Developing Infrastructure for an Ocean Tech Ecosystem

This paper presents the results of an ongoing effort to create a unique resource at the Center for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE) in Halifax Nova Scotia. COVE is a collaborative facility for applied innovation in the ocean sector. Its mission is to propel the ocean economy by providing high quality marine infrastructure and a collaborative space in which a community of ocean enterprises can start, grow and prosper. The primary goal is to support ocean technology commercialization. COVE is a community that brings together the best and the brightest to push ocean tech advances to market. The facility includes a mix of short and long-term workspace to support members locally and those visiting from other locations. There is also a full mix of programming that can be accessed on site and on a virtual basis. The amenities available to tenants of COVE include electronics fabrication and testing facilities, mechanical fabrication space, office space, storage spaces, waterside marine services and shared services such and a large multipurpose room for training and events. This paper discusses two key themes. First it reviews how COVE's unique facility and infrastructure has inspired ocean technology developments. In addition to results to date, this paper discusses the design of a coastal ocean observing system planned for COVE. This system will be distinctive in that it is intended to support technology commercialization, not scientific research. The design of this observatory includes a series of cabled nodes and options for various buoy-based surface expressions.