Ocean Ecostructures, the innovative startup founded in Barcelona in 2020, is setting the standard for restoring biodiversity in degraded marine environments through its proprietary technology. This technology has already been successfully implemented in ports such as Barcelona, Tarragona, and Palma de Mallorca, as well as in various sports marinas along the Catalan coast.
The world’s oceans and the biodiversity they harbor play a crucial role in the health of our planet. According to the United Nations, they supply half of the oxygen we breathe and annually absorb 26% of carbon dioxide emissions caused by human activity. However, despite the critical importance of preserving oceans, human activity, pollution, land use, and coastal urban development are drastically reducing coastal and marine biodiversity.
In response to this urgent situation, Ship2B Ventures is endorsing the valuable contribution of the Ocean Ecostructures team. Through our BSocial Impact Fund, supported by FEI, Banco Sabadell, and AXIS, we have led a €1.6 million investment round to expand their technology to new markets and accelerate the fight against climate change. In this round, Inclimo Climate Tech and Banco Sabadell’s BStartup have also participated. According to Xavier Pont, co-founder and managing partner of Ship2B Ventures, “with Ocean Ecostructures, we breathe life back into the oceans through their technology. Ignasi is part of the new cohort of social entrepreneurs who think big and are our great hope for the future.”
Turning grey spaces into blue oases
Ocean Ecostructures’ technology transforms historically harmful marine structures, such as ports, into biodiversity hotspots through their Life Boosting Units. These bioregeneration structures act as micro-reefs, using natural substrates to recreate ecosystems that promote the diversity of flora and fauna. Ignasi Ferrer, founder and CEO of Ocean Ecostructures, states, “We have successfully developed a unique technology that turns ports into Nature Positive without interfering with their operations; this marks a before and after that we now want to apply to other structures, such as offshore wind parks.”
Comprising a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, technologists, and business professionals, Ocean Ecostructures vertically integrates the entire value chain—from continuous technology improvement to structure installation and subsequent impact monitoring. Currently, they have four ongoing projects where innovation and marine biodiversity recovery go hand in hand. For example, through the SEASLAG project, the team is developing new materials for marine regeneration structures using by-products from the steel and agri-food industries. Through 3D printing, they add value to materials that currently have no second life and would otherwise end up in landfills, with the corresponding environmental impact. The final product consists of structures made with biomaterial that mimics rocks, fostering the creation of new habitats for marine species.