“The world came to see what all the buzz was about the ocean technology sector in Nova Scotia, and they were not disappointed. It didn’t take long for our guests to see there is clearly something special happening here. Demo Day was the perfect opportunity to show the innovation and expertise happening that is leading the way for the blue economy.”
After a two-year virtual hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, COVE Demo Day returned in full force on Thursday, June 16.
Demo Day, hosted on the docks of COVE, is an all-day event featuring interactive and engaging demonstrations from world-leading ocean technology innovators. The event capped off the 2022 H2O conference, considered Canada’s premier event for the ocean technology sector.
With the sun beaming down on a beautiful 25-degree day, it was time for the latest in ocean tech to take centre stage. With a welcome to the over 400 attendees from COVE CEO Melanie Nadeau and Executive Director of DeepSense, the event emcee Jennifer LaPlante, Demo Day was officially underway.
The first round of on-water demonstrations was led by Sma’knis Maritime and Safety and Security, PicSea, IBM (Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS)), and COVE’s own multi-sensor seabed platform, Stella Maris.
Attendees then had the opportunity to roam and network while experiencing three designated areas of demonstration: Tech Alley (featuring Hexsor Scientific, Honuworx Ltd., Blue Lion Labs, Engage Creative Technologies, Katchi Tech, Chelsea Technologies, NatureMetrics, and Kognitiv Spark) The Floating Playpen (featuring Rockland Scientific, Enginuity Inc., Ocean Sonics, Aquatec Group, Pro-Oceanus, ResQunit, SubC Imaging, LeeWay Marine, and IBM’s MAS), and The Bays (featuring CEOTR, SEATAC, Dartmouth Ocean Technologies Inc. (DOT), Voltai, Precise Design Engineering Solutions, and Sensor Technology).
The COVE site was buzzing with activity as industry leaders connected, shared ideas and developments, and viewed live demonstrations. The excitement and intrigue shared by all were symbolic of the collaborative nature that exists in the sector.
The second half of our on-water showcase featuring Titan Maritime, Deep Trekker, JASCO Applied Sciences, and the Royal Canadian Navy closed out the day.
All eyes were on COVE. Representatives of over 21 countries, including distinguished guests from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Norway, and our very own Premier the Honourable Tim Houston, attended the event. David Golding, Deputy Director – Global, at Innovate UK recognized COVE as the jewel and the crown of the ocean tech sector in Canada.
The level of international interest in the ocean technologies being developed in Nova Scotia, coupled with the number of companies flocking to Nova Scotia, is indicative of how central our province has become to the global ocean sector. With COVE leading the charge, Nova Scotia has become the world’s gateway to ocean tech.
We would like to thank all the participants and attendees who helped make Demo Day 2022 a success, and we can’t wait to have you back on June 14, 2023
Photo credit: Riley Smith Photography