Framing The Challenge: Launching a New Era for the Blue Economy
Framing The Challenge: Launching a New Era for the Blue Economy https://pharosproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FramingCHALLENGE-1-1024x576.png 1024 576 PHAROS Project https://pharosproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FramingCHALLENGE-1-1024x576.pngToday marked the launch of “Meet the Oceanpreneur”, an ambitious 8-part webinar series spearheaded by Impact Hub Athens under PHAROS’ Citizen Litter Entrepreneur program. Running until November 2026, the series aims to spotlight entrepreneurial innovation, science, and policy for restoring the ocean economy.
The first session, “Framing the Challenge: The State of the Ocean Economy”, gathered more than 40 participants from across Europe and beyond, including innovators, researchers, startups, policymakers, academics, and civil society. Moderated by Stefania Campogianni, Project Manager at WWF Mediterranean and BlueMissionMed partner, the event combined high-level presentations with a fireside chat and audience engagement.
Session #1 – Opening Remarks by Dimitris Kokkinakis, Co-Founder and CEO of Impact Hub Athens, and Gordon Dalton, Pharos Project Coordinator
Dimitris Kokkinakis, Co-Founder and CEO of Impact Hub Athens, welcomed participants and introduced the vision behind the Meet the Oceanpreneur series. “These webinars are about connecting practice and policy and preparing the ground for the International Online Hackathon in Spring 2026,” Kokkinakis explained.
This is an initiative, taking place through the Citizens Leader Entrepreneurs Programme, that’s part of PHAROS project. We have designed the Ocean Entrepreneurs in order to bring together entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, policy makers, people, individuals, and representatives driving forward the blue economy transformation. Our aim is to create this space where practical solutions meet policy ambition, and collaboration accelerates actions for the ocean. These webinars are part of a larger programme, here to inspire, inform, activate us, and to prepare us for the International Online Hackathon in Spring 2026, which will enable practical solutions and support entrepreneurs to scale. What we need today in regard to the ocean is not just progress, but bold and scalable solutions. We need to work together to truly restore and regenerate our seas.
Gordon Dalton, Senior Researcher at PLOCAN and Coordinator of the PHAROS project, contextualized the initiative within Horizon Europe’s €9.5 million PHAROS program, which develops nature-based solutions across demonstration sites in Gran Canaria, Ireland, and Iceland.
Pharos is a mission, an Atlantic and Arctic basin lighthouse project for nature-based solutions. Our three objectives are to restore marine ecosystems, combat ocean pollution, and build a sustainable new economy. It’s a Horizon Europe Oceans project, with an EU contribution of 9.5 million euros, lasting five years, started September 2024. Plaquan is the coordinator. We have 25 partners across Europe, from Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the geographic spread is all of Europe, east, west, north, south, with the coordinator in Gran Canaria. The project’s two pillars are stakeholder engagement and living labs. Living Labs are focused around three demonstrations and replication sites, with citizen science engagement, Marine Protected Area managers, blue schools, Fisher Guardian programmes, and litter entrepreneur training. Our demonstration sites are in Gran Canaria, Ireland, and Iceland. Demonstrations feature innovative integrated multitrophic aquaculture, seaweed farming, deploying artificial reefs, using eDNA technology to tackle invasive species, and improving marine biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
EU policy context, Mission Ocean, importance of industry–policy collaboration, Kęstutis Sadauskas the Deputy Director-General at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
The European Commission’s perspective was delivered by Kęstutis Sadauskas, Deputy Director-General of DG MARE. He underscored the EU’s Mission to Restore Our Oceans and Waters by 2030, highlighting three key targets: ecosystem protection, pollution prevention, and a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy. “We are not just setting environmental objectives, we are opening economic opportunities,” Sadauskas stressed, noting that nearly half a billion euros has already been invested into 80 innovation projects across 220 pilot sites.
The workshops address challenges and opportunities in the ocean economy, from marine litter to aquaculture, ports, ecotourism and beyond, through real stories and open dialogue. The European Union’s mission Restore Our Oceans and Waters sets ambitious targets: restoring degraded habitats, eliminating pollution, and making the blue economy more circular and carbon neutral. These are also significant economic opportunities. A healthy blue economy makes Europe more competitive, resilient, and attractive for investment. We’ve already funded 80 R&I projects, with nearly half a billion euros in solutions, testing and demonstrating across 220 sites. Solutions include river clean-up, aquaculture with wind energy, species reintroduction, and circular business models. The Blue MissionMed project coordinates varied transformative solutions, aiming to reduce pollution by 30-50% by 2030. Real impact comes from entrepreneurs and investors scaling innovation. Tools like Blue Invest and InvestEU Blue Economy Fund have unlocked hundreds of millions in financing for startups and scale-ups; the Blue Champion scale-up project supports high-potential innovators. Projects like autonomous ocean-cleaning vessels and low-emission ships show progress. The European Ocean Pact is a shared framework for cooperation.
When asked by Kokkinakis about the number one priority for entrepreneurs, Sadauskas responded:“Innovate boldly, build partnerships, and seize the unprecedented opportunities in the blue economy.”
Keynote Speakers
Moderator Stefania Campogianni introduced the two keynote speakers:
- Lisa Simone de Grunt, Director of Programmes at the World Ocean Council (WOC), a cross-sectoral alliance that unites shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, finance, tourism, and other industries under the banner of Corporate Ocean Responsibility.
- Henk van Dalen, Director of Oceans at The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit dedicated to removing 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040 through river interception and ocean cleanup technologies.
World Ocean Council: Building Corporate Ocean Responsibility, by Lisa Simone de Grunt, Director of Programmes at World Ocean Council
Lisa Simone de Grunt is the Director of Programmes at the World Ocean Council, a global cross-sector alliance, uniting maritime industries, shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, finance, and tourism, to represent the whole ocean economy.
Lisa Simone de Grunt emphasized WOC’s role as a neutral convening platform. By bringing industry voices into global governance debates, WOC helps align corporate practices with science and policy.
She outlined six key WOC program areas, including Blue Finance, Smart Ocean initiatives, and resilience strategies for ports and cities. The organization, she noted, is preparing for two major events in Barcelona in November 2025: the Sustainable Ocean Summit and the Global Blue Finance Summit.
Corporate ocean responsibility is key: companies should benefit from the ocean but also take responsibility for its future. One aim is to bring the business voice into international policy and governance: UN Ocean Decade, BBNJ Agreement, EU strategies, regional frameworks. Critical ocean impacts are cumulative and cross-cutting: climate change, biodiversity loss, acidification, geopolitical tension, supply chain risks. No sector or company alone can solve these; business must be at the table for scaling solutions. The World Ocean Council is a neutral platform bridging business, science and policy. We focus on finance, port cities and resilience, marine spatial planning, smart ocean technology, climate and biodiversity. There is much progress on shifting towards regeneration, increased monitoring and compliance, ESG reporting, and systems change across value chains. Sectors must reimagine themselves, transforming aquaculture, decarbonising shipping, adopting nature-based infrastructure. Investments diversify into blended finance and markets like nature and carbon credits. Advice for entrepreneurs: focus on opportunities, have a strong business plan, and prioritise partnership and networking with public and private funding sources.
“Critical ocean challenges are cumulative and cross-cutting,” de Grunt said. “No single sector can solve them alone.”
The Ocean Cleanup: Technology Against Plastic, by Henk van Dalen, Director of Oceans at The Ocean Cleanup
In his presentation, Henk van Dalen described The Ocean Cleanup’s dual strategy: halting plastic inflows from rivers while simultaneously removing legacy waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. With operations in 18 rivers and several large-scale ocean systems, the organization has already collected over 38 million kilograms of plastic.
Van Dalen highlighted the group’s evolving technologies, from 2 km-long floating systems to river interceptors, and the focus on the 30 most polluting cities worldwide, where targeted action can deliver outsized impact. “We want the greatest impact in the shortest time,” he said.
The Ocean Cleanup’s mission is to rid the oceans of plastic. Our two-fold strategy is stopping inflow from the rivers—the largest sources of ocean plastic, and cleaning up legacy plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, preventing microplastic formation and harm to marine environments. We operate in 18 rivers worldwide, targeting the 1000 most polluting rivers, mostly in South Asia and Central America, and in the Pacific between Hawaii and California. Innovation means understanding the problem: we research and analyse plastic accumulation, design and deploy cleanup systems, and process collected plastic into sustainable products, which also fuel further research and policy. Our river technologies have evolved by learning from pilots, making them effective and scalable. Over 38 million kilos have been taken from rivers, and sea systems have removed over half a million kilos. Technology development is continuous, deployments are safer for marine life. Data and technology, including automated detection cameras (ADIS) on commercial vessels, can deliver interactive maps, insights and drive rigorous policies. Collaborating with communities, science and business is vital. To the next generation: Think big, find a problem worth solving, and collaborate for global-scale solutions that will secure ocean health.
Fireside Chat: Framing the Ocean Economy
Where We Stand and Where We Need to Go
Van Dalen noted that while the ocean economy could reach $3 trillion by 2030, it remains threatened by biodiversity loss and pollution. De Grunt called for moving from a “sustainable” to a “regenerative” blue economy, prioritizing restoration alongside growth.
Governance and the BBNJ Treaty
With the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty set to enter into force in January 2026, both speakers welcomed the framework. Van Dalen stressed the need to integrate plastic pollution into governance frameworks, reminding participants: “Plastic knows no borders.”
Rethinking Ocean Activities
De Grunt argued for reimagining rather than eliminating sectors such as shipping, fisheries, and aquaculture. She pointed to Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) and nature-based coastal solutions as promising pathways. Van Dalen echoed the importance of scaling proven sustainable practices.
Technology and Innovation
Both speakers highlighted the potential of digital ocean twins, real-time monitoring, and citizen science to transform management. “Communities and volunteers are vital allies alongside industry and policymakers,” said de Grunt.
Financing the Transition
Blended financing models — combining public and private capital — were identified as crucial. Partnerships between initiatives like The Ocean Cleanup and multi-stakeholder platforms like WOC can amplify scaling.
The 2030 Horizon
As the decade’s deadline approaches, both speakers urged urgency. “We must accelerate restoration efforts if we want to achieve our targets,” Van Dalen warned.
Van Dalen reaffirmed the importance of both systemic solutions and entrepreneurial creativity. He also repeated his recommendation of blended finance models as the most promising pathway for scaling.
Fireside Chat with Speakers
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: We heard about the ocean economy as an opportunity, but at the same time as a challenge. Where do you think the ocean economy is today, and where must it go in order to thrive, while contributing to ocean sustainability and protection?
Henk van Dalen: I looked up that the ocean economy is actually projected to increase to $3 trillion by the end of the decade, which is an immense amount of value. Now, recognising that the ocean economy depends on healthy oceans, there are many threats facing it currently, such as decreasing biodiversity and increased pollution, which I showed first-hand. We need to tackle all aspects of ocean health. For plastic, this means reducing additional pollution, as I mentioned with the rivers, and removing existing pollution. I believe a similar approach is needed for the ocean economy to thrive: we must develop sustainable solutions to reduce threats to the ocean, but also remediate the damage already done, because only then can we achieve a thriving economy. We recognise that incentives are missing, and while we are grateful for some, greater action and collaboration to restore the ocean would be welcomed. The development of a plastic treaty to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, is a crucial step. It is about continuing the development of technology and restoring the health of the oceans so that the blue economy can thrive.
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: I’ll add a different perspective. It’s now the UN Decade of Ocean Science, and we’re seeing much more attention to ocean science with investment and rapid technology development. There’s greater attention to monitoring and compliance, such as ESG reporting, which is a positive development from recent years. What needs to happen now is for industries and society to shift towards not just a sustainable blue economy, but a sustainable and regenerative blue economy. As Hank said, we need to remediate the damage already done, focusing on sustainability across the supply chain.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Super, that was very interesting, especially about the sustainable and regenerative blue economy, a concept we need to embrace. You are an alliance of different sectors accompanying them towards ocean sustainability, looking ahead, which activities should be prioritised in transformation, sustainability and regeneration, and which should be reimagined or even stopped?
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: I’m not going to say any ocean sector should be stopped, of course, that’s not what our members would want! But it’s obvious that the traditional way, for instance of fisheries, aquaculture, or shipping, needs to be readdressed and rethought. We’ll always need shipping, fisheries, and ocean energy. The key word is reimagine; when you think about large cruise ships, that is hopefully not the future any more. Aquaculture, as mentioned in the presentation, IMTA is the future, these recirculating systems. Coastal infrastructure is another example: historically we’ve built with grey and cement, but now there’s a shift towards nature-based solutions and artificial reefs that do not damage the seabed. The key term is reimagining ocean sectors.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: That’s definitely the key, maybe not stopping sectors but reinventing or readapting them.
Henk van Dalen: I can’t go against anything Lisa said! Well done. What sparks my mind is that protecting at all costs emphasises the importance—it’s the lifeline of our oceans and marine ecosystem, driving much of the ocean economy. In the areas we operate, a large source of income and food for millions comes from marine ecosystems. We already have solutions for this; with more support, whether through regulation or scaling existing solutions, we can create real impact. Plastic pollution harms wildlife, coral reefs, mangroves, and the health of the ocean. Even countries dependent on tourism, like Bali, are significantly affected. Protecting at all costs and reimagining sectors is very important. There’s a lot of sustainable solutions out there—if we can scale them, we can have credible impact. Regarding what should be left behind, nature as it should be—healthy oceans—should remain. Reimagine areas needing improvement and take action.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Thank you, very inspiring. On reinventing areas: the recent BB&J treaty with 60 countries ratifying will enter into force by January 2026, making an effort to sustainably manage areas beyond national jurisdiction by balancing interests of economic sectors and protecting marine biodiversity. How does your organisation see this framework, and how can we make it effective?
Henk van Dalen: We very much welcome this, a positive signal that states can collaborate, especially in the high seas, which are not owned by any country. The importance of this is recognised and it’s a significant positive step forward for marine biodiversity. Plastic pollution is seldom discussed in relation to these protected areas, but plastic doesn’t recognise boundaries. International collaboration is great, and coming back to the plastic treaty, which is progressing but not quite there, it’s a key initiative that may help beat threats to biodiversity by adopting a no-borders approach. To make it effective, it must go hand-in-hand with other agreements, especially the plastic treaty. Measures should be enforceable and implemented to solve the global problem.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Very concise, extremely to the point in connection of different treaties, and we hope the Global Plastic Treaty will be effective at halting global pollution. Lisa?
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: Hank made great points. Global policy moves slowly—you see that with the plastics treaty or BB&J agreement, it’s important not to lose sight of other policies at national, sectoral, or even local levels, which we can influence. It’s not just about big global policy; industry must also be involved in implementation to ensure agreements are realistic and monitored for compliance.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Absolutely. Even with the Global Plastic Treaty, there is now discussion about regional approaches to help move the treaty ahead, as implementation has to be both regional and local.
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: Exactly.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Technology will play a big role in boosting and reshaping the ocean economy. How can data and technology play a positive key role in managing the ocean?
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: I’d like to highlight one of our programmes: we have a big focus on ocean data and voluntary data collection and sharing. In our SOSI programme, we encourage those with vessels or infrastructure to collect ocean data, be it temperature, salinity, marine mammal sightings, plastic sightings—and share it with observation programmes. This is one way to emphasise the importance of ocean data and technological innovation.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: It can play a big role in moving ahead ocean conservation, monitoring progress, and identifying challenges, something Hank pointed out in his presentation. You use monitoring to identify next priorities like key rivers. Hank, according to you?
Henk van Dalen: For us, it plays an important role, it allows creation of solutions and verifies their impact. It brings awareness to the problem and helps influence global decision-making. One tool is ADIS, an automated plastic detection camera for commercial vessels, endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade. If fitted to commercial vessels globally, we would get a real-time interactive map of ocean plastic, supporting decision-making and insights. If scaled up, this technology informs better and more stringent policies for tackling plastic pollution. Citizen science is also important: we have used it on sailing events in the North Pacific, fitting ADIS cameras to vessels and gathering data through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This is valuable for our work, creating a database for global scale modelling and influencing the right decisions, because the problem is real and data is sometimes incomplete.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Importantly, involving citizens in technological development and data gathering is crucial. Final question: investments, as mentioned previously. Hank, from your perspective, what are the most promising approaches to financing ocean regeneration?
Henk van Dalen: Traditional financing isn’t sufficient: more collaboration with private sector for additional finance is needed. So many ocean challenges mean no silver bullet for financing. We see novel financial instruments, like impact or outcome-based financing, as promising, especially for projects like Ocean Cleanup. Taking the environment as a stakeholder, creating incentives, and scaling from there is vital. We hope for more such initiatives.
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: Investment is still fragmented but blended finance, mixing public and private, is critical. There’s much more understanding now, as Mr Sadauskas said, that protecting the ocean pays off. Investors are looking at ESG demand—investing in companies that show this. Voluntary markets like nature and carbon credits are promising. Please join us for the Global Blue Finance Summit in Barcelona in November.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Hank, over the years, cities have appeared most responsible for plastic waste. What is the actual problem, and how can you ensure it doesn’t enter rivers again, e.g. from illegal landfills?
Henk van Dalen: On the global plastic problem, plastic itself isn’t bad, it started off with a non-circular philosophy, but now we’re cleaning it up, especially in developing countries facing major waste management issues. We must address waste through reduction, reuse, and recycling, all necessary. The huge problem is often tied to economic growth priorities taking precedence over the environment, creating the world we have now. We need to work with local infrastructure and governments for the best waste management solution, so plastic doesn’t return to rivers. Ocean plastics are recycled into durable products, creating value for partners and funding our projects. In river spaces, waste is diverse; recycling is the highest opportunity, but country-specific. Our ambition is to get out of business as soon as possible.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Exactly. But we still want you in business. One last question for both of you: any advice for new/young entrepreneurs?
Lisa Simone de Grunt – World Ocean Council: Focus on the opportunities, there are many for young businesses in the ocean space, not only public but also private funding. Lots of money is trying to find a home: have a good business plan, and develop your network, which is crucial.
Henk van Dalen: In line with Lisa—think big and find a problem worth solving. Dare to think big; we need big changes. Our founder, Boyan Slat, is an example—at 19 he sought to solve this, and while what he does now is different, the ambition and relevant problem brought us this far and is inspirational for others.
Stefania Campogianni – WWF Med: Thank you both for the inspiring words and ideas. Collecting transformative solutions is critical, making them scalable, solving concrete problems, reaching partners and investors.
Key Takeaways
Moderator Stefania Campogianni closed with three core insights:
- Mission Ocean is both an ecological necessity and an economic opportunity – requiring bold entrepreneurship and cross-sector partnerships.
- Reimagination, not elimination, of ocean sectors is critical — with innovation, restoration, and blended finance at the core.
- Technology and collaboration — from digital monitoring to citizen science — will accelerate the shift to a regenerative ocean economy.
Next Webinar: “Eyes on the Ocean: Tracking Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution”
In his closing remarks, Dimitris Kokkinakis thanked participants and announced the theme of the next session: “Eyes on the Ocean: Tracking Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution”, scheduled for November 2025.
With the launch of Meet the Oceanpreneur, the stage is now set for a series that promises not only to inspire and inform but also to activate bold, scalable solutions for ocean restoration in the decade that matters most.
