Ocean Innovation Conference | September 30, 2025

Turn knowledge into action at the UNCW Ocean Innovation Conference on September 30, 2025.

Join a high-energy day of ideas, connections, and solutions for our ocean and communities. Open to everyone, from investors and innovators to students and citizens. Learn, engage, and spark change.

Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

 “Preserving, protecting, and restoring our waters are tasks for many lifetimes, and sometimes the effort can seem overwhelming. But as long as we stay connected with all of the many, many blessings that water provides, and continue to keep that love in the forefront of our minds and hearts, as long as we remind ourselves to hope, then our stories will help connect others to water and encourage them to do what they can to help care for this beautiful Blue Marble world.”
― Wallace J. Nichols, Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do

Uniting Innovation, Expertise, and Passion for a Thriving Ocean Future

The Ocean Innovation Conference unites the deep research expertise of UNCW, the dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem of southeastern North Carolina, and the passion of people who care deeply about our ocean and coastal communities.

The goal? To spark something great, whether it’s marine biotechnology, alternative materials, living shoreline projects, ocean data science, or emerging innovations we’ve yet to imagine.

Join thought leaders, innovators, and change-makers to explore bold ideas and develop new solutions for our oceans and waterways. From pollution to overfishing and ecosystem degradation, our ocean faces major challenges. But where there are challenges, there is also opportunity. Opportunity for entrepreneurs, researchers, governments, and communities to lead the way in shaping a sustainable ocean future.

We invite you to explore how southeastern North Carolina and beyond are embracing this moment. The conference highlights trends in blue economy innovation, shares updates on marine and coastal research, and showcases opportunities for investment, collaboration, and action. Throughout the day, sessions will focus on our regional blue ecosystem, cutting-edge ocean technologies, and efforts to preserve and restore the precious resources of our seas.

Don’t miss the Innovation Fair, where you can meet startups, nonprofits, researchers, and support organizations working at the intersection of ocean conservation and innovation.

Morning Keynote: Deborah Westphal, Author and Executive Advisor at The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust 

Deborah Westphal’s career spans more than 30 years, government agencies and Fortune 100 companies, and virtually every continent. A passionate humanist and life-long learner, she has dedicated her work to guiding our era’s top minds and leaders to see and pursue the future with a sense of realistic caution and optimism. In 1999, Alvin Toffler tapped her as one of the founding members of his eponymous consulting firm. Since that time, she has led leaders across the globe to challenge biases, ignite ideas, and build connections to build resilience for a secure and sound future.

Read more about Deborah Westphal 

Luncheon Keynote: Shaun Tomson, World Surfing Champion, Keynote Speaker, and Author of the CODE Method

Shaun Tomson is a world champion surfer, best-selling author, and leadership expert with over 20 years of keynote speaking experience.

CIE is excited to offer the Ocean Innovation Conference in 2025! If you had a chance to participate in our SOLD OUT 2023 and 2024 Ocean Innovation Conference, these are some of the changes that you will see as compared to last year:

• Blue thought leaders – Bluetech hub leaders from around the country will attend to share best practices in developing an innovation community
• Interactive activity – Attendees will work together to brainstorm their own startup idea and a select few will have the chance to pitch to the audience.
• More structured networking time - Meet new people and potential new partners.
• Expanded and more interactive virtual conference – While in-person is key, remote options can provide the content to more diverse and remote audiences.

At CIE, we deliver "more" so you can do more innovating and changemaking!

Early Bird: $99 (until July 31)

Conference Registration: $129 (August 1 - day of; limited capacity)

Sign up today to reserve your seat. A limited number of seats are available. All purchases are final.

Discounts available. Please contact cie@uncw.edu for information.

• UNCW Students - Free
• Sponsors - Tickets provided
• CIE Tenants - 50% off
• CIE Members & Coworkers - 25% off
• Scholarships may be available for others on an as-needed and as-available basis.

Early Bird Virtual Registration: $20 (March 31 - July 31)

Virtual Registration: $30 (August 1 - September 26)

Sign up today to access the conference virtually and to participate in the live-streamed conference. The live stream will begin at 8:30 a.m. on September 30th. Some virtual Innovation Fair booths booths will be available, and questions will be taken from the virtual participants for keynotes and panels. 

Why Attend the Ocean Innovation Conference Virtually?

• 🌊 Access cutting-edge ocean innovation content from anywhere – no travel required.

• 🌟 Hear from national thought leaders like best-selling author Deborah Westphal, back by popular demand and Shaun Tomson.

• 🔍 Explore real-world solutions in bluetech and sustainable ocean economies.

• 🤝 Engage with an international community of ocean innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers.

• 💬 Interact live with other participants, speakers, and innovators through the conference's dynamic virtual platform.

• 🧭 Visit virtual booths hosted by sponsors, startups, and research organizations to discover tools, tech, and opportunities.

• 💻 Enjoy interactive sessions—tune in live or catch key segments on your schedule.

• 🌐 Be part of the movement shaping the future of our coasts, marine industries, and communities.

• 🎓 Ideal for professionals, students, startups, and anyone curious about the ocean economy.

Discounts available. Please contact cie@uncw.edu for information.

• UNCW Students - Free
• Sponsors - Tickets provided
• CIE Tenants - 50% off
• CIE Members & Coworkers - 25% off

Virtual registration closes on Friday, September 26.

Additional ideas will be sparked between sessions with short lightning talks. (To be announced soon.)

Innovative businesses and programs will be featured during the conference. 

If you would like your organization to be showcased, please contact CIE Program Manager Lydia Thomas at bjorklundl@uncw.edu.

Here's the timeline of the day:

Here's the virtual timeline (all times in EST). You'll have a chance to submit your questions online for moderators to ask the keynotes and panelists.

Holiday Inn Resort Lumina at Wrightsville Beach - Special conference rates are $199 for sound view and $239 for ocean view. Book through this link for the special rate. Limited availability. 

A full list of local lodging is here. 

Sponsorships are available for the 2025 Ocean Innovation Conference! Please contact Heather McWhorter, CIE Director, at mcwhorterh@uncw.edu.

Thank you to the following sponsors of the 2025 Ocean Innovation Conference!

Whitecap

NC IDEA ENGAGE

NOAA SeaGrant

North Carolina Biotechnology Center

Swell

City of Wilmington

NC Innovation

Ripple

Acme Smoked Fish

Friends of UNCW

NC Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC)

2025 Ocean Innovation Conference: A UN Ocean Decade Endorsed Activity (June 18, 2025)

• The 2025 Ocean Innovation Conference is a endorsed UN Ocean Decade Activity. Decade Activities will be carried out by partners around the world as part of the collective effort to fulfill the Decade vision, where it "provides a convening framework for a wide range of stakeholders across the world to engage and collaborate outside their traditional communities to trigger nothing less than a revolution in ocean science."

How the Partners of Commercial Fishermen Started a Women's Movement in the Commercial Fishing Industry (June 12, 2025)

• Megan Waldrep, Founder of Partners of Commercial Fishermen, is a panelist at the 2025 Ocean Innovation Conference. Learn more about her story here!

CIE's Heather McWhorter Elected to NC IDEA Board of Directors (June 3, 2025)

• Heather McWhorter, director of UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has been elected to the NC IDEA Foundation Board of Directors. NC IDEA is an independent private foundation that helps North Carolina's entrepreneurs flourish and transform communities through competitive grants, programs, resources, and a network of strategic partners. 

The Blue Economy Boom w/ Heather McWhorter - #ECOSYSTEMING Podcast with NC IDEA (May 4, 2025)

• In this episode of Ecosysteming, we welcome Heather McWhorter, Director of the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and host Thom Ruhe dive into her journey to Wilmington, NC, and the incredible growth of the region’s coastal startup ecosystem. They explore the rising tide of the Blue Economy—and why it’s capturing national attention. Discover how the UNCW CIE is fueling high-impact startups with education, connections, and incubation space, helping southeastern North Carolina thrive as a vibrant hub of innovation.
• Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Ocean Innovation Conference event listing - North Carolina Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Map (NCEEM) (April 2025) 

• The North Carolina Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Map is a comprehensive representation of the dynamic and thriving entrepreneurial landscape across the state.

WILMA's Leadership Institute: Meet Lydia Thomas (April 18, 2025)

• WILMA’s 2025 Leadership Institute, an annual nine-month program, gives area women the opportunity to learn from leaders in the region, visit a range of local companies, and serve as each others’ personal board of directors.

The Importance of the Blue Economy in Wilmington (February 24, 2025)

• This article was contributed by Richard Keary, UNCW CIE Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Blue Finance.

2025 Certifications

United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development Event

2024 Certifications (2025 Pending)

UNCW's Sustainable Events Program, Gold Talon Ranking