As ocean nations with more than 260,000 kilometres of combined coastline, Canada and the United Kingdom share a deep understanding of the blue economy and its potential. Ocean sectors represent highly skilled jobs, clean energy solutions and economic growth.

Additional multimedia

“This investment taps into the infinite potential of Canada’s ocean tech ecosystem and strengthens it through collaboration with innovators in the United Kingdom. The partnerships that emerge from this competition will lead to powerful solutions for some of the sector’s biggest challenges, while advancing trade and spurring jobs and growth. This is exactly the type of work that will help us build back better—and bluer.”
-  The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA

“Innovation involves the collaboration of many minds. This competition provides the opportunity to expand that collaboration internationally with funding provided by Innovate UK to support business-led innovation, together with our partners in Canada.”
- Jon Hazell, Innovate UK - Partnership Manager North America

“We are leveraging relationships with our partners in the UK to further strengthen our respective ocean ecosystems and address challenges pertinent to developing our ocean economy. Our companies are international and this program will further develop partnerships between Canadian and UK companies.”
- Chris Bourque, Executive Director of the Ocean Technology Council of Nova Scotia (OTCNS)

• The Ocean Technology Council of Nova Scotia (OTCNS) is an industry association that links ocean technology companies to one another and to government partners. The association provides advocacy, training and a number of other supports to members.

• Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the UK's innovation agency. It supports business-led innovation in all sectors, technologies and UK regions. Innovate UK helps businesses grow through the development and commercialization of new products, processes, and services, supported by an innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate. 

• OTCNS and Innovate UK hope to develop an ongoing bi-country challenge with a new issue to tackle each year.

• This year’s challenge is open to Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises and UK registered businesses on October 5, with proposals due on December 2. Winners will be selected in early January. 

• Each of the two winning teams must be comprised of at least one registered company in the UK and one SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) in Canada.

• ACOA’s funding for the innovation challenge is provided through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program.

Marianne Blondin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Official Languages and of the
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Marianne.Blondin@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Lauren Sinclair
Director of Communications
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
782-641-6365
Lauren.Sinclair@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Jon Hazell
Partnership Manager North America
Innovate UK
+44 (0) 7717 340216
Jon.hazell@iuk.ukri.org

Chris Bourque
Executive Director
Ocean Technology Council of Nova Scotia
902-223-3333
Chris@otcns.ca

Stay connected

Follow ACOA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.