OceanLove honours global ocean innovators, awards $30,000

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p dir=”ltr”>The OceanLove Innovation Awards 2026 have recognised three innovative projects promoting ocean conservation, marine biodiversity and environmental education.

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p dir=”ltr”>The winners were announced at the third edition of the awards ceremony held on Oct. 11 at AltaSea, Port of Los Angeles, California.

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p dir=”ltr”>Newsmen reports that Anthony Akpan, President, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) is the OceanLove Ambassador for Nigeria

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p dir=”ltr”>The awards featured three categories: The Blue Circle, Living Sea and WaveMakers, with each winner receiving 10,000 dollars in seed funding.

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p dir=”ltr”>The winners will also receive one year of expert coaching, global media exposure and opportunities to serve as OceanLove Laureate Ambassadors.

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p dir=”ltr”>The 2026 edition recorded 487 applications from 91 countries, representing the highest number in the awards’ history.

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p dir=”ltr”>According to OceanLove, half of the applications came from Africa, while 73 per cent originated from countries in the Global South.

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p dir=”ltr”>The organisation said the applications represented an increase of almost 90 per cent compared with 2025 and nearly six times the number received in 2024.

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p dir=”ltr”>From the applications, 30 projects were shortlisted for an intensive online bootcamp with expert coaches.

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p dir=”ltr”>In the Blue Circle category, Josée Dancause of Monaco emerged winner with her project, "What If Sargassum Could Give Back?", which also won the public favourite vote.

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p dir=”ltr”>The project addresses the accumulation of Sargassum seaweed along Caribbean coastlines, which damages marine habitats, obstructs sea turtle nesting and releases harmful gases during decomposition.

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p dir=”ltr”>It proposes collecting the seaweed before decomposition and processing it through bioremediation and composting to produce soil-enhancing materials.

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p dir=”ltr”>In the Living Sea category, Md. Ashif Imam Khan of Bangladesh won with "GoldenRoots: Jute-Weave Bio-Shields for Sundarbans Restoration".

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p dir=”ltr”>The project uses biodegradable jute mats containing local sediment and mangrove propagules to stabilise eroding coastal areas and support mangrove regeneration.

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p dir=”ltr”>The initiative also creates income opportunities for coastal women involved in weaving the protective mats.

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p dir=”ltr”>For the WaveMakers category, Noortasha Devi Paramaswaran of Indonesia and Malaysia won with "GaiaOne Coral Academy".

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p dir=”ltr”>The project provides a 10-month training programme to equip women with diving and coral restoration skills, followed by paid internships.

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p dir=”ltr”>The programme aims to address coral reef degradation while expanding women’s participation in marine conservation and employment.

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p dir=”ltr”>Under the public vote, Ya-Han Tsao of Taiwan won the Living Sea category with "The Ocean Shade Blanket".

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p dir=”ltr”>The project uses modular natural grass mats to provide shade for coral reefs during extreme heat, with field trials recording temperature reductions of between 1.5 and three degrees Celsius.

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p dir=”ltr”>Abu Bakarr Bangura of Sierra Leone won the public vote in the WaveMakers category with "Coastal Watch Schools: Youth Drones for Sierra Leone’s Vanishing Shores".

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p dir=”ltr”>The initiative trains secondary school students to use drones and geographical information systems to monitor coastal erosion and provide verified evidence to communities and authorities.

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p dir=”ltr”>The ceremony also featured a screening of "Haagua", an Indigenous surf film by Native Like Water, and an exhibition involving 11 organisations and initiatives promoting ocean conservation, education and community action.

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p dir=”ltr”>OceanLove said the event attracted nearly 4,000 viewers through its international YouTube livestream.

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p dir=”ltr”>The organisation also announced the appointment of Falana Monroe as its United States Ambassador to strengthen community engagement and promote ocean conservation initiatives.

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p dir=”ltr”>Speaking on the record number of applications, OceanLove Founder, Ilco van der Linde, said the response demonstrated the availability of innovative ideas across communities worldwide.

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p dir=”ltr”>"When we started, people asked whether there were really enough ocean ideas out there to fill an award. This year we read 487 of them, from 91 countries. The ideas were never the scarce thing — the platform was," he said.

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p dir=”ltr”>OceanLove said it was developing an impact report, "The Heartbeat of Change", based on emerging issues identified in the applications.

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p dir=”ltr”>The report identifies 11 themes and 43 subcategories, covering ocean literacy, ecosystem restoration, pollution, climate, technology and the blue economy.

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p dir=”ltr”>The organisation said it planned to connect projects working within similar themes to encourage knowledge exchange, share best practices and accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions.

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p dir=”ltr”>OceanLove was launched in 2021 by Dutch social entrepreneur Ilco van der Linde and co-founded by Egyptian freediver Raghda Ezzeldin.

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p dir=”ltr”>The volunteer-run non-profit organisation provides a platform for grassroots innovators, irrespective of their background, institutional affiliation or financial resources.

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p dir=”ltr”>The awards are endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 14 on Life Below Water.