Page 92 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2024

USM’s Gulf Blue Initiative Sets a Course for Oceanic Technology Advancements
Leading marine companies have anchored their businesses to the Gulf Coast for decades and now oceanic technology startups are jumping on board with thoughts of utilizing the three coastal counties for advancements in the emerging blue economy.
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), along with the USM Research Foundation (USMRF), is guiding the way by recruiting and supporting late-stage ocean technology startups with Gulf Blue Navigator, a four-month blended program that provides access to expertise, collaboration, research, testing, light manufacturing, funding, and physical infrastructure.
“Since Hurricane Katrina, the Coast has invested over
$2 billion in infrastructure on the Coast that supports the growth of the blue economy,” said Natalie Guess, innovation and entrepreneurship program manager. She works directly with visiting groups and makes sure attendants – which number in the hundreds – understand the Gulf Blue Navigator is an accelerator for blue tech companies. She added the Gulf of Mexico mimics the China Sea with water depths, quality, and salinity. “Which is why we have so many federal agencies that test in the Gulf of Mexico along with the Department of Defense,” she said.
The project was funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012.
And blue tech companies are just as diverse as the ocean. The 2024 program included six startup companies, Mythos AI, LeVanta Tech, BLUEiQ, Seasats Inc., V2 Forensics, and Oscilla Power. All these companies have registered
to do business in the Magnolia State and currently have memberships to the Gulf Blue office in downtown Gulfport.
V2 Forensics is digital forensics with artificial intelligence, professional 3D scanners, and mobile forensics capabilities. Specialties include reducing complexity and time when
story by
Cherie Ward
photos courtesy of Gulf Blue
92 | August 2024
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Declan Kerwin.