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Ocean Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Course Description

A hands-on approach to exploring innovation and entrepreneurship at the intersection of ocean science, technology, and business. Students form interdisciplinary teams to develop a startup idea, create a prototype, and pitch their solution to current ocean-climate challenges, guided by lectures, a mock advisory board, and guest speakers.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Advanced research paper or case study - students will choose a topic of interest to them, related to their research or background, about which to write an in-depth research paper or case study on a specific aspect of ocean innovation or entrepreneurship. The goal of this assignment will be to engage graduate students in thinking about how their research/expertise can be leveraged in the area of ocean innovation. Students will be required to meet with the instructor to discuss and approve their paper topic in the first few weeks of the course. Rough drafts will be due in the first third of the course (~week 6-8), with final papers due 2 weeks before end of term.

Athena Title

Ocean Innovation

Prerequisite

Permission of department

Semester Course Offered

Offered fall

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student learning Outcomes

  • This course provides a hands-on approach to understanding the ocean environment, its intersection with human societies and technology, and its myriad opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. This course welcomes students with diverse academic interests spanning marine sciences, environment and sustainability, and business. Students will work in collaborative teams to develop a startup, from ideation to prototype and pitch, over the course of the semester. Through lectures and guest speakers, students will gain insight into the greatest challenges facing ocean and climate, the latest trends in ocean technology and entrepreneurship, and learn the fundamentals of early startup ideation and development. This course will equip students to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application to become future leaders in ocean-climate innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to analyze the current challenges and opportunities at the intersection of ocean science and the private sector, to identify a societal need, determine the magnitude of the problem, and design a solution that accounts for technical, ethical, environmental, legal, and other requirements, with a focus on sustainability and environmental impact.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to design, test, and prototype a solution using scientific principles that addresses a specific ocean-climate challenge, demonstrating creativity and practical application of course concepts.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to develop and evaluate business ideas leveraging ocean science and technology, incorporating essential startup development skills such as market research, customer discovery, business modeling, and early-stage financing.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams to innovate and solve problems at the intersection of marine sciences, technology, and business, and effectively communicate the value proposition and potential impact of their proposed solution.

Topical Outline

  • Week 1-3: Intro to Ocean Innovation and Entrepreneurship Overview of the course structure and expectations Introduction to the ocean and ocean-climate nexus and its global importance Intro to contemporary challenges and opportunities in ocean/climate tech, overview of current solutions Guest speaker(s) Skills and interests' pre-assessment
  • Week 4-6: Intro to Ocean Science and Technology Fundamentals of ocean science relevant to innovation Emerging technologies in ocean science Case studies of successful ocean-tech ventures Guest speaker(s) Team assignments
  • Week 7-8: Ideation and Team Formation Principles of ideation and design thinking Guest speaker Team building exercise Building interdisciplinary teams and defining roles Workshops on problem identification and solution brainstorming Guest speaker(s) Team white papers
  • Week 9-10: The Innovation Process I Customer discovery and market analysis Business model development basics Analyzing competition and defining unique value propositions Creating a moat Pivot strategies Guest speaker(s) Team proposals
  • Week 11-12: The Innovation Process II Minimum viable product (MVP) concept and development Incorporating design thinking into product iteration Prototyping methodologies for physical and digital products Advisory board meeting
  • Week 13-14: Entrepreneurial Skills Fundamentals early-stage financing and financial planning Crafting a compelling narrative Communication skills Team progress report
  • Week 15-16: Pitch Prep and Pitch Day Mock pitches and peer feedback Refinement of prototypes and business plans Pitch Day presentation to panel of experts Evaluation and feedback, reflection on the entrepreneurial journey
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