StartBlue is a blue-tech focused accelerator that falls under the umbrella of the Rady School of Management’s StartR program. Housed under the Sullivan Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, StartR was founded in 2012 and to date has yielded more than 300 startups, with over $200M in funding raised and has seen 6 exits.

San Diego is an exceptional location to launch and scale ocean-focused companies

With >3.3 million people, 1.57 million jobs, and a GDP of $241.9 billion, San Diego supports a thriving blue economy of ~114,000 individuals and 4,320 companies producing $16.2 billion of direct sales (2020 San Diego Maritime Industry Report). The region has a robust ocean science and technology industry, established TMA Blue Tech cluster, a diverse innovation ecosystem, large and active port and military, an international border, multiple tribal nations, and a wealth of ocean-research leadership.

StartBlue is offered at no cost to participants and takes no equity in cohort businesses. Each team’s time and active participation are its most valuable assets and required.

StartBlue's efforts support the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The Ocean Decade provides a framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the knowledge and partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. 

StartBlue supports sustainable solutions to support Life Below Water, #14 of the  Sustainable Development Goals.

Startup Testimonials

"The StartBlue Accelerator is a comprehensive program for the emerging ocean and blue tech space. The program has been instrumental in accelerating our journey towards commercialization. The mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities offered by StartBlue within the San Diego and SIO ecosystem are unique in this space."

Kai Pono Solutions

"The StartBlue program truly gave my company the boost into the Blue Technology space that I was lacking. Before finding out about StartBlue, I felt like no one in the traditional start up space could truly understand what I was working on. After joining StartBlue I feel like I had finally found people who truly understood the industry that I was tapping into, it opened up a whole network of mentors, investors and advisors that I would have not known how to access otherwise. Sometimes folks on the technical and sustainable side can be a little lowkey at regular startup events. It was always so comforting to know that whenever I would attend a StartBlue event that there would ALWAYS be someone there who could understand my technology and also point me in the right direction of niche contacts. Now that I have graduated from the program, I don't feel far removed at all. I still use the team as mentors and feel absolutely comfortable any time I need to help tackling a problem in my business."

−Navy McKee,  Founder of Kai Pono Solutions

Wild Genomics

“StartBlue has been instrumental in helping us explore our niche market, define our product-market fit, and refine our customer discovery efforts with valuable, ongoing feedback from our mentors, who are seasoned industry experts and founders. We appreciated visiting various facilities, like the Maker’s Space on campus, to explore potential collaborations for building our MVP. Although we have graduated from the StartBlue program, it continues to open doors for us by providing opportunities like TMA BlueTech membership, financial and logistics support for our participation in SD Innovation Day and the San Diego Innovation Showcase. We’re also grateful to stay connected in their network, where we hear about various funding opportunities that will continue supporting our growth.”

−Bilgenur Baloglu, PhD, Co-founder and CSO, Wild Genomics

Greenwater Scientific

“As the founder of Greenwater Scientific, I can confidently say that the StartBlue program has been an invaluable experience. Over the six months, the program offered a comprehensive journey through everything an early-stage entrepreneur needs to succeed, from mastering customer discovery to crafting an effective go-to-market strategy. The mentors were exceptional—highly experienced, approachable, and genuinely invested in our growth.

One of the highlights for me was the visit to the port. It was not only informative but also incredibly inspiring to see firsthand how the blue economy operates at scale. Beyond the curriculum, the program’s network is unparalleled. I’ve connected with passionate innovators, industry leaders, and like-minded entrepreneurs who I know will remain valuable relationships for years to come.”

−Dhruv Mehta, Founder of Greenwater Scientific