Star of the South partners with ocean impact organisation to back ocean startups
A $100,000 prize pool is up for grabs in this year’s Ocean Impact Pitchfest, a global initiative of Australian-based Ocean Impact Organisation, to support and celebrate startups working to transform ocean health.
Star of the South, Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, is sponsoring the Climate Spotlight Award to shine a light on ocean startups with an innovative solution to climate change.
Spotlight Award winners receive $10,000 and the overall winner is supported with a $50,000 cash prize, widespread exposure and mentoring to help scale up their business.
A pioneer of Australia’s offshore wind industry, Star of the South would harness strong ocean winds to generate renewable energy with the potential to power more than 1.2 million homes and cut energy-related carbon emissions.
Star of the South Chief Executive Officer, Charles Rattray, has encouraged local entrepreneurs and startups to take part in Pitchfest.
“While we work to bring offshore wind technology to Australia, we’re proud to support startups ready to take their big ideas to the next level and have a real impact on climate and ocean health.
“Today’s Pitchfest winners could be tomorrow’s offshore wind industry partners – we’re excited to see what innovations are uncovered and to follow and support the winners as they take their next steps”, he said.
CEO of Ocean Impact Organisation Nick Chiarelli said, “As we enter the fourth year of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest we are excited to shine a light on remarkable startups solving complex ocean challenges and to partner with visionary companies like Star of the South, who know the potential the ocean holds for a renewable energy powered future.”
The Pitchfest Climate Spotlight winner last year was Hullbot – a Sydney-based startup which builds robots to clean boat hulls, eliminating harmful antifouling coatings, reducing CO2 emissions and preventing invasive species transport.
Applications for Pitchfest 2023 close on 20 September 2023. Applicants can apply from anywhere in the world at www.ocean-impact.org/pitchfest-2023
Unlocking ocean-based solutions to climate change is a key challenge area identified by the United Nations Ocean Decade. In Australia, Star of the South is contributing to Ocean Decade initiatives to identify, generate and use ocean knowledge to manage the ocean sustainably.
About Star of the South
Star of the South is Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, proposed off the coast of Gippsland in Victoria with an installed capacity of up to 2.2 GW. Star of the South would help meet energy, emissions reduction, and economic goals by supplying renewable energy for more than 1.2 million homes, creating thousands of jobs and investing billions in the local economy. The project has been developed under a Commonwealth Exploration Licence since 2019 and is currently in the advanced stages of feasibility studies and environmental assessments, targeting approvals around the middle of this decade and first power by the end of the decade. Star of the South is backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), one of the world’s leading clean energy investors, and Cbus Super, a leading Australian industry super fund.