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IFREMAR position allows mooring con? gurations and emergency towing. become a solution either from the ocean, e.g., marine renew-

Guisti cites advantages vis-à-vis other alternate propulsion able energy, biotechnologies, or for the ocean, i.e., addressing ideas. External mounting means Blue? ns can be retro? tted; climate change, pollution or over? shing.” it’s not a device just for new vessels. External placement does For selected projects, IFREMER does not set a time-to- not impinge on cargo space, such as alt-fuels like LNG or market deadline. Two recent awards show this wide ? exibil- maybe even hydrogen. It won’t interfere with loading/unload- ity, in interest and timeliness. One award went for a new com- ing operations. And it doesn’t demand fundamental vessel re- munication system for scuba divers, expected to be market design and new piloting skills, issues that add complexity and ready in a few years. Another, a biotechnology project using challenge to new wind-sail technologies and systems. deep sea micro-organisms to produce hydrogen, is expected to

Guisti said potential clients and partners include shipown- take much longer – about 10 years. Importantly, for those ap- ers and charters. Preliminary outreach is underway with Asian plicants not chosen as an IFREMER winner, IFREMER still shipyards. “It’s a trendy topic,” he commented. Next steps in- helps applicants establish alliances with other funding part- clude a model vessel in 2023, ? eld trials in 2024 and, hopeful- ners. Good ideas are redirected, not rejected.

ly, commercialization in 2025. It’s important to note Blue? ns’ Guisti was asked about making the jump from laboratory developmental context. Its website lists ? ve partners: to factory, turning Blue? ns into an actual product for sale and • BPIFrance, a French Sovereign Fund that invests installation. He said current partners will help facilitate that in startups; transition. One partner in particular, Greenpact, has special- • Greenpact, a “start-up studio dedicated to ized experience in “deeptech projects, with a track record in ecological transitions;” taking early stage technologies to the market.” Guisti said • CITEPH, a group of 15 large engineering and energy Blue? ns is on the lookout for manufacturing and integration companies, which itself is part of a much larger expertise, and they are looking to hire additional staff.

group called EVOLEN that includes 250 energy “World Campus of the Sea” companies working towards “carbon neutrality by 2050.” • The French Government; and, As important as IFREMER’s efforts are to advance startups • IFREMER. like Blue? ns, IFREMER’s work itself is coordinated within a

Blue? ns partnered with IFREMER in 2021, which holds the larger organization in Brest called the “Campus Mondial de hydrofoil patent. Development is within the IFREMER facil- la mer,” or World Campus of the Sea. In fact, the Sea Tech ity in Brest. For a start-up like Blue? ns, location is critical. conference is a product of the Campus Mondial, which might

The IFREMER facility includes an ocean-wave simulation be thought of as an incubator of incubators.

lab referred to as the Technological Research and Development The Campus keeps what otherwise might be distant play- (RDT) unit. The test basin is 50m long, 20 m deep and 12.5 m ers working closely. It seeks to establish complementary efforts wide. Researchers can program speci? c wave shapes and wave among regional academic, scienti? c, economic and institutional lengths that ? ow along the channel. Waves can range from pre- organizations involved in marine science and technology and the dictable to chaotic, or what Guisti calls “rogue waves.” It can gen- maritime economy. It is the ? rst such maritime and marine as- erate regular and irregular swells with a maximum peak-trough sociation in France. Its scope includes the tip of the Brittany re- amplitude of 45cm. There are two traction bridges, 25-tonnes gion – Brest and the nearby cities of Roscoff, Morlaix, Quimper and 5-tonnes, for models and associated material handling. and Concarneau. Its governing board includes individuals from

This equipment allowed Guisti and his colleagues to con- the French Navy to SHOM – France’s hydrographic and oceano- ? rm Blue? ns numerical modeling. “In our case,” he com- graphic service – to the IRD, the French Institute for Development mented, “for such an innovative technology, it was important as well as business, academic and engineering groups. These re- to have an experimental proof.” Guisti estimated there are just gional partners contribute funding, currently 350k€ per year.

four such wave labs in France, none as large as the IFREMER One Campus goal is to “be the crucible of forward think- facility, and, he added, likely available only at a cost to the ing.” Another is to “animate and support the community,” researchers. The point is, as an incubator, Brest is unique. It again, with a focus on maritime activities. It is upfront regard- would be hard for a startup like Blue? ns to start somewhere ing one bottom line outcome: “to ensure that this concentra- else. Brest of? cials want to make sure people know that. tion of knowledge in Brittany in the ? eld of marine science

Blue? ns was a winner of a “Concours Innovation” com- and technology leads to more business and job creation.” petition which IFREMER started in 2021. Project reviewers Success is never guaranteed, of course. But chances go way up include investors, incubators, scientists and entrepreneurs. when more and more people, working from the same playbook,

Startup awards are around 250k€. Alexis Mareschi, an IFRE- are on the lookout together. If something can succeed, people

MER spokesperson, explained that priority interest is given in Brest will likely spot it ? rst, and help it grow. As the world’s to projects “which can develop a startup (company) and can energy demands change, Brest will be leading, not following.

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