The 5th Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge brought together more than 100 students and young entrepreneurs from 10 international universities, representing 30 nationalities, to reward the best business plans with a positive environmental impact on the ocean.
At the final on 8 June 2022, six finalists presented innovative projects for a sustainable ocean. The winners included Pogui Surf and Aqua Development.
The challenge, which is supported by experts and investors, is raising the profile of eco-entrepreneurship in Monaco. Camille Lopez, an inspirational participant, is a perfect illustration of the impact of this competition. Thanks to her victory in 2021, she has been able to develop the HY-Plug concept and set up a new company in Monaco in 2023 specialising in yachting. This demonstrates the transformative and innovative potential of the Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge.
"The 5th Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge
More than 100 students and young entrepreneurs from 10 international universities and business schools, representing more than 30 different nationalities, entered this 5th edition of the competition to find the best business plan with a positive and measurable environmental impact on the Ocean.
The international scope of this particularly tangible event reflects the shared vision of the 4 organising institutions, namely the need to raise awareness of the threats to the Ocean by encouraging entrepreneurship, creativity and the enthusiastic commitment of young people. The participants in the 2022 edition of the challenge have defended their power of innovation focused on preserving the Ocean in one of the two categories of the challenge: "students" or "start-ups".
A grand final on World Ocean Day
Six finalists presented their innovative projects at the grand final on World Ocean Day, Wednesday 8 June 2022, in the prestigious Conference Room of the Oceanographic Museum. Each of these projects has the potential to be part of the solution for a more sustainable Ocean.
For this year's competition, the 3 finalists in the student category come from French and Korean engineering and business schools. As for the 3 finalists in the "start-up" category, they created their company after June 2020 and come from France, the Netherlands and Latvia.
Innovative projects rewarded
In addition to a trophy presented by Alberto Vitale, a member of the board of directors of Monaco Impact, the 2 winners in 2022 have won overall support (financial contribution, pre-incubation or acceleration programmes, promotion of the project or company, etc.) to help develop their sea-friendly concepts.
The Pogui Surf project, created by two surfpreneurs who have devised a process for manufacturing sustainable, repairable surfboards from recycled and recyclable materials.
The Aqua Development start-up for its modular aquaculture farm, producing high-quality organic prawns using KAMI sys water recycling technology, the result of 10 years of research and development.
Towards blue soft power
Spearheaded by environmental experts and associations, as well as entrepreneurs and investors who share the same vision, the Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge is helping to raise the profile of eco-entrepreneurship worldwide and to deploy the Principality of Monaco's soft power in the field of ocean conservation.
FOCUS IMPACT
Camille Lopez, president and founder of HY-Plug, winner of MOPC 2021
"The Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge has helped to legitimise the HY-Plug concept in June 2021 right from the start. By focusing on the environmental impact on the seas and oceans, this competition gives the company a certain credibility and access to a network. to the company and gives it access to a network. So, after the Mark Challenge awards, and following the MOPC victory, both in 2021, I entered and won another prize: the Jeune Chambre Économique de Monaco business start-up competition, on 1 December 2022. I also took part in the Monaco Blue Initiative 2022, which gave me an insight into projects and businesses that help to protect the seas and oceans. This year, I was again present at the Ocean Innovators Platform during Monaco Ocean Week and it was rewarding to discover new innovations and extend my network. Thanks to the work I've been doing since February 2021 and all these initiatives, in 2023 I'll be setting up my second company in Monaco for the same activity, but specialising in yachting - a dream come true!""
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