A year ago this month – World Ocean Month – Propeller saw a need for a mini business bootcamp for ocean founders and built v0 of the Propeller Ocean MBA. We just wrapped our third cohort of the program, and the feedback makes us think we’re onto something…
“You all put together an incredible set of engaging speakers on topics that really matter for climate tech. I was especially struck by how deeply human all of the speakers were. They were open and vulnerable and willing to share the struggles they went through. They were not just pontificators. I think one of my biggest takeaways was the realization that there are so many individuals working in this space to approach the climate change problem, from so many different directions. It was inspiring!”
“This was the most concentrated, useful time we have spent since starting up.”
“You all need to figure out how to make that accessible to more founders. We learned so, so much.”
Our Ocean MBA program is designed and taught by founders for founders, providing ocean-climate startups with a 3-day intensive curriculum densely packed with lectures and exercises on – entrepreneurship, fundraising, business development, market creation, product market fit, climate communications, and more. It’s been a lot of work and a lot of fun to see this program grow in the past year, with the most recent Ocean MBA this May being the third and largest cohort. Thank you to the MIT Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship, our partners and friends at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and HubSpot, and our incredible sponsors at Goodwin Proctor LLP for helping make this event a tremendous success.
Founder attendees listen to a lecture along with Jake Russell, PhD and Propeller Operating Partner.
In this recent cohort, Propeller hosted 21 founder teams with vast expertise across ocean-climate sectors, with startups representing each of Propeller's thesis areas: carbon, organics and industrials. This space is growing, and so is the Ocean MBA, doubling in size since our first cohort. The traction in the blue tech space is undeniable as the opportunities for ocean climate solutions expand. The best part of this Ocean MBA event was the inspiring, ambition-fueled, and collaboration-centric atmosphere, along with the palpable sense of momentum towards groundbreaking climate solutions.
Ocean MBA founder strategizing during a collaborative working session.
For the founders we hosted, the Ocean MBA was an opportunity to gain a refined set of expertise that we hope will be beneficial to each of their individual ventures. It was also a chance to build a stronger community within the blue technology space, which is critical for the growth and success of every single startup and invaluable to development of the ocean-climate sector. Beyond this, a primary goal of the event is to bring together ocean-climate founders from a plethora of backgrounds, interest areas, and company stages (Pre-seed - Series A). The diversity of the companies in attendance provided unique learning opportunities for everyone in the room, and we were excited to see such a high level of engagement and collaboration energy from so many different perspectives.
Here’s a quick glimpse at a few stats for this cohort:
Of the 21 teams we hosted:
43% Pre-Seed; 57% Seed Stage
And founders in this cohort worked across these problem areas:
Thanks again to all the founders who joined us. We’re inspired by your work, your commitment to your missions, and the impact you all have on the world.
To keep up to date on the next Ocean MBA (2024), follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter @PropellerOcean, and subscribe to our newsletter here. For founders interested in potential investment opportunities with Propeller, please check out our Pitch Us form.