OceanHub Africa (OHA) will launch its 5-year Impact Report at Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) 2026 in Durban on 23 March 2026.
This report reflects OceanHub Africa’s first five years of building a more regenerative and inclusive ocean economy in Africa, shaped by local entrepreneurs, stronger ecosystems, and coastal communities that can thrive alongside healthy marine environments. It shares what has been achieved, what has been built, and what is needed next to deepen and scale ocean impact across the continent.
From the beginning, OceanHub Africa’s belief has been simple: the Blue Economy must create value that stays in Africa. It must strengthen livelihoods, restore ecosystems, and unlock solutions rooted in local realities. While policy and research remain essential, OceanHub Africa has focused on entrepreneurship as a way to translate ideas into practical change with speed, adaptability, and proximity to real-world needs.
Over the past six years, OceanHub Africa’s work has focused on four strategic levers: enabling frameworks, capability development, enterprise-driven regeneration, and access to finance. Through this approach, OHA has supported 149 ocean-impact businesses, helping founders turn early ideas into stronger ventures while also building the partnerships and support structures that make the wider ecosystem more resilient.
“Rather than forcing a model the market was not ready for, we focused on building what was missing… OceanHub Africa evolved from a startup support initiative into a broader platform to support, connect and invest in Africa’s ocean-impact ecosystem.” - Alexis Grosskopf, Founder and CEO, OceanHub Africa
“Over the past five years, the impact has been measurable: ventures in our ecosystem have mobilised $20M+ in capital, women’s participation has increased from 24% to 61%, and our portfolio has created and sustained 1,700+ full-time blue jobs—proof that disciplined, tailored support can build real readiness and long-term potential.” - Herland Cerveaux, Managing Director, OceanHub Africa
With the launch of the Impact Report at OIA Durban, OceanHub Africa is bringing this momentum to the stage, sharing how an Africa-led ocean-impact ecosystem is growing, and what it will take to scale what has been proven.