John Preston and David Redhill partner with OIO to launch competition
John Preston and David Redhill have partnered with Ocean Impact Organisation to launch its inaugural PitchFest 2020 competition.
The announcement:
By 2025 Australia’s marine industries are estimated to contribute $100 billion per annum to our economy, with the ocean economy predicted to grow three times faster than Australia’s GDP.
Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO), co-founded by entrepreneur Nick Chiarelli and environmentalist Tim Silverwood (ex CEO, Take 3 for the Sea), today announced The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, a virtual event calling for applications from startups and scalable businesses working to create a positive impact on the ocean.
The finalists and winner of Pitchfest will share in over $150,000 of cash and support and join Australia’s first Ocean Impact Startup accelerator ecosystem.
“The event aims to discover, showcase and celebrate innovations and innovators with the passion, drive and potential to have a significant positive impact on Planet Ocean“ says OIO Co-Founder Tim Silverwood.
In collaboration with OIO’s Pitchfest partners including: Bank Australia, Deloitte, WWF and Patagonia, the event focuses on the 2020 UN World Oceans Day theme of ‘Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean’ and seeks to cultivate the next generation of ‘Ocean Impact’ innovators.
In a joint statement David Redhill (Global CMO, Deloitte Consulting) and John Preston (Ex Chairman of Publicis Media) said “Many entrepreneurs and conservationists do amazing work to support Planet Ocean, however, many go unheard of or lack the support to scale to an effective level. Ocean Impact Organisation and their innovative approach to the Ocean Impact Pitchfest, brings the community together to showcase their work and provides the opportunity to win fresh insights, inspiration and support to take their idea to the next level in the fight to protect the ocean. We both feel strongly about this area and both professionally and personally positively support this program.”
Pitchfest 2020 is now accepting applications. If you’re working on an idea that could make a positive impact on the ocean, more information and applications are available at www.oceanimpact.org/pitchfest2020. Applications are open from 25th August to 5th October 2020 with finalists being announced on 4th November 2020.
For more information on Ocean Impact Organisation please visit https://www.ocean-impact.org/
Source: Compass Studio media release
