Blue Futures: Monaco Celebrates Youth Innovation for Ocean Protection

The Ocean’s Future Begins Here: Monaco Showcases the Ideas of Tomorrow

On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the prestigious Oceanographic Museum of Monaco hosted the grand finale of the Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge—a flagship event in the Principality’s commitment to marine ecosystem protection. In the presence of institutional representatives, academics, and sustainability leaders, the competition awarded the world’s most promising young innovators, proving that entrepreneurship and ecology can shape a regenerative future together.

The initiative—co-organized by the International University of Monaco, the Institut Océanographique, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Monaco Impact, and the Albert I Foundation, Prince of Monaco—has become a global reference point for promoting impact-driven marine entrepreneurship.

138 Teams, 66 Countries, One Mission: Save the Oceans

From January to March 2025, 138 teams from 129 universities across 66 countries worked on developing business plans focused on ocean sustainability, proposing models with real-world environmental and social impact.

After rigorous evaluation by 16 experts—marine specialists, investors, and innovation professionals—six finalist teams were selected to pitch their projects live in Monaco, presenting cutting-edge ideas ranging from sustainable cooling to algae-based building materials.

Winners of the 2025 Edition

• 🏆 Business Concepts Category – Cool Equity (Ashoka University, India): a passive cooling system for fish transport that reduces waste, preserves product quality, and protects marine ecosystems.

• 🏆 Start-up Category – Rongbient Biotech (Singapore): an innovative algae-based feed solution for shrimp farming that enhances aquatic health and lowers CO₂ emissions in aquaculture.

• 💙 CFM Indosuez “Coup de Coeur” Award – Izalgue (France): a green algae-based insulation system that reuses harmful algal blooms along the Breton coast, turning an environmental issue into a sustainable building material.

• 🌍 Spotlight on Africa Award – Acquaden (Kenya): a women-led company developing sustainable hatcheries and advanced aquaculture technologies for coastal communities across Africa.

A Strategic Year for Ocean Action

This edition came at a pivotal moment, just weeks ahead of two major events: the Third UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica (June 9–13 in Nice), and the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (June 7–8 at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum), an official UNOC event.

This synergy between competition, education, and ocean diplomacy cements Monaco’s position as a hub for sustainable blue innovation and circular economy development.

Ocean, Youth and Innovation: Steering a New Course Together

The Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge is more than a competition—it’s a platform for inspiration, collaboration, and impact. Year after year, it empowers a generation of eco-conscious entrepreneurs to bring together science, business, and environmental responsibility in response to one of the greatest challenges of our time: protecting the oceans.

In Monaco, the message is clear: true innovation is rooted in respect for the planet.