SWEN Blue Ocean is proud to publish its very first public impact report!
We are proud to showcase the impact of 14 incredible ocean startups backed by SWEN’s Blue Ocean fund. We have included in this report a wealth of information, including comprehensive KPIs at both company and fund level, full implementation of the Ocean Impact Navigator and exciting case studies. Reporting on ocean impact is a learning process for our industry. We hope this report makes a meaningful contribution and helps build transparency of the ecosystem. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to share!
In 2023, SWEN CP further raised its ambition by becoming a purpose-driven company or “société à mission”. From now on, our mission is clearly defined: to put investment at the service of nature. It is much more than a change in our statutes: it turns our belief that investment can and must play a crucial role in preserving our planet into a commitment to action. The Blue Ocean fund is one of the concrete actions we are taking to fulfill the purpose of SWEN CP.
Last year, Blue Ocean made great strides, adding five highly impactful investments to its portfolio. We continue to be amazed by the creativity, skill, and grit displayed by blue entrepreneurs to invent scalable solutions tackling the toughest ocean challenges. Furthermore, we deepened our effort to help build a thriving ocean impact innovation ecosystem.
Our 2023 investments exemplify the systemic impact and return potential of our strategy. WSense, the “wifi of the ocean,” enables large-scale wireless underwater communication and data collection, enhancing ocean management and accountability. La Tournée extends the milkman model to all groceries, promoting shopping without single-use plastic and transforming consumption habits. traceless materials replaces single-use plastics with marine biodegradable materials sourced from biowaste, addressing plastic waste. Oneka Technologies uses wave power for near-zero carbon desalination at competitive prices. OceanWings harnesses wind to propel ships with rigid, plane-like sails, aiding in decarbonizing maritime transportation at scale.
Note that systemic impact cannot be fully captured quantitatively. We have therefore collected for each company “Impact Stories” to help you get a sense of the broader impact potential of the Blue Ocean portfolio. We hope you find them insightful.
We also actively contributed to the development of the ocean impact innovation ecosystem with partners like 1000 Ocean Startups and BlueInvest. We proudly supported the development of a digital tool of the Ocean Impact Navigator, a shared impact measurement framework. Along with peers, we implemented its methodology across our portfolio, as detailed in this report.
With fourteen investments reached in 2023, we anticipate our fund will be fully allocated in 2024. With that prospect, we are focused on supporting the entrepreneurs of the Blue Ocean portfolio in achieving their ambitious impact and financial return goals. At the same time, we start preparing for the next chapter, in order to scale the strategy demonstrated by Blue Ocean. We look forward to continuing this journey with you and hope you enjoy reading this report!
Blue Ocean Impact Report
Find out our 2023 report consolidating comprehensive KPIs at both company and fund level, full implementation of the Ocean Impact Navigator and exciting case studies.