COVE partnered with Innovate UK for the Global Incubator Program, which provides innovative, high-growth, and scaling businesses with the opportunity to build long-term relationships with a world-leading innovation hub in Canada.
The six-month program allows businesses to scale in Canada, secure opportunities, and receive assistance finding and recruiting local skilled workers. Being a part of COVE gives the cohort access to potential partnerships and amenities, and they will return in June for the H20 Conference and COVE Demo Day.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
In 2023, the companies gained momentum throughout the 6-month program to propel themselves into the ocean sector. Two companies (Max Nicholas Renewables and Hexsor Scientific) have established R&D partnerships with NSCC Applied Labs to further their technology in the Atlantic region. With this collaboration, Max Nicholas Renewables plans to launch a pilot at Demo Day 2024.
The inaugural Ocean ScaleUp Accelerator program received positive feedback about program management industry connections and continuous support. About half of the cohort has registered or is registering their business in Nova Scotia.
The 2024 Ocean ScaleUp Accelerator cohort includes a fresh breath of ocean technology companies, ranging from plastic monitoring software (Plastic-i) and autonomous search and rescue platforms (Zelim Ltd) to novel vacuum adhesion robots for inspection of composite and concrete structures (Innvotek).
The companies were on-site at COVE for a week-long visit, during which they gave a presentation about their company and their business aspirations to the COVE community. The visit was also filled with workshops to better understand market potential, how to reach their target audience in Canada, and individual legal assistance.
COVE will continue to work with these eight companies, providing virtual programming with local industry experts before welcoming them back to Halifax in June for the H2O Conference and COVE Demo Day. The 2024 Accelerator program includes Plastic-i, Spot Ship, Precision Acoustics, Exo Engineering, AWM, MSeis, Innvotek, and Zelim.
Each company has developed its own distinctive goals to build and expand its business. Across the cohort, there is enthusiasm to meet potential business partners and explore the idea of bringing projects to North America.
Looking to accelerate your business? Contact accelerator@coveocean.com