Location: Aberdeen Room
Invitees: PhD Scholars & Postdoc Research Fellows

9:00am

MORNING TEA SERVED ON ARRIVAL
Convention Centre Foyer

9:00am
–
12:00pm

Graduate Attributes Session

12:00pm
–
1:00pm

LUNCH BREAK
Convention Centre Foyer

1:00pm
–
4:30pm

Industry Needs & Future Solutions for Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture
Presented by Ocean Impact Organisation in collaboration with the Blue Economy CRC

This interactive half-day workshop brings together leading industry partners and a select group of PhD students from the Blue Economy CRC to explore the current and future challenges facing sustainable offshore aquaculture in Australia and beyond.

Facilitated by Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) — Australia’s leading ocean impact startup accelerator and innovation partner — the workshop is designed to spark meaningful connections, inspire applied research pathways, and lay the foundation for impactful collaboration between academia and industry.

What to Expect

  • Hear directly from industry leaders about the pressing problems they are seeking solutions for — from offshore infrastructure innovation to sustainable feed and autonomous monitoring technologies.
  • Participate in facilitated group sessions to map how your research could transition into real-world applications that meet genuine industry needs.
  • Gain insight into technology readiness levels (TRLs), commercialisation pathways, and what’s needed to take an idea from lab to market.
  • Contribute to shaping future pilot projects and partnerships to be explored through the Blue Economy CRC’s research engagement and commercialisation pathways.

Facilitated by

Elisa-Marie Dumas

Head of Global Programs and Partners
Ocean Impact Organisation

Elisa-Marie Dumas is a global leader in entrepreneurial development, innovation, and commercialisation, with 15+ years of experience designing and delivering high-impact programs worldwide. As CEO of Springboard, she championed female founders on a global scale. At Investible, she led global programs and partnerships, driving the success of founders across both agnostic and Climate Tech Funds while supporting capital raises. Most recently, as Chief Impact Officer at Greenhouse, Australia’s first dedicated climate tech hub, she played a pivotal role in accelerating the commercialisation of groundbreaking climate solutions. Now, as Head of Global Programs and Partners at Ocean Impact Organisation, she continues to empower innovators shaping the sustainable blue economy.

5:00pm
–
7:00pm

NETWORKING EVENT
Convention Centre Foyer

ABOUT OCEAN IMPACT ORGANISATION

Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO) helps startups make their greatest impact through funding and growth opportunities.

Headquartered in Australia with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, our commercialisation programs and support initiatives accelerate the best solutions to transform ocean health.

At the forefront of the ocean health innovation ecosystem, OIO is passionately driving impact and investment into the rapidly emerging sustainable blue economy.