Funding Innovations That Protect Our Oceans with Millicent Pitts, Ep93
02/26/25 • 23 min
Send Crystal a text letting her know what you thought about the show!
This is another episode of the Forces for Nature, EarthX Conference series!
The health of our oceans is critical—not just for marine life, but for our economy and future sustainability. Enter Ocean Exchange, an organization dedicated to accelerating solutions that improve ocean health and coastal resilience. And, one of only four groups in the United States that was awarded the recent NOAA Ocean Enterprise Accelerator grant!
In this episode, I sit down with Millicent Pitts, the Executive Director of Ocean Exchange, to explore how they’re funding and supporting game-changing innovations in the blue economy.
From cleaning up agricultural runoff to creating bio-based chemicals from coral reefs, these solutions are already making a difference. Over the past 13 years of giving non-dilutive grants to start-ups, the finalists in their process have raised $3.1 billion, mostly in seed and venture capital rounds.
Millicent shares the challenges these innovators face, why investors are finally paying attention, and how we can all play a role in supporting ocean health.
Highlights
- How Ocean Exchange helps fund and accelerate ocean-focused startups.
- The growing blue economy and why it matters.
- Innovations tackling biodiversity loss, pollution, and carbon sequestration.
What YOU Can Do
Even if you’re not an investor or scientist, there are ways to support these innovations and ocean health:
- Stay Informed – Follow and share updates from organizations like Ocean Exchange.
- Support Sustainable Businesses – Look for companies investing in ocean-friendly practices.
- Advocate for Stronger Policies – Support initiatives that regulate ocean pollution and promote clean energy.
- Reduce Your Own Impact – Minimize single-use plastics, choose sustainable seafood, and reduce carbon emissions.
- Get Involved Locally – Participate in beach cleanups or citizen science projects related to marine conservation.
Resources
- Ocean Exchange
- Water Warriors
- Cordelia Biosciences
- Ocean Rescue Alliance
- Silent Returns
- Minesto
- EcoSubSea
If today’s conversation sparked your curiosity, there’s no better place to dive deeper into topics like this than at EarthX, the world’s largest environmental gathering. Tickets for their event in April are on sale now at earthx.org. Be sure to grab yours and join the global community working toward a healthier, more sustainable planet.
Want a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review it! This helps to boost its visibility.
Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and let me know what actions you have been taking. Adopting just one habit can be a game-changer because imagine if a billion people also adopted that!
What difference for the world are you going to make today?
Send Crystal a text letting her know what you thought about the show!
This is another episode of the Forces for Nature, EarthX Conference series!
The health of our oceans is critical—not just for marine life, but for our economy and future sustainability. Enter Ocean Exchange, an organization dedicated to accelerating solutions that improve ocean health and coastal resilience. And, one of only four groups in the United States that was awarded the recent NOAA Ocean Enterprise Accelerator grant!
In this episode, I sit down with Millicent Pitts, the Executive Director of Ocean Exchange, to explore how they’re funding and supporting game-changing innovations in the blue economy.
From cleaning up agricultural runoff to creating bio-based chemicals from coral reefs, these solutions are already making a difference. Over the past 13 years of giving non-dilutive grants to start-ups, the finalists in their process have raised $3.1 billion, mostly in seed and venture capital rounds.
Millicent shares the challenges these innovators face, why investors are finally paying attention, and how we can all play a role in supporting ocean health.
Highlights
- How Ocean Exchange helps fund and accelerate ocean-focused startups.
- The growing blue economy and why it matters.
- Innovations tackling biodiversity loss, pollution, and carbon sequestration.
What YOU Can Do
Even if you’re not an investor or scientist, there are ways to support these innovations and ocean health:
- Stay Informed – Follow and share updates from organizations like Ocean Exchange.
- Support Sustainable Businesses – Look for companies investing in ocean-friendly practices.
- Advocate for Stronger Policies – Support initiatives that regulate ocean pollution and promote clean energy.
- Reduce Your Own Impact – Minimize single-use plastics, choose sustainable seafood, and reduce carbon emissions.
- Get Involved Locally – Participate in beach cleanups or citizen science projects related to marine conservation.
Resources
- Ocean Exchange
- Water Warriors
- Cordelia Biosciences
- Ocean Rescue Alliance
- Silent Returns
- Minesto
- EcoSubSea
If today’s conversation sparked your curiosity, there’s no better place to dive deeper into topics like this than at EarthX, the world’s largest environmental gathering. Tickets for their event in April are on sale now at earthx.org. Be sure to grab yours and join the global community working toward a healthier, more sustainable planet.
Want a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review it! This helps to boost its visibility.
Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and let me know what actions you have been taking. Adopting just one habit can be a game-changer because imagine if a billion people also adopted that!
What difference for the world are you going to make today?
Previous Episode
How Microbes Are Solving the World's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Rudy Montes & Cheyne Robertson, Ep.92
Send Crystal a text letting her know what you thought about the show!
This is another episode of the Forces for Nature, EarthX Conference series!
What if nature itself could help clean up our most toxic messes? That’s the promise of bioremediation, a groundbreaking process that uses living organisms—like microbes, plants, and fungi—to restore polluted environments. In this episode, we’re joined by two guests who are leading the charge in this field: Cheyne Robertson, founder of Ergofito Bio, whose expertise lies in leveraging microbial solutions to heal ecosystems, and Rudy Montes, founder of Phoenix Harvest, a U.S. Army veteran turned environmental innovator working to transform toxic sites into thriving, sustainable landscapes. Together, we explore the science, challenges, and hope behind bioremediation, and the ways it could reshape our approach to environmental restoration.
Highlights
- What is Bioremediation?
- What role do microbes play in bioremediation?
- What are some real-life examples of Bioremediation in action?
What YOU Can Do
- Superfund cleanups often rely on federal funding through the EPA. Contact your representatives and advocate for increased funding and stricter enforcement of environmental regulations.
- Support legislation that holds polluters accountable for the costs of cleanup, ensuring the burden doesn’t fall solely on taxpayers.
- Learn about Superfund sites in your area using the EPA’s Superfund Site Locator Tool.
Resources
- Ergofito Bio
- Phoenix Harvest
- Get your tickets to EarthX
- Keep an eye out for Richard Harmer’s EarthX ProPlanet Podcast—coming soon!
Want a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review it! This helps to boost its visibility.
Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and let me know what actions you have been taking. Adopting just one habit can be a game-changer because imagine if a billion people also adopted that!
What difference for the world are you going to make today?
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