Summary of the SOS Summit

During a thrilling two and a half days, this non-conference brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, policymakers, venture capitalists, and thought leaders from the ocean industry.

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Farvatn and Katapult Ocean welcomed everyone to the beautiful city of Bergen, Norway. Speakers Haakon Vatle at One Ocean Expedition, Petter Snare at KODE and Lars Petter Hagen at Bergen International Festival gave insights into why we were all brought together. The mission of SOS is to harness the power of innovation and collective action in order to secure the health and vitality of our oceans.

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Non conference - conference

The next morning, we were greeted by keynote speaker Dr. Sylvia Earle who shared her insights on the importance of our oceans and what we can do to safeguard its future, and ultimately our own. Climate activist and UNICEF ambassador, Penelope Lea, shared with us why she still has hope for the future and that collectively, we can find solutions to the climate crisis. Peter de Menocal of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Brad Ack of Ocean Visions then shared some of the current  innovations that are being launched in the Ocean sphere. Through fireside chats and panel discussions we took part in engaging conversations that led us to workshops in which we could transform knowledge into action. Covering the topics of Harvesting, Energy, transport, Ocean Health, and New Frontiers, participants were able to choose where they would make the biggest impact. Throughout the day, networking allowed for new partnerships to be built, fulfilling the mission of a transformative non-conference event. The evening concluded with a Visions of the Fjord tour aboard the world’s first hybrid passenger vessel. While onboard, participants could continue to build new partnerships, linking investors, innovators, researchers, and policymakers. The evening ended in merriment and comradery in the shared vision of a sustainable ocean.

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PROGRAM AND SPEAKERS

Field trips, expeditions and ocean activities

Tuesday brought sunshine, which of course meant a day of expeditions and ocean activities. Participants visited Northern Lights - the World’s first full-scale Carbon Capture and Storage facility, set to begin operations in 2024. In breakout sessions, participants were then able to listen to researchers within the field of marine science, to get the latest in innovations like climate forecasting and fish farming. Sprinkled throughout the day were opportunities to take part in The Dale Oen Experiences that included free-diving, fjord safari, historical walks, climbing, kayaking, beach cleaning, and a sea food experience. After a fun and thoughtful filled day, we were welcomed to the Bergen Aquarium. Silicon Valley based Extreme Tech Challenge hosted the startup pitch competition where startups pitched solutions for the ocean.

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Follow-up summit in San Francisco in 2025

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SOS is an initiative to finding solutions towards a more sustainable ocean through the UN Ocean Decade. It is the beginning of a long lasting community of change makers. Join us as we continue to explore new horizons through webinars and a follow-up summit in San Francisco 2025.

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