Funding will accelerate 100 ocean startups by 2021

SOA Founder & CEO Daniela Fernandez available for one-on-one interviews in Davos

January 23, 2019, Davos - Switzerland - Today, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA), a global non-profit organization that advances the impact of young ocean leaders, announced a $1.5 million donation from Marc and Lynne Benioff. SOA made the announcement at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which takes place from January 22 to January 25, 2019.

Founded by Daniela V. Fernandez, Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) is the world's largest coalition of young leaders (under 35) that focuses on developing solutions to protect and rehabilitate the ocean. "This generous gift from Marc and Lynne Benioff will help further our goal of transforming brilliant ideas into revenue-generating ventures that can scale and have a positive impact on the health and sustainability of our planet," said Fernandez.  

The ocean is facing a multitude of threats due to warming temperatures, ocean acidification from increased carbon emissions, overfishing, and other detrimental human activities. Since life on earth cannot be sustained without the critical role the ocean plays in our climate system, the need to preserve and rehabilitate the ocean is dire.

To coincide with the announcement of the funding, SOA is releasing its first State of Our Ocean Annual Report at Davos.  The report will be an annual assessment of the health of our ocean, based on the analysis of SOA young leaders and ocean experts. In launching this report at the start of the year, it is hoped that SOA will be able to not only diagnose the challenges facing our ocean, but also set a direction for government and business leaders to align behind for the ocean. The State of Our Ocean report is available on the SOA website:  www.soalliance.org/Davos2019.

Fernandez believes that by providing young leaders with education, resources, and opportunities, they will create a measurable impact on our ocean and become integral forces of change.

"Our oceans are in grave danger, due to the many consequences of climate change and pollution. These challenges can be solved with investment and innovation," said Marc Benioff. "Lynne and I are proud to support Daniela Fernandez and the Sustainable Ocean Alliance's bold vision to create 100 new startups by 2021 to help heal the ocean."

The Benioffs' contribution will triple the number of startups that are selected to participate in SOA's second annual Ocean Solutions Accelerator program, taking place during the summer of 2019 in San Francisco. The startups will receive mentorship from leading experts in the Silicon Valley, present to investors and philanthropists at SOA's Ocean Tech Demo Day on August 15, 2019, and have the opportunity to be featured at a series of major international summits on the ocean.

SOA is also pleased to unveil key partners that are supporting SOA's efforts of raising the profile of the ocean globally through media, exploration, education and entrepreneurship.  OceanX, a Dalio Philanthropies initiative to explore the ocean with scientists and researchers and bring it back to the world through captivating media, is joining forces with SOA to inspire and engage the next generation of ocean leaders. Monterey Bay Aquarium, a California-based aquarium that inspires conservation of the ocean, will also be supporting SOA and is excited to build a partnership going into 2019.

As part of the program finale, SOA in partnership with Lindblad Expeditions will host the Ocean Solutions Accelerator At Sea, an 8-day expedition aboard the National Geographic Quest exploration vessel, setting sail to Alaska on August 24, 2019. This voyage will feature captivating keynotes, demos of game-changing ocean solutions, and collaborative workshops. Sven-Olof Lindblad, the CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, has shown his personal support for the Ocean Solutions Accelerator at Sea by providing his own individual contribution to the organization.

Applications for the Ocean Solutions Accelerator are now open. For more information visit

soalliance.org/ocean-solutions-accelerator/

About Sustainable Ocean Alliance

Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) is a global non-profit organization that advances the impact of startups, social enterprises and youth-centered initiatives that are developing solutions to protect and sustain our ocean. SOA's pipeline of ocean leaders is cultivated through a hub-based model, led by students at the collegiate and young professional levels.

Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) was founded in 2014 as a college-room idea. With phenomenal speed, SOA has created the world's largest network of young ocean leaders - through establishing a presence in over 80 countries, launching the first-ever Ocean Solutions Accelerator to support ocean startups, and partnering with corporations such as The Economist and Lindblad Expeditions, NGOs, and governments, including Indonesia and the European Union, to develop technological solutions that can address the greatest threats facing our planet.

About Marc and Lynne Benioff

Marc and Lynne Benioff established the  Benioff Ocean Initiative in 2016 to study and solve ocean issues around the world. The Benioffs also support the World Economic Forum's  Friends of Ocean Action, a global partnership to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources, and have contributed to  The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit that aims to rid the world's oceans of plastic.



Contacts:

Daniela Fernandez in Davos
(773) 557 9137

Shayna Samuels
718-541-4785
Email Contact

Glenn Turner
917-817-3396
Email Contact