The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub has revealed its selection of six companies for 2024, aiming to further develop their ideas and enhance offshore wind's potential in New York.
Chosen from a competitive pool of 78 applicants, these companies stood out for their innovative solutions poised to propel the US to the forefront of offshore wind technology.
Established in January 2023, the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, led by Equinor in partnership with Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium (NOWRDC), supported by the New York City Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC), continues to drive advancements in the sector.
The 2024 Offshore Wind Innovation Hub Accelerator Cohort includes companies from various locations, each offering unique contributions to offshore wind technology:
- Boxkite Software (Bristol, UK): Providing bankable-level accuracy energy yield assessments in minutes.
- Claviate (Aarhus, Denmark): Offering a visual data platform enabled by AI cameras for construction management optimization.
- Indeximate (Hinckley, UK): Introducing fiber optic sensing for predictive maintenance of subsea power cables.
- Pliant Energy Systems (Brooklyn, USA): Developing an autonomous underwater vehicle with robotic propulsion technology for enhanced seafloor surveying.
- Sensatek (Daytona Beach, USA): Specializing in structural health monitoring of turbine blades using video images.
- Triton Anchor (Boston, USA): Providing a low-cost, modular foundation installation system for various mooring configurations.
The selection process involved rigorous technical interviews and public presentations held on May 15, 2024, in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Selected companies will embark on a six-month mentoring and business development program residency, aimed at preparing them for strategic partnerships within the offshore wind industry.
According to Russell Bingham, Head of Product & Lead Robotics Engineer at Pliant Energy Systems, “Pliant believes that the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub accelerator will be a key partner as we move towards commercializing our technology first in New York City, then across the region and the world.”
In 2024, the focus of the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub's cohort selection process was on innovations that could enhance the project economics of US offshore wind projects. Evaluation criteria emphasized economic impact, including scalability, market traction, and potential local impact of solutions.
The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, headquartered in Brooklyn, aims to foster an inclusive supply chain and accelerate the green economy. Cohort companies will also benefit from NYCEDC's involvement in piloting and innovation activities throughout the city, while Urban Future Lab and NYU Tandon School of Engineering provide extensive startup support and a vast network of ecosystem partners.
