collaborate
Ocean startup hub
The Mississippi Gulf Coast—the nation’s lab bench for prototyping and waterborne testing—welcomes innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers working on uncrewed maritime systems, precision aquaculture, and blue technology innovations.
Startups, established companies, researchers, and agencies benefit from proximity to each other and the direct water access, allowing them to immediately test and refine concepts at the harbor, nearshore, and offshore test and evaluation areas, which accelerate ocean technology development.
Partners include the U.S. Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Department of Homeland Security, along with select ocean technology companies. Collaborators share a mission to:
- Improve ocean mapping systems and navigation technology
- Study environmental change, geological processes, and biodiversity
- Build coastal resilience
- Better understand the ocean and coasts
- Develop products and services of economic and societal value
Spaces for Innovation
The Gulf & Ship Island Building is a collaborative workspace for blue tech innovation located in the Gulfport Blue Economy Innovation District. Entrepreneurs and startups come here to capitalize on…
The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center is the hub of the marine aquaculture program at The University of Southern Mississippi. The world-renowned center provides access to critical infrastructure and aquaculture…
The National Science Foundation selected the Gulf-Caribbean Oceanographic Consortium, cooperatively led by The University of Southern Mississippi and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, to operate the R/V Gilbert R. Mason…
USM’s Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise (opening 2023) is a research and development partnership program focused on uncrewed maritime systems and blue technology innovation. The facility hosts the…
The University of Southern Mississippi’s Marine Research Center features 18,000 square feet of classrooms, technology laboratories, a fabrication shop, and a deep test tank for university research in uncrewed maritime…
partners
sponsors
Learn more about working
with Gulf Blue
The Gulf Blue Navigator program leverages the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s position as an innovation gateway to support late-stage startups, shorten their development timeline, and accelerate their time to revenue. Participating companies 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, networking, and year-round access to warm coastal waters.
Follow Us
Gulf & Ship Island Building
2605 13th Street
Gulfport, MS 39501
228-896-2824
info@GulfBlue.org