ep. 14: SeaAhead; Scaling BlueTech Open-Innovation Ecosystems on the Gulf Coast
In this episode, we learn about SeaAhead’s mission to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and stakeholders to grow an open-innovation ecosystems that produces scalable commercial solutions to modern-day challenges. SeaAhead’s Market Lead for Gulf Coast & Federal and State Agencies, Hailey Bathurst, explains how they support early-stage startups in the blue economy with infrastructure and access to funding, two important drivers for success that entrepreneurs are often missing. The result is their proven track record of bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and stakeholders to scale real world BlueTech solution sets. Sharing her clear passion for the work, Hailey tells us about the fascinating life journey that led to her current focus, and explains how New Orleans fits into SeaAhead’s expansion plans for promoting Blue Economy development and startup support in the Gulf South.
hailey bathurst
SeaAhead Inc.
Market Lead: Federal and State Agencies, Southern US
Hailey Bathurst’s awareness of environmental issues began through canvassing and field managing for Clean Water Action in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts during summer and winter breaks at Roger Williams University. After graduating, she moved to Providence where she became the program manager of the Health and Wellness Initiative at Social Enterprise Greenhouse, building Rhode Island’s first health and wellness accelerator program and expert advisory council. She moved on to serve in the Peace Corps in Namibia, focusing on local economic development with entrepreneurship as a means for economic empowerment of vulnerable populations. Upon returning to the United States, Hailey worked for a scaling healthcare startup as an operations manager while earning her graduate degree at University of Chicago in international development and policy.
Hailey joined SeaAhead in 2022 to create and execute The Gulf Blue Navigator in partnership with University of Southern Mississippi and now leads SeaAhead’s Federal and State Agency work in the Southern United States. The focus of this work is to explore how SeaAhead can support innovation within State and Federal Agencies, while exploring how startups can work with these agencies to further their own development goals.
EPISODE REFERENCES AND LINKS:
SeaAhead‘s mission is to build the venture ecosystem the ocean’s been waiting for. To do this, they bring together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and stakeholders. In just a few years, SeaAhead has grown into an open-innovation ecosystem that produces scalable commercial solutions to modern-day challenges.
Social Enterprise Greenhouse is a growing network of entrepreneurs and business and community leaders who contribute time, expertise, and money to create jobs and support positive social change through social enterprise. They accelerate impact by providing inclusive support and networks for entrepreneurs and businesses committed to positive societal and economic change.
Seatrec is designs and manufactures energy harvesting solutions that generate electricity from naturally occurring temperature differences in ocean waters. Our modules enable oceanographic researchers to extend mission life and optimize data capture in the most eco-friendly manner possible. Other applications include oceanic robotics, ocean energy stations, and polar environmental research.
Marinas Bio cell-cultivates only the delectable part of the animal that aquaculture cannot produce efficiently for improved human and ecosystem health.
Natrx Adaptive Infrastructure is developing advanced technologies for a new standard in nature-based resilience and restoration.
NOAA Blue Economy Strategic Plan (2021 - 2025) lays out strategies and initiatives for expanding and strengthening the American Blue Economy by leading agency-wide initiatives and cross-sector collaboration in the areas of Marine Transportation, Ocean Exploration, Seafood Competitiveness, Tourism & Recreation, and Coastal Resilience.
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