Tampa Bay Wave has launched the second cohort of its BlueTech|X Accelerator, bringing five startups from the United States and Europe to the Tampa Bay region for a six-week program designed to help early-stage companies commercialize technologies serving coastal communities, maritime industries and the broader Blue Economy.
Running from Aug. 3 through Sept. 17, the accelerator is delivered in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and operates as part of The Continuum, a national network connecting entrepreneurs with researchers, government agencies and industry partners.
Pompano Beach-based 1Print LLC uses large-scale 3D concrete printing to construct artificial reefs, seawalls and breakwaters that would be difficult to build using conventional methods. Seattle-based Dreadnot develops real-time seismic and climate monitoring systems that help coastal communities prepare for natural disasters, while Madrid-based ONA Protocol is building verified data infrastructure for the Blue Economy.
SampleServe Inc. of Traverse City, Michigan, digitizes environmental sampling, laboratory integration and regulatory reporting, and SwimSmart Technology LLC of Marquette, Michigan, develops technology designed to modernize beach safety operations. Together, the five companies illustrate how the Blue Economy has expanded well beyond traditional maritime industries into infrastructure, environmental technology, software and public safety.
Although the companies are headquartered in three countries, each founder will spend the program working in Tampa Bay alongside researchers, mentors, investors and industry partners.
Tampa Bay Wave said the accelerator helps founders refine their technologies, develop commercial partnerships and better understand the needs of government and private-sector customers while allowing participating companies to retain full ownership of their businesses.
BlueTech|X is part of a broader portfolio of accelerator programs operated by Tampa Bay Wave. Last month, the nonprofit concluded its 2026 Tech|X Accelerator with a Pitch Night featuring 15 startups working in fields including artificial intelligence, health care, fintech and advanced manufacturing.
Since 2018, Tech|X has supported 126 startups that have collectively raised more than $493 million and created more than 1,850 jobs, providing another example of the organization’s strategy of attracting early-stage companies to Tampa Bay and connecting them with investors, mentors and corporate partners.
The BlueTech|X Accelerator builds on industries already concentrated in the Tampa Bay region. Home to the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science, Port Tampa Bay and a growing network of marine science, maritime and environmental technology companies, the region gives participating startups direct access to researchers, potential customers and organizations working on coastal resilience, water infrastructure and ocean-related innovation.
Tampa Bay Wave launched BlueTech|X in 2025 to strengthen those connections while positioning the region as a destination for companies developing technologies tied to oceans, waterways and coastal communities.
Since its founding in 2013, Tampa Bay Wave has supported more than 670 technology startups that have collectively raised more than $1.8 billion in capital, created more than 7,300 jobs and completed 32 exits. Those companies now generate an estimated $450 million in annual economic impact, according to the nonprofit.