Coastal Innovation Challenge Pitch Competition

We’re closing out the year with the Coastal Innovation Challenge Pitch Competition—an evening showcasing the four startups selected for the 2025 Coastal Innovation Challenge cohort.

Join us on December 11th at The Shop at the CAC to hear impact-driven founders share the technologies they’ve been developing to strengthen and protect the Gulf South’s coastal landscape.

Looking to learn more about emerging innovations focused on coastal restoration, sustainable construction, and marine biodiversity? This pitch event is an opportunity to connect with the founders who are shaping solutions for one of the region’s most pressing challenges.

The Coastal Innovation Challenge Pitch Competition mirrors the familiar Pitch Night format: each founder will have 7 minutes to present, followed by a live Q&A. A panel of Shell GameChanger judges will evaluate pitches based on feasibility, scalability, and environmental impact. After the pitches are complete, judges will select one company to receive the GameChanger Award.

Doors open at 5:00 PM with networking, light bites, and drinks. Pitches begin promptly at 6:00 PM.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2025
Time: Doors at 5:00 PM | Pitches at 6:00 PM
Location: The Shop at the Contemporary Arts Center
Address: 900 Camp Street, Floor 3, New Orleans, LA

Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.

Please register in advance to confirm your attendance.

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More on the companies pitching:
Tensora
Tensora is developing innovative geophysical sensing technologies and a novel controlled-uplift method to protect communities from flooding and sea level rise. Their vision includes operating a network of subsidence monitoring stations for improved flood-risk assessment and delivering ground-raising solutions using SIRGE — Slurry Injection to Raise Ground Elevation.

Sunfish
Sunfish builds and deploys advanced autonomous underwater vehicles that unlock access to the submerged world. Their technology transforms how infrastructure is inspected and water resources are managed—making the process faster, more affordable, and significantly safer.

Sinko Labs
Sinko Labs leverages naturally captured carbon to rebuild coastal marshland, strengthen shorelines, and permanently store CO₂—creating scalable, nature-based solutions for coastal resilience.

MarineSitu
MarineSitu provides AI-enabled monitoring for marine infrastructure through a SaaS platform that replaces time-consuming and hazardous manual inspections. Their solution reduces data processing time by up to 95% and delivers real-time insights to operators across renewable energy, aquaculture, fisheries, and marine infrastructure—helping eliminate downtime and prevent revenue loss.

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About the Coastal Innovation Challenge

The Coastal Innovation Challenge by The Idea Village and Shell is a competitive call for solutions advancing coastal restoration, sustainable construction, and marine biodiversity. With the Gulf South’s ecosystems and economy deeply tied to the health of its coast, this initiative unlocks scalable solutions that strengthen natural infrastructure and support long-term environmental resilience.
Selected founders receive mentorship, business support, and the opportunity to compete for a $150,000 non-dilutive Shell GameChanger Award.

About The Idea Village

The Idea Village champions innovation and entrepreneurship in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf South. Since its founding in 2000, The Idea Village has supported over 23,700+ entrepreneurs with mentorship, coaching, and access to capital. Alumni companies have generated more than $2 billion in regional economic impact.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Idea Village provides accelerator programs that guide founders from the idea stage through venture-ready growth, working to build a vibrant, resilient, and future-focused regional innovation economy.
Learn more at ideavillage.org.

About Shell & Shell GameChanger

Shell’s purpose is to power progress together with more and cleaner energy solutions. With global scale and deep technical capabilities, Shell continues innovating to meet rising energy demand while accelerating pathways to a sustainable energy future.

Shell GameChanger works with startups and businesses developing unproven, early-stage ideas that have the potential to shape the future of energy and sustainability. The program provides seed funding, expertise, and strategic support—while founders maintain full independence in decision-making. Since 1996, GameChanger has supported more than 5,000 innovators and helped bring more than 150 transformational technologies to reality.

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