Victoria, BC, October 8, 2020 – Out of over 60 applicants worldwide, Open Ocean Robotics was selected as one of three startups to participate in Greentown Labs’ and Vineyard Wind’s Offshore Wind Challenge and accelerator program.

The Challenge, run by Vineyard Wind – the developer of the very first utility-scale offshore wind energy facility in the United States – and Greentown Labs – the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America – will accelerate and support the startups’ development of marine mammal monitoring technology, specifically for data collection and real-time transmission and analysis of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. The Offshore Wind Challenge is supported by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC).

“We are delighted to participate in this Challenge and work closely with Vineyard Wind, Greentown Labs and MassCEC to create a solution that will help protect the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale,” said Julie Angus, CEO of Open Ocean Robotics. “By working closely with those in the offshore wind industry and marine mammal experts, we can ensure that we develop technology that exactly meets their needs, enabling us to play a role in supporting this clean energy industry in the United States and globally.”

The Challenge is to create autonomous technology that can operate throughout all phases of the project, from development to operations, to ensure the protection and conservation of marine species and the environment, as well as the responsible development and operation of offshore wind facilities in Massachusetts and beyond.

“We take our responsibility as ‘first movers’ in the US offshore wind industry very seriously and are always looking for ways to implement new technologies that reduce impacts to the environment and marine life,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Lars T. Pedersen.  “We’re grateful to Greentown Labs for their partnership and to all of the applicants for their work and passion.  We look forward to seeing the development of these technologies and how they can assist our work and mission.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Open Ocean Robotics as an Offshore Wind Challenge participant and as the newest member of the Greentown Labs community,” said Emily Reichert, CEO at Greentown Labs. “Supporting the advancement and deployment of climatetech solutions is core to our missions at Greentown Labs, and we believe the successful scale up of the U.S. offshore wind industry to be critical to our progress toward a decarbonized future. We look forward to working with Vineyard Wind, MassCEC, and the Challenge participants to accelerate innovations that protect marine life in our oceans and advance the offshore wind industry in the Northeast and beyond.”

About Open Ocean Robotics

Open Ocean Robotics produces energy-harvesting unmanned autonomous boats equipped with sensors and cameras to make oceanic observations and instantly relay them. We offer a safer, more efficient and affordable way of collecting data compared to conventional crewed vessels. Using solar or wind power, our boats produce no greenhouse gases, noise pollution nor risk of oil spills, and can travel non-stop for a year, always on and always collecting information, transforming how we research and protect our oceans.

About Greentown Labs

As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown Labs brings together startups, corporates, investors, politicians, and many others with a focus on scaling climate solutions. Driven by the mission of providing ground-breaking startups the resources, knowledge, connections, and equipment they need to thrive, Greentown Labs offers prototyping and wet lab space, shared office space, a machine shop, an electronics lab, software and business resources, a large network of corporate customers and investors, and more. Greentown Labs’ 100,000-square-foot campus in Somerville, Mass. is home to more than 100 startups and has supported more than 280 startups since the incubator’s founding in 2011. These startups have collectively created more than 6,500 direct jobs and have raised more than $850 million in funding. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About Vineyard Wind

Vineyard Wind LLC is an offshore wind development company seeking to build the first large-scale offshore wind energy project in the U.S., to be located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. For more information, visit www.vineyardwind.com.

About the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is dedicated to growing the state’s clean energy economy while helping to meet the Commonwealth’s clean energy, climate, and economic development goals. Since its inception in 2009, MassCEC has helped clean energy companies grow, supported municipal clean energy projects, and invested in residential and commercial renewable energy installations creating a robust marketplace for innovative clean technology companies and service providers. MassCEC constructed and operates the Wind Technology Testing Center and the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides chairs MassCEC’s board of directors.

For more information please contact:

Samantha Davies, Communications Lead, Open Ocean Robotics, sam@openoceanrobotics.com or Cayman Somerville, Chief of Staff, Greentown Labs, csomerville@greentownlabs.com.

Or please visit https://openoceanrobotics.com where you can find more resources on uncrewed surface vehicles.