Replicating Ocean
Success Globally
Just as the ocean sustains life on Earth, water sustains every part of our being, reminding us of our deep, intrinsic connection to the blue planet. The planet and humans are 70% water and our ocean is the unsung climate hero we have neglected for too long. So, we are building the missing blueprint to globally replicate and scale the solutions that work on land and at sea. People are at the heart of the blue transition and that's exactly where we are starting.
Okhtapus is the first Global Replication Platform(™) powered by a global network and marketplace, for a range of blue climate solutions in the ocean, contributing waterways, coastal areas, and the communities that are part of these ecosystems.
We designed our way in, we can design our way out
We unite innovators, funders, and enablers - what we refer to as the three hearts of the Okhtapus - to foster resilient and equitable oceans for the future. We do this through validation, matching, ecosystem building and storytelling for rapid connection, funding, and holistic, regenerative partnerships and replication. We presently focus on 200 meters inland and 200 meters out to sea along coastlines, though we often have projects and solutions uniting much further afield inland and out from the shore. The ocean starts in our homes, in our cities and communities, and protecting it also needs action both on land and at sea.
THE 3 HEARTS
INNOVATORS
Individuals and firms with proven solutions, aiming to scale and replicate their impact successfully.
ENABLERS
Authorities such governments and organizations empowering projects to start and drive change.
FINANCIERS
Institutions providing necessary funding to develop, expand, and replicate impactful projects globally.
INNOVATE
Our platform is home to ocean-focused innovators—startups, accelerators, NGOs, and blue economy networks. They are passionate about replicate their groundbreaking solutions to tackle pressing ocean and coastal challenges.
Who are Innovators?
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We connect innovators with strategic partners, including investors, mentors, and industry experts. This access to a supportive ecosystem fuels their growth, ensuring they gain the backing needed to thrive in the blue economy.
Building Partnerships
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Okhtapus provides innovators with a powerful platform to replicate their solutions beyond borders. By offering matchmaking with projects and entities, we help them maximize their impact on ocean conservation.
Have a tested solution?
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Share information on a previous project here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background of the work. Add details about why this project was created and what makes it significant.
Create a Lasting Impact
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Who are Innovators?
Our platform is home to ocean-focused innovators—startups, accelerators, NGOs, and blue economy networks. They are passionate about replicate their groundbreaking solutions to tackle pressing ocean and coastal challenges.
Have a Tested Solution?
Okhtapus provides innovators with a powerful platform to replicate their solutions beyond borders. By offering matchmaking with projects and entities, we help them maximize their impact on ocean conservation.
Who are Enablers?
Government bodies, corporations, and conservation organizations are the backbone of impactful ocean projects. By offering regulatory support, land access, and policy frameworks, enablers create the environment needed for innovators to launch and scale solutions that address local and global ocean challenges.
Have A Mandate?
As an enabler on Okhtapus' platform, involvement not only supports the success of local initiatives but also contributes to a global movement for ocean and coastal resilience. Together, we can create scalable solutions that address the pressing needs of our oceans.
Want to invest with impact?
We ensure that your support is directed toward solutions with proven success and scalability, enabling meaningful change across ocean and coastal ecosystems. Together, we drive progress in building a sustainable blue economy.
Who are Financiers?
Our funders include impact investors, philanthropic organizations, foundations, and corporate partners committed to advancing the blue economy. They are passionate about funding innovations that protect and restore ocean ecosystems while fostering sustainable economic growth.
Financiers
Okhtapus brings together financiers—from venture capitalists to philanthropists and impact investors—who are ready to fund transformative ocean solutions. Our platform matches them with vetted, high-potential projects from across the globe. By connecting directly with innovators and enablers, financiers can drive sustainable development, ensure environmental returns, and invest in projects that align with their mission and impact goals, accelerating progress towards a resilient blue economy.
Innovators
At Okhtapus, we connect ocean and blue innovators with a platform and marketplace to replicate and aggregate their solutions globally - increasing speed, efficiency and funding for the future we want to see.
We help those startups, entrepreneurs and pipeline makers, who are developing a spectrum of solutions - from cutting-edge technologies to nature-based solutions, and everything in between - matching the resources needed to replicate success.
By partnering with enablers and funders of all kinds, you as innovators gain visibility, support, and the opportunity to make a larger impact, driving meaningful change across ocean and coastal ecosystems while speeding your entrepreneurial and impact goals.
Apply today to join our network of innovators and be matched with project enablers and funders globally.
Enablers
At Okhtapus, enablers such as government bodies, corporations, and conservation organizations connect with solution innovators and funders to advance impactful ocean projects and site development where they hold the key levers to advancing such projects and the support structures around them.
We facilitate collaborations that provide validated regulatory support, land access, and policy frameworks necessary to initiate and scale solutions. As enablers, you help bring groundbreaking projects to life, ensuring they meet local needs in communities, while contributing to a global effort for ocean and coastal resilience.
Apply today to join our network of site and project enablers and be matched with solution providers and funders globally.
Funders
At Okhtapus, we are bringing together funders—from venture capitalists to philanthropists and impact investors and banks—who are ready to invest in transformative ocean solutions. Our platform matches them with vetted, high-potential projects from across the globe that are connected to validated solution innovators.
Our projects and solutions are vetted and validated using our award-winning Blue Transition Tool (™). By connecting directly with innovators and enablers through the Okhtapus marketplace and replicating and aggregating to one or more sites or project locations, you, as funders of all types, can drive sustainable development, ensure social and environmental returns, and invest in projects that align with your mission and impact goals, accelerating progress towards a resilient blue economy and whole-of-ocean approach.
Apply today to join our network of funders and be matched with solution providers and project developers globally.
We ensure that your support is directed toward solutions with proven success and scalability, enabling meaningful change across ocean and coastal ecosystems. Together, we drive progress in building a sustainable blue economy.
Impact
Our financiers include impact investors, philanthropic organizations, foundations, and corporate partners committed to advancing the blue economy. They are passionate about funding innovations that protect and restore ocean ecosystems while fostering sustainable economic growth.
Our Financiers
Okhtapus connects financiers with a curated network of high-impact ocean innovators. By joining our platform, you gain direct access to projects and solutions that are ready for global scaling, providing opportunities for strategic investment in ocean sustainability.
Why Partner
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Out of sight but not out of mind
The ocean is our largest global commons, but it and the contributing waterways around the world often fall victim to 'out of sight, out of mind’ and their resilience is at a tipping point. This needs our full attention.
The Ocean Is...
The Planet’s Life Support
The ocean is life support for people and the planet, producing oxygen, regulating climate, absorbing carbon and heat, driving the water cycle, and sustaining biodiversity and human livelihoods.
Our Climate Champion
The ocean absorbs about 31% of the carbon dioxide emissions from human activity and holds 60 times more carbon than the atmosphere.
A Biodiversity Booster
Oceans are home to an enormous diversity of life. Ocean biodiversity provides food security, medicine, jobs and livelihoods for billions of people.
Human Health
Ocean health is human health, as it regulates climate, provides food, supports biodiversity, and sustains livelihoods, while threats like pollution and overfishing endanger our well-being.
The Foundation of a Regenerative Economy
The ocean economy is human prosperity, driving sustainable growth, creating jobs, and supporting coastal livelihoods
Vital for Communities
Around 40% of the global population lives within 100 km of coastlines, with many vulnerable communities relying on the ocean for livelihoods, food security, and climate resilience.
We pride ourselves on collaborating with partners to drive impactful climate solutions and sustainable change
Time is up!
Now more than ever the ocean and all the contributing waterways need us to urgently act to prevent these remarkable functions from being overwhelmed and pushing the tipping points even further.
Join Okhtapus in building our Global Replication Platform and marketplace and network to take action today.
Dive Into Our Ecosystem
What we Waste
OKHTAPUS
What We Take
OKHTAPUS
What We Repair
OKHTAPUS
What We Protect
OKHTAPUS
Our Team
Mehrnaz Ghojeh
Co-founder
Design and Strategy
Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy
Co-founder
Ocean and Partnerships
THE 3 HEARTS
INNOVATORS
Individuals and firms with proven solutions, aiming to scale and replicate their impact successfully.
FINANCIERS
Institutions providing necessary funding to develop, expand, and replicate impactful projects globally.
ENABLERS
Authorities such governments and organizations empowering projects to start and drive change.
While Okhtapus co-founders, Mehrnaz Ghojeh and Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, have known each other for nearly a decade, with work on community resilience, climate action, cities, financing and overlapping projects and partnerships through the years, it was scuba diving, the love of being in the ocean, and a burning desire to connect people and places that brought them together on this mission.
On a street corner in New York City during the 2023 NYC Climate Week, the pair shook hands (with witness) and promised to build something for the ocean and for people - something blue, something bringing the sense of urgency and the frustration at the pace of impact, as well as the deep experiences they have shared, that would change the speed, efficiency and connectivity for solutions and projects globally. This “September agreement” led to the creation of Okhtapus six months later, with initial funding to follow shortly thereafter.
Innovators
Startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses, research labs and others with proven, impact-driven and already tested solutions, aiming to scale and replicate their solution, product or service successfully, connecting to projects globally. We also work with ocean and blue accelerators, incubators, NGOs and other pipeline and ecosystem-empowering entities.
Enablers
Key authorities and owners like governments, corporations, landowners, ports and planning institutions enable projects and site development, connecting to solution innovators and funders. We work with cities, island nations, tourism and blue economy enablers and beyond to start and drive change.
Funders
Funding and financing institutions provide necessary investments to develop, replicate and aggregate impactful projects and connected solutions globally. We work with funders and financiers across the spectrum of venture capital to impact investing and philanthropy to local, regional and global investment and lending institutions.
Our vision is a world absent of harmful planetary threats powered by the potential of people and the ocean to bring about a regenerative future.
Our mission is to supercharge thousands of ocean changemakers, to rapidly scale, finance and replicate the blue solutions that we need.
Christina Last
AI and Data
Amanda Horn
Storytelling
Serena Nguyen
Innovation
In addition to the core founding team, we have been growing a small but mighty team of doers, shakers and wavemakers. We are grateful for the ongoing support and contribution of Okhtapus advisors and collaborators to make our mission a reality!
David Janner-Klausner
Strategy and Operations Advisor
Carmel Rafaeli
Commercial and Investment Advisor
Owen Riddall
Product and Technology Advisor
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Our global network
For a global problem we need a global community to tackle it. Our network represents over 25 countries from The Maldives to Jamaica.
Inspired by the octopus's three hearts and efficient circulatory system, our platform connects trusted ocean innovators and local enablers to funders to scale impactful projects across the globe. These three nodes form the beating hearts of the Okhtapus, working harmoniously to speed up the replication, financing and implementation of projects globally.