What is the Ocean Enterprise?
The Ocean Enterprise represents a dynamic coalition of public, private, non-profit and academic organizations dedicated to delivering cutting-edge ocean observation, measurement, forecasting data, and operational ocean information products and services. It leads the way in advancing innovation and excellence in this field.
Sustained ocean observations, measurements, and forecasting data provide several societal and economic benefits. Within the Ocean Enterprise, various entities play a crucial role in generating and offering products and services that gather, utilize, and transform ocean data into valuable insights. These resources enable us to develop solutions that enhance the well-being of individuals and communities through the utilization of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes data and services. The collaborative entities that make up the Ocean Enterprise create a rapidly expanding business ecosystem with the potential to surpass the growth of the global economy as a whole.
Based on initial assessments and overall economic opportunities identified within the Ocean Enterprise, the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and partners have determined three foundational drivers needed to sustain effective public-private partnerships in support of bolstering the Ocean Enterprise:
- Regular and structured dialogue among all stakeholders builds trust and connection.
- Engaging in co-development of products and services across the value chain of observations ensures optimal results.
- Observing system operators, product developers, and data consumers need regular and predictable feedback mechanisms to sustain success.
These foundational drivers guide the framework of the newly launched Ocean Enterprise Initiative.
What is the Ocean Enterprise Initiative?
The Ocean Enterprise Initiative, a flagship program, aims to spearhead innovation, thought leadership, and economic development within the Ocean Enterprise. The Ocean Enterprise Initiative includes the expansion of the signature program Dialogues with Industry, launched in 2022 with partners from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), led by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), and industry partners Kongsberg Discovery and L3Harris.
MTS has secured funding to sustain and expand on the Dialogues with Industry program over four years to include additional structured dialogues, community convenings, expert working groups, needs assessments, impact reports, and more that support national and international efforts to:
- Grow a vibrant Ocean Enterprise business cluster.
- Sustain a robust ocean observing system.
- Facilitate data and information provision to support sustainable and balanced growth of offshore energy markets.
- Refine climate resilience themes within NOAA's Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerator Program.
- Ensure climate-ready coastal communities.
- Support recruitment and training of the next-generation workforce for the blue economy.
This investment, along with future contributions expected from partners as the initiative gains momentum, presents a unique opportunity for all of us to shape the development of the Ocean Enterprise. This will help drive the growth of the U.S. and global blue economy and ensure that our future workforce is ready to enter the job market, particularly in roles heavily reliant on advanced marine technologies. These technologies are essential for promoting the sustainable utilization and management of our oceans.
JUST RELEASED - Dialogues With Industry - Roadmap
Release Date: January 30, 2024
The Dialogues with Industry Roadmap builds on the proposed potential pathways identified through the series of consultations with the Ocean Enterprise and outlined in the Dialogues with Industry Synthesis Report and subsequent consultations. An important feature of the Dialogues with Industry series is its focus on an integrated set of actions that will enhance all components of the Ocean Enterprise across the Ocean Information Value Chain, as compared to focusing on individual actions. This Roadmap outlines a prioritized set of action pathways.
What's on the Horizon?
MTS, building on our many years of experience and community trust, plans to facilitate and deliver community convenings, expert working groups, needs assessments, and impact reports that support national efforts to sustain a robust ocean observing system, facilitate data and informational provision to support sustainable and balanced growth of offshore energy markets, enhance coastal and ocean climate resilience, ensure climate-ready coastal communities, grow vibrant Ocean Enterprise business cluster, and support recruitment and training of the next-generation workforce for the blue economy. These activities will also directly support the theme area development process for NOAA's recently announced Climate Resilience Accelerator program.
MTS will launch a series of small convening workshops and dialogues beginning in 2024. Stay tuned to the Ocean Enterprise Initiative evolution.
Want to be involved?
If you are interested in getting involved with the Ocean Enterprise Initiative, let us know by submitting this Interest Form.
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