Incentivizing scalable solutions for ocean conservation problems through entrepreneurship and open innovation

How can we solve the greatest challenges facing our oceans? The field of conservation biology recognizes the need to broaden the tent and work with experts in a variety of disciplines, and at Conservation X Labs, we are using... [ view full abstract ]

How can we solve the greatest challenges facing our oceans? The field of conservation biology recognizes the need to broaden the tent and work with experts in a variety of disciplines, and at Conservation X Labs, we are using a variety of open innovation techniques to source, develop, and scale conservation problems in ways that reach innovators beyond the conservation field.  We encourage solvers to build teams and communities in our Digital Makerspace, where members can respond to conservation problems and collaborate on early-stage solutions. Teams are incentivized to create prototypes in Make for the Planet and our Con X Tech Prize competitions.  Through partnerships, Conservation X Labs runs global grand challenges to source solutions to conservation problems from around the world.  In 2016, we launched the Blue Economy Challenge, a grand challenge with the Australian government and WWF-U.S. to find and support early and late stage innovations that could revolutionize aquaculture, and achieve the dual goals of environmental sustainability and food security.  In order for solutions to have an impact, it is not enough to incentivize solutions and reward them with prize money – they need good business models with a path to financial sustainability.  One mechanism to support companies along this path is through incubation and acceleration. Thus, we launched Oceans X Labs (OXL), and welcomed a cohort of companies from the Blue Economy Challenge into an accelerator as a joint initiative with the World Wildlife Fund-U.S. (WWF) to help the enterprises in their path to commercialization.