Maine Blue Economy Week to Spotlight Maine’s $6.8 Billion Ocean Economy and Future of Marine Innovation

Maine Blue Economy Week will bring more than 250 entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, students, policymakers, and marine-sector leaders to Portland, Maine, this fall to focus on growth opportunities across the state’s $6.8 billion ocean economy.

The three-day event will take place Wednesday, Sept. 30, through Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. Programming will focus on ocean innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and sustainable growth across Maine’s ocean and coastal economy.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Northeastern University’s Roux Institute, and the University of Maine are collaborating to host the event, with major support from the Maine Department of Economic & Community Development and Maine Technology Institute.

“The Maine Blue Economy Week event is a perfect algae-adjacent activity to the work we are doing in the Maine Algal Research Infrastructure & Accelerator (MARIA) project to grow the algal economy in Maine,” said Senior Research Scientist Mike Lomas, who directs the MARIA project. “These efforts are showcasing — and leveraging — the exciting discoveries and innovations already coming out of Maine to help create new economic opportunities and more resilient communities.”

Maine’s ocean economy supports more than 90,000 jobs and spans industries including fisheries, aquaculture, seafood systems, marine biotechnology, ocean data, coastal infrastructure, sustainable boatbuilding, marine propulsion, and marine energy.

Over three days, attendees will take part in panel discussions, breakout sessions, startup spotlights, an exhibitor showcase, a demo event, networking opportunities, and organized field trips. Sessions will explore trends in blue economy research, investment, entrepreneurship, policy, workforce training, commercialization, and collaboration between Maine’s research, business, and marine-sector communities.

Registration is available at gulfofmaineresearchinstitute.regfox.com/maine-blue-economy-week. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, contact info@maineblueeconomyweek.com.

Photo Captions

Photo 1: A number of lobster boats at anchor with a stack of lobster traps in the foreground.