Programme

BBNJ and Marine Genetic Resources
On January 17th, 2026, the historic BBNJ Agreement officially entered into force, with significant consequences for the use of marine genetic resources. Marine genetic resources have widespread commercial applications, ranging from nutrition to cosmetics and beyond. The BBNJ has sought to create conservation, order, access and fairness to the vast marine genetic resources from areas beyond national jurisdiction. This side event will investigate the implications of the BBNJ in practice in this field from both the legal and commercial perspectives. It will consider the regulatory frameworks that might emerge from the BBNJ, and how commercial actors and researchers will respond to those regulatory frameworks. It will conclude with reflecting on the investor’s perspective, reflecting on the opportunities and risks associated with investments in industries harnessing marine genetic resources as these regulatory frameworks evolve.
Organised by : Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
ℹ️ 28 may | 11h45 – 12h45 | BOSIO Room

Ocean Capital Decoded : Mapping the Blue Finance Landscape
From over 200 initiatives screened between October 2024 and April 2026, this session reveals what the blue finance landscape actually looks like: its architecture, its blind spots, and its momentum. The BEFF initiative database has become a living observatory of ocean capital: tracking which instruments dominate, which sectors are emerging, and where capital concentrates versus where it is needed most. A key finding: blue finance is not niche. Opportunities exist at every ticket size, from pilot-stage start-ups to billion-dollar coalitions. The session will present a structured reading grid, the Waves of Blue Finance Framework, to help navigate this landscape, before opening up a strategic conversation on how institutions like CAF and the EIF are actively building the infrastructure that scales ocean investment. Participants will leave with a clearer picture of where the market stands, what is missing, and why the BEFF has become the central platform for accelerating the next wave of ocean finance.
Organised by : The Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, ORRAA, July Advisory
ℹ️ 28 may | 11h45 – 12h45 | AURIC Room

What Really Makes Africa’s Blue Economy Investable ?
This interactive session will explore a central question for Africa’s blue economy: not whether opportunities exist, but what is required to turn them into investable and scalable ventures. Across the continent, promising blue economy initiatives often struggle to convert early traction into finance-ready opportunities due to a combination of fragmented pipelines, limited catalytic capital, weak market validation, uneven enabling conditions and a persistent gap between entrepreneur needs and investor expectations. Designed in a Family Feud-style format, the session will combine live audience participation with a moderated exchange among selected speakers representing entrepreneurship support, investment, catalytic finance and market-building perspectives. Rather than relying on a conventional panel discussion, the format is intended to create an energetic, practical and audience-driven conversation around the main barriers to investability and the pathways that can unlock stronger flows of capital into regenerative and inclusive blue economy opportunities in Africa. The discussion will move from diagnosis to action by surfacing concrete examples, highlighting what different actors can do to reduce risk and strengthen pipeline quality, and identifying practical areas for follow-up collaboration. The session is intended to contribute to BEFF’s broader objectives by bringing an African lens to the question of how sustainable ocean finance can be mobilised more effectively, with stronger links between venture support, market creation, risk-sharing and investment readiness.
Organised by : OceanHub Africa
ℹ️ 28 may | 11h45 – 12h45 | POULENC Room

Underwriting the Ocean
This invitation-only roundtable focuses on integrating nature into mainstream blue economy finance. The session addresses a core mismatch: institutional capital is increasingly deployed into coastal infrastructure, maritime finance, sovereign blue bonds, insurance and related instruments, yet the ecosystem conditions on which these investments depend are rarely priced, underwritten or rewarded. The discussion reframes nature not as a separate asset class, philanthropic concern or conservation add-on, but as a material driver of financial performance. For ocean-exposed countries, assets and balance sheets, ecosystem degradation is presented as a pricing, risk and resilience issue. The central hypothesis is that the main constraint is not investor appetite, scientific evidence or public policy, but the design of financial instruments. Participants will work from a regional case study showing how coastal and offshore blue infrastructure is financed, and where marine ecology is either included in, or excluded from, the financing structure. The roundtable will examine how ecological performance can become bankable, which existing instruments can be adapted, where new structures may be needed, and how credible standards could emerge.Expected outputs include a concise joint note on design principles and, subject to agreement, a follow-on studio to develop an investable structure.
Organised by : Merika
ℹ️ 28 may |11h45 – 12h45 | SCOTTO Room

Financing Innovation for the Transition of Port Cities
This session will bring together representatives of port cities, investors, technology providers and institutional stakeholders to explore how innovation and private financing can support the transformation of port-city ecosystems. Conceived as a focused and interactive exchange, it will provide an opportunity to examine the conditions required to accelerate the transition of these strategic territories at the intersection of maritime infrastructure, urban development and climate action. Discussions will focus on key innovation priorities for port cities, the main barriers to the deployment of new solutions, and the opportunities to mobilise private investment alongside public funding. In this context, the roadmap of the international programme Financing Maritime Innovation & Infrastructure for Climate and Ocean will be presented. The conversation will address practical avenues for action, including the identification of innovative solutions to port-city transition challenges, the structuring of pathways to access private capital, the strengthening of knowledge-sharing and training among port cities, and the promotion of citizen engagement and stakeholder participation. Through this exchange, the session aims to contribute to a shared roadmap capable of accelerating innovation deployment, mobilising investment and reinforcing cooperation between cities, investors and innovation ecosystems.
Organised by :Association Internationale des Villes Portuaires (AIVP), Blumorpho
ℹ️ 28 may | 16h45 – 17h45 | AURIC Room

Blue Capital Reimagined : New Financial Instruments for the Blue Economy
Closing the $175 billion annual gap in ocean finance will not happen through goodwill alone, it requires a fundamentally new financial architecture. This interactive roundtable puts six innovative instruments under the spotlight: guarantees (to unlock blue loans and bonds for high-risk geographies); debt-for-nature swaps (to standardise and replicate complex sovereign debt restructuring); parametric insurance (payouts triggered by predefined environmental events); biodiversity credits (building market integrity for nature-based outcomes); impact bonds (small-scale fisheries bond, where returns are unlocked only when fish stocks and community income targets are met). Three questions structure the conversation: What works? What is still missing? And what can scale? The panel, ranging from institutional investors to financial innovators ensures this session is as useful for first-time investors as it is for seasoned practitioners.
Organised by :The Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation
ℹ️ 28 may | 16h45 – 17h45 | BOSIO Room

Banking on Blue in Europe : How Capital Meets Opportunity, Scale and Deal Flow
This 1-hour session shall present a European “policy to pipeline” perspective: how public investment, technical assistance and an innovation investment ecosystem approach can attract private capital to support a competitive and sustainable blue economy. The Europe Union offers a wide range of funding and investment mechanisms that support sustainable innovation, but understanding these mechanisms and accessing opportunities is considered complex by international investors and stakeholders. This session aims to provide a clear, structured overview on the Big Picture, How the EU invests in the Sustainable Blue Economy, Engaging with BlueInvest and what lies ahead.
Organised by : European Commission
ℹ️ 28 may | 16h45 – 17h45 | POULENC Room

Ocean Compass : From awareness to action, an experiential workshop on the ocean economy
Ocean Compass is an experiential workshop designed by July Advisory as part of the #BackBlue strategy led by ORRAA, the WEF and UNEPFI. It equips financial and economic decision-makers to understand how to direct their decisions and capital toward a regenerative ocean economy. The workshop moves participants beyond risk awareness, showing that concrete solutions exist, regenerative sectors are identified, and appropriate financial instruments are available.
Organised by : July Advisory, ORRAA
ℹ️ 28 may | 16h45 – 17h45 | SCOTTO Room

Unlocking the Seaweed potential : Deploying Integrated Financing Strategies to Scale Seaweed Markets
The seaweed sector holds significant promise for the blue economy, yet scaling it requires mobilising different sources of capital across the full value chain. This side event will map the sector’s financing needs and showcase the range of instruments already available to meet them, with the ambition of attracting new investors. After an overview of key figures, market trends and capital requirements, the session will examine three complementary financing levers: public grants and subsidies supporting sector development; equity investment strategies, covering investor rationale, exit pathways and risk management; and debt financing solutions tailored to the sector’s specific needs. An open discussion will close the session, exploring what conditions are needed to accelerate capital deployment.
Organised by : The Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, Albatros Advisory, EU4Algae, Global Seaweed Coalition, European Algae Biomass Association
ℹ️ 29 may |11h00 – 12h00 | BOSIO Room

Circularity : Time to Turn Vision into Implementation at Scale
This session will bring together a selected group of global funds committed to advancing the circular economy, building on more than a decade of industrial transition, practical learning and growing market momentum. Conceived as a focused and forward-looking discussion, it will explore how circularity is increasingly emerging as both an economic priority and a strategic investment theme. Attention will be given to markets that are ready to accelerate, supported by a stronger alignment between business readiness, regulatory developments and policy momentum. The discussion will also examine areas of urgent concern where disruption is both necessary and timely, and where circular solutions can already deliver immediate relevance and tangible impact. Concrete examples of successful implementation will be highlighted, notably through the experience of start-ups and solution providers supported by participating funds. These case studies will illustrate how circular models can move from innovation to deployment and scale. The session will also benefit from the perspective of asset owners engaged in industrial and circular transition, whose strategic vision and allocation decisions are helping to shape the future of the sector. Through this exchange, the objective will be to foster dialogue, share actionable insights and identify pathways for greater investment alignment and systemic transformation.
Organised by : Una Terra Early GrowthFund
ℹ️ 29 may |11h00 – 12h00 | AURIC Room

Scaling the Blue Economy in Asia
This session will explore how the global blue economy narrative can be more effectively grounded in Asian realities. While shared ambitions are essential, pathways to implementation across Asia differ according to national priorities, coastal and marine ecosystems, governance frameworks, economic structures and financing conditions. The discussion will highlight opportunities to scale that are relevant to Asian contexts, with a focus on approaches that are both locally anchored and aligned with broader objectives for ocean sustainability, resilience and inclusive economic development. It will examine the role of innovation, investment and partnership in supporting these pathways across the region.
ℹ️ 29 may |11h00 – 12h00 | POULENC Room

Unlocking Capital for the Blue Economy
The ocean is central to addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, while sustaining the livelihoods of over three billion people worldwide. Yet, despite growing awareness of its strategic importance, the blue economy remains significantly undercapitalised. Over the past decade, a growing ecosystem of investment opportunities has emerged across sectors such as sustainable seafood, marine conservation, ocean-based climate solutions and maritime decarbonisation. However, capital deployment has not kept pace with the scale of the opportunity or the urgency of the challenges. Family offices, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and endowments are uniquely positioned to play a key role. They control significant pools of capital, often have long-term investment horizons, and are increasingly integrating sustainability considerations into their strategies. Designed as an invitation-only workshop held under the Chatham House Rule, this session aims to move beyond general discussions and focus on actionable pathways to unlock and scale investment in the blue economy.
Organised by : Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
ℹ️ 29 may |12h15 – 14h15 | INDIGO Room

Nature, Data and the Future of Blue Finance
The ocean will remain the largest unpriced natural asset on Earth, while finance will continue to face a structural challenge: the datasets capable of informing decisions on ocean health are often highly contextual, difficult to interpret without scientific expertise, and not easily translated into standardised risk metrics. Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence will increasingly help bridge this gap, from the analysis of environmental DNA to assess marine biodiversity to satellite-based monitoring of vessel behaviour and emissions. This session will bring together AI data providers and a sustainable finance practitioner to examine where the gap currently lies between ocean-related AI insights and actionable financial decision-making. It will explore how emerging tools may help convert complex scientific and operational data into information that is relevant, intelligible and usable for financial actors. By fostering this dialogue, the discussion will seek to identify what will be required to move from technological potential to practical application, and how AI may support a more informed integration of ocean-related considerations into financial frameworks.
Organised by : Green Digital Finance Alliance (GDFA)
ℹ️ 29 may |13h30 – 14h30 | AURIC Room

Measure What Matters : Standardising Impact Metrics for the Ocean
You can’t finance what you can’t measure. This session builds on the Ocean Metrics Solution Hub launched at BEFF 2025 to move the conversation forward: from frameworks and aspirations to real-world implementation. The session spotlights practitioners who have already embedded impact metrics into their operations: Green Marine Europe, whose voluntary certification programme now covers greenhouse gas, sulphur, and NOx emissions across the maritime sector; Port Atlantique de La Rochelle, which piloted the programme; and 2050, a Paris-based VC firm whose method integrates sustainability KPIs, SFDR requirements, and Principal Adverse Impact indicators into its investment decisions. Building on an analysis of around 50 frameworks undertaken by the organisers, the session closes with a fireside conversation on the frontier challenge: how to build universal, scientifically credible metrics for marine environments amid scientific and technological limitations, and how to translate scientific complexity into bankable indicators that de-risk investment.
Organised by : The Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, ORRAA, July Advisory
ℹ️ 29 may |13h30 – 14h30 | BOSIO Room

Deep Sea Mining : Moving Beyond Extraction
This interactive session explores a critical question for ocean finance: not whether deep sea minerals are valuable, but whether they are still necessary in a fast-evolving innovation and investment landscape. As concerns grow around ecological risks, regulatory uncertainty and long-term liabilities linked to deep sea mining, a new generation of solutions is emerging, offering more resilient, circular and regenerative value creation. From advanced recycling and circular materials to biomaterials and ocean-based innovations, these alternatives show strong potential to reduce or eliminate dependence on deep sea resources. However, they still face challenges in scaling and attracting capital compared to extractive industries with established financial backing. Bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, industry and ecosystem builders, this session will use an interactive format to explore what it takes for these solutions to not only compete with—but outperform—deep sea mining in terms of risk, return and long-term value. The discussion will focus on practical pathways to accelerate capital flows and unlock a transition toward ocean-positive economies.
Organised by : The Ocean Opportunity Lab (TOOL)
ℹ️ 29 may |13h30 – 14h30 | BOSIO Room

De-Risking Coastal Resilience: Governance Pathways for a Bigger, Better Blue Economy
Big Ocean States (also known as Small Island Developing States) are among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations yet contribute less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Their economies, food systems, and cultural identities are deeply intertwined with healthy coastal and marine ecosystems. Mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass meadows are vital infrastructure that buffer coastlines from storm surge, support coastal fisheries, sequester carbon, and sustain the livelihoods for millions. Yet the policy frameworks intended to protect these ecosystems and the coastal communities that depend on them remain fragmented, underfunded, and insufficiently integrated into national Blue Economy strategies. This governance gap determines whether communities can adapt and thrive or face increasing vulnerability. The blue economy offers SIDS a genuine pathway to sustainable and resilient development, but it requires policy coherence across sectors and scales, finance frameworks that reward long-term resilience over short-term extraction, and strong local institutions and transparent governance structures that give coastal communities a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their futures.
Organised by : Stimson Center
ℹ️ 29 may |13h30 – 14h30 | BOSIO Room