A wave of fresh innovation washed over Monaco this week as the 2025 Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge (MOPC) crowned its newest champions at the Oceanographic Museum on Wednesday, May 14. The competition, now in its eighth year, is a global initiative aimed at students and young entrepreneurs with big ideas for safeguarding the seas—and this year, it saw record participation.
Jointly organised by the International University of Monaco, the Oceanographic Institute, the Albert I Foundation, Monaco Impact, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the MOPC has become a standout on the international sustainability stage. The 2025 edition drew 138 teams from 129 universities representing 66 nationalities. After months of pitching and vetting, six finalists made it to the Grand Finale, where they presented their ideas to a jury of business leaders, investors, scientists, and startup mentors.
Held in the lead-up to two major ocean summits—the UN Ocean Conference in Nice and the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco—the event was not just symbolic but strategic. With the pressure mounting to shift from extractive marine industries to a regenerative blue economy, the MOPC placed private-sector innovation front and centre.
Among the winners was Cool Equity, led by Layasree Vemmata Gopi from Ashoka University in India. Her concept proposes decentralised, sustainable seafood refrigeration using passive phase change materials. The tech is designed to preserve marine biodiversity while cutting waste and empowering coastal communities. Cool Equity took home €2,000 in prize money, a €3,000 mentorship programme from White Castle Partners, and VIP access to the Oceanographic Museum.
Singapore-registered Rongbient Biotech, presented by French entrepreneur Thibaut Marvin Monfort Micheo, won the startup category. The company offers algae-based feed additives for shrimp farming, which slash carbon emissions and production costs while boosting animal health. Their prize included €7,000 in cash, a €4,000 acceleration programme, and an invite to the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.
France’s Izalgue, a team from EIGSI and ESCOM, snagged the CFM Indosuez “Coup de Coeur” award. Their algae-based insulation material offers a green solution to Brittany’s infamous algae overgrowth problem. Rather than incinerating the 50,000 m³ of seaweed that wash up each year, Izalgue puts it to work in the construction sector, reducing CO₂ emissions in the process.
Kenya-based Acquaden received the Spotlight on Africa award. This women-led mariculture startup is reinventing hatchery systems to be more efficient, sustainable and scalable. With a focus on crustaceans, seaweed and seagrass, Acquaden is creating sustainable livelihoods while restoring marine ecosystems. Founder Bridget Njenga received a €1,000 grant, access to the 1000 Ocean Start-ups platform, and a golden ticket to the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.
Each laureate received a bespoke trophy crafted from recycled materials by Alberto Domenico Vitale, a Monte-Carlo jeweller known for his commitment to ocean preservation.
The jury included CFM Indosuez Wealth Management, MonacoTech, Daxtachem SAM, SWEN Blue Ocean, and former MOPC winner Ocean Twist Biotechnology. The calibre of projects gave them a tough time narrowing down the victors.
Backed by institutions including Inalve, Clear Reef, Ecocéan, White Castle Partners, and the Association of IT Directors of Monaco, the MOPC continues to link brilliant blue economy entrepreneurs with the capital, expertise, and visibility they need to scale.
As the world barrels towards critical ocean summits in June, Monaco has sent a clear signal: young innovators aren’t just part of the solution—they are the solution.
Image courtesy of Olivier Romualdo
