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IN THE NEWS

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is the Innovation Gateway to the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf Blue Navigator, a program of the University of Southern Mississippi Research Foundation, leverages this position to accelerate time-to-revenue for late-stage startups. This four-month blended program provides unique access to expertise, collaboration, research, testing, light manufacturing, funding, and physical infrastructure. Following the success of the Gulf Blue Navigator’s Pilot Cohort the Research Foundation looks forward to the launch of Cohort – 1.
Our Cohort

Apply Today

We are now accepting applications for Cohort – 2

The focus of this Cohort is on Marine Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Coastal Restoration and Resilience.

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INTRODUCING OUR COHORT-1

Mythos AI Inc.

Developing advanced automation and self-driving for vessels to increase the resiliency of our waterways and solve the workforce shortage. (HQ: Florida)

VISIT SITE

Levanta Tech

Developing a versatile drone that can float on the ocean, collect data, and fly swiftly on demand. (HQ: Missouri)

VISIT SITE
BLUEiQ

Creating dual-use passive acoustic sensing to protect biodiversity, reduce effects of anthropogenic noise on marine life, and enhance ocean safety and security. (HQ: Massachusetts)

VISIT SITE

SeaSats, Inc.

Developing high endurance, modular construction, and portability combine with a user-driven UI and easy payload integrations to create a uniquely powerful uncrewed surface vessel package. (HQ: California)

VISIT SITE

V2 Forensics

Developing innovations to access, extract, decrypt and parse data logs with high detail. The results are a single platform to reduce complexity and time when investigating uncrewed vessel activity as well as advance cybersecurity. (HQ: Mississippi)

VISIT SITE

Oscilla Power Inc.

Developing an advanced wave energy converter that can power an uncrewed vessel and unlock the tremendous renewable energy potential of the world’s oceans. (HQ: Washington)

VISIT SITE

COHORT – 1
DEMO DAY

Interested to learn more about the graduating cohort? Click here to see the six startups.
Click Here

Application to Cohort II

This comprehensive program provides access to a number of local assets to shorten the development timeline for blue technology startups. Scaling startups will gain market access while engaging with university, industry, state, and federal partners, and potential customers. The Gulf Blue Navigator provides access to state-of-the art research facilities, wet-labs, co-working space, mentors and networking, and year-round access to warm coastal waters.
Program Length

4 Months

Application Portal EXTENDED To

October 11, 2024

Company Stage

Post-Pilot Startups

For Scaling Bluetech Startups

Launching Concepts into Scalable Coastal Impact.

Imagine accessing all the resources your startup needs in one place. If you are looking for a supportive and thriving environment, year-round testing with access to unique infrastructure and capabilities to take your startup to the next step in the fast-growing global ocean economy, this program is designed for you.

Startups who have a prototype and are ready to scale, are welcome to apply! Diverse applicants encouraged.

Our Story

Driving economic growth with world-class coastal assets and expertise

The Gulf Blue Navigator is the Gulf of Mexico’s premier blue-tech accelerator program. It is the innovation gateway to the Gulf of Mexico, bringing startups, people, and jobs, to the Gulf Coast.

After Katrina and other events that significantly impacted the Gulf, USM asked what role they could play to drive economic development for the community and leverage the existing Coastal assets and expertise. USM, working with key regional stakeholders launched the Gulf Blue Initiative fulfilling the state’s Ocean Taskforce plan. As a key element of this initiative, the Gulf Blue Navigator provides programming for startup companies that can benefit from the Gulf Coast ecosystem.

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