This EDA investment funds the blue angels upswell project, a capacity-building opportunity to expand the amount of angel investment in bluetech startups that benefit the environment and create new,…

This $3 million project grant from the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration's BUILD TO SCALE federal grant program funds the Blue Angels Upswell Project. The project will deliver capacity building for angel investors and bluetech startups through 2025. Key services include recruiting diverse angel investors, increasing investors' scientific and market knowledge of bluetech through showcases and e-learning, and educating investors on angel investment strategies and processes. The New England Aquarium Corporation will host speaker series, challenges, and educational programs to refine angel network operations and support early-stage capital deployment and job growth among regional bluetech startups. Once implemented, the project aims to strengthen the regional bluetech startup ecosystem by expanding angel investment opportunities.

This EDA investment funds the blue angels upswell project, a capacity-building opportunity to expand the amount of angel investment in bluetech startups that benefit the environment and create new, inclusive jobs of the future. The project will help build a robust pipeline of diverse angel investors to support technical, financial, and operational scaling of bluetech startups. The project work includes: (1) angel investor recruitment, including targeting more diverse angels host startup/scale-up showcases; (2) increasing the scientific, environmental, and market knowledge of prospective and existing angel investors to increase investor confidence; (3) establishing ocean science and bluetech challenges and e-learning modules bluetech corporate speaker series; (4) increasing investor knowledge on general good angel investment strategy and processes; and (5) developing educational programs to help expand and enhance the ability of the blue angels to deploy capital and stimulate job growth through refining operations. Once implemented, the project will target early-stage investors and bluetech startups throughout the region.