I had the opportunity to attend Progression 2025, a conference that partners with outdoor sports industry stakeholders, investors, and non-profits to highlight fundraising startups that are aligned with the conference’s sustainability goals. In partnership with the World Surf League and the Surf Conservation program at Conservation International, this event brought together a unique blend of people who share a passion for ocean conservation. Something that stood out most to me is how Progression reimagines venture capital, framing investing as a powerful tool to drive systemic change that is rooted in collaboration and impact beyond financial return.

Six early-stage startups shared how they are approaching conservation and addressing the threats to our oceans today. From seaweed solutions to ecosystem restoring robots–each presentation was as innovative and inspiring as the next. Their work exemplified the power of bringing together passion, science, creativity, and collaboration to drive meaningful change. Here is a brief reflection on the six startups featured at Progression 2025– and what you should know about the incredible work they are doing to shape a better future!

‍

Sway

Plastic waste poses a large environmental threat. During her presentation, Julia Marsh, co-founder of Sway, asked a thought provoking question: “what’s the cost of our inaction?” Sway is a seaweed based biodegradable packaging company that seeks to tackle the growing plastic and microplastic problem ushering in a new age of materials– one that has flourished on Earth for nearly one billion years…seaweed. “Performance without permanence” is their philosophy, as seaweed is a resource efficient, effective, and rapidly decomposing material. Learning more about the biodegradable packaging industry and Sway’s methodology, I was left with the question: what if plastic was regenerative rather than destructive?

‍

Cruz Foam

John Felts, co-founder of Cruz Foam, put it plainly:“Solutions need to catch up quickly to our environmental problems.” Cruz Foam is a biomaterials company that is rethinking materials in the supply chain holistically. Founded by a group of surfers with the goal of removing single-use plastic from the mainstream business supply chain, Cruz Foam has developed the world’s first commercially scaled bio-foam. The company has paired innovation with new, circular material technologies to develop their product and allow for a smooth transition for their existing network. Crus Foam is raising the bar in the sustainable packaging industry.

‍

Flux Marine

In a day and age of electric cars, buses, and bikes– what’s next? Flux Marine has answered this question by taking electric motors from the street into the water. They have delivered a more efficient, sustainable, and enjoyable boating experience by designing and building electric boat propulsion systems. Flux Marine is an example of what can happen when a passion for ocean conservation meets cutting edge technology.  

‍

Natrx

Storms, erosion, and rising sea levels driven by climate change are putting communities, ecosystems, and assets at risk of damage. A practical solution to this challenge is the development of climate resilient systems. Natrx’s Adaptive Infrastructure delivers high-performance, practical, and sustainable systems and technologies that address resilience challenges by working with nature using their platform based approach to assess, address, and appraise erosion threats. Natrx is offering practical solutions to some of the biggest climate challenges by using nature systems as an inspiration to build smarter.

‍

Carbonwave

Carbonwave is a leading developer of advanced, regenerative, and plant-based biomaterials using the fastest growing biomass on the planet…seaweed. Sargassum (a seaweed) has started to overwhelm beach ecosystems across the Caribbean. When this seaweed accumulates on the beaches, it releases methane gas and leeches heavy metals. Carbonwave transforms sargassum into materials such as crop fertilizer and cosmetic emulsifiers by collecting and refining it to be upcycled. By upcycling materials that have long been considered waste into something that can be restorative, Carbonwave is creating a useful solution to the “sargassum emergency.”

‍

Ulysses

With a mission to steward the ocean for an abundant and healthy future, the team at Ulysses has created the next generation of fully-autonomous maritime robots that operate across sea domains. This technology is accelerating rewilding efforts and reshaping how work is done at sea. Ulysses’ mission to tackle the challenges in seagrass, climate resilience, and ocean health is pioneering a new paradigm for restorative ocean operations.

‍

Real impact happens at the intersection of innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Learning about the work the startups are doing and the innovative solutions they are building left me feeling hopeful and excited. A sentiment I heard echoed through the presentations and panel was that “collaboration is a multiplier,” and Progression is proving that by bringing together early-stage startups, investors, and athletes. Progression 2025 showed me that collaboration is indeed a multiplier in advancing towards our shared climate goals.

‍

-Allyssa Salcedo

‍