Panels, Pitches, & Places

This article was contributed by Lydia Thomas, UNCW CIE Program Manager. The Ocean Innovation Conference has become a place where students and people from business, research, government, and the broader coastal community come together. In our August Insights article, we highlighted what can happen when these people collide – how a conversation can spark new projects and ideas. Each year, the Ocean Innovation Conference evolves to create more opportunities for you to connect, learn, and collaborate. This year’s panel lineup will dig into some of the biggest challenges and potential solutions shaping the region’s Blue Economy. The first panel, “From Pilot to Scale: Commercializing the Blue Economy,” focuses on what happens after ocean technology has proven it works. Getting technology off the ground is one thing but turning it into a sustainable business is another. Our second panel, “The Digital Ocean: AI, Data, Cybersecurity, & Maritime Security,” explores how technology is changing the maritime industry as it becomes more deeply embedded in ocean systems. To end the day, the “Sea to Table” panel dives into how entrepreneurs, researchers and industry leaders are developing more sustainable food systems while creating opportunities for coastal businesses and communities. Beyond the panels, the biggest addition to this year’s Ocean Innovation Conference is the Startup Showcase, a live pitch competition that highlights ideas from around the state and country. Audience members can vote for the "Audience Choice Award," announced later in the afternoon. And before you even arrive on Tuesday morning, you have the chance to immerse yourself in blue economy resources in Wilmington! Registrants can sign up for a pre-conference excursion hosted at four locations: University of North Carolina Wilmington's Coastal Engineering Wave Flume located in the Coastal Engineering building on Main Campus, the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Center for Marine Science (CMS), and in Wrightsville Beach, attendees can visit the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Finfish Aquaculture Facility and join North Carolina Coastal Federation for a guided “Walk the Loop for Clean Water.” The Ocean Innovation Conference is designed to move attendees from conversation to action. We invite you to learn from a panel, meet a founder, see technology in action, meet a potential collaborator, or pitch an idea (or all the above). Sea you there! Event Details: UNCW CIE’s Ocean Innovation Conference September 29, 2026 | 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. UNCW Burney Center Tickets Available Here (General Admission on sale for $139 through September 29 or sold out): https://www.uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/events-programs/programs/ocean-innovation/ Connect with CIE To learn more about CIE and our services, programs, and events, join the CIE newsletter. You can also follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, or YouTube. CIE’s website is uncw.edu/cie. Heather McWhorter is the director of the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). CIE supports innovation-forward start-ups and helps to build a vibrant innovation economy for all in southeast NC.