long-term, system-level change. This keynote sits within that wider conversation by focusing on the support structures needed to help ideas, enterprises, and institutions grow into lasting impact.

We are pleased to announce **Ms Salma Baghdadi, Innovation Lead at The Wave Global**, as a keynote speaker. Her address will speak to the enabling environment behind regenerative blue economy growth, from ecosystem support and collaboration to the conditions that help innovation translate into impact for people, nature, and the broader blue economy landscape.

Join us in Durban as we explore what it will take to scale out impact across Africa’s regenerative blue economy.

Register here: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/355236-ocean-innovation-africa-2026/ #/

How do we grow Coastal and Ocean Economies without undermining the ecosystems, livelihoods, and resilience they depend o...
17/03/2026

How do we grow Coastal and Ocean Economies without undermining the ecosystems, livelihoods, and resilience they depend on?

At Ocean Innovation Africa 2026, this main stage session will explore the tension between economic expansion and the ecological systems that sustain coastal and marine life.

Moderating the conversation is:

🌍 Thomas Sberna, Regional Head: Coastal and Ocean Resilience, IUCN

Joining him on the panel are:

🏛️ Dr Andrew Mather, Project Executive: Coastal Policy, eThekwini Municipality

🦈 Dr Sara Andreotti, Founding Director and Chief Operating Officer, SharkSafe Barrier, and Lecturer, Stellenbosch University

💡 Brenda Kibiku, Blue Economy Advisor and ODF Blue Finance Innovation Cluster Lead, GIZ

🌱 Margie Brand, Chied Executive Officer, Vikara Institute

🌊 Dhesigen Naidoo, Research Associate, Institute for Security Studies Africa

Using human-wildlife interactions and broader ecosystem pressures as an entry point, the session will examine how business models, governance approaches, ecosystem services, and conservation goals can be better aligned in practice.

Through a participatory Family Feud-style format, this session will surface assumptions, unpack trade-offs, and explore practical pathways to coexistence and resilience across Africa’s coastal economies.

This is a conversation about how economic viability, ecological integrity, and community well-being can be pursued together.

📍 25 March 2026 | Durban ICC

Register: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/355236-ocean-innovation-africa-2026/ #/

🌊 The best meetings at OIA 2026 will not happen by chance. They will start on ENGAGE.ENGAGE is more than a registration ...
17/03/2026

🌊 The best meetings at OIA 2026 will not happen by chance. They will start on ENGAGE.

ENGAGE is more than a registration platform. It is the App helping OIA delegates get visible, connect with the right people, request meetings, and manage their networking calendar before the event even begins.

It brings together event registration and B2B matchmaking in one place, to make your time at OIA count:

That means less random networking, fewer missed opportunities, and a much better chance of arriving with the right meetings already in place. With features like participant discovery, meeting sourcing, calendar management, and profile visibility, ENGAGE helps turn attendance into action.

Set up your profile today, all you need to know is there ⬇️

🎥 Watch the video on how to register: youtube.com/watch?v=DWlUH63T9UY&feature=youtu.be

Address

Cape Town

Telephone

+27747888147

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ocean Innovation Africa posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category