COAST Talks Podcast

Paige Whitehead of Lux Bio joins us to share her incredible journey from a spark of inspiration to a mission with global impact. It all started with a simple question after encountering plastic waste at a BC music festival: "Why not use nature's light instead?" That thought drove her to harness bioluminescence, creating a sustainable alternative to the toxic glow sticks used in everything from commercial fishing to space exploration. Paige delves into how her team is partnering with key players in the blue economy to replace hazardous materials with nature's own brilliant solution. Link to Lux Bio’s website: Lux Bio | Sustainable Bioluminescence Technology for Personal & Commercial Use Link to Lux Bio’s Instagram account: Lux Bio (@weareluxbio) Link to Lux Bio’s LinkedIn account: Lux Bio: Posts | LinkedIn

Joost Remmers of engineering firm TWD shares how global innovations in marine infrastructure and installation methods can accelerate British Columbia's responsible development of tidal, wave, and offshore wind energy.

On today’s episode of COAST Talks, we’re thrilled to welcome Voytek Klaptocz, Co-Founder and CEO of Offshore Designs Limited. Based in Vancouver, BC, Offshore Designs works on Industrial Robotic Ship Hull Cleaning to improve fuel efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve maintenance costs, and protect the environment from invasive species.

On today’s episode of COAST Talks, we’re thrilled to welcome Moronke Harris, an award-winning deep-sea scientist with experience in climate engineering and intergovernmental, multi-vessel research expedition planning on the high seas. Currently completing graduate studies in Oceanography at the University of Victoria, her research focuses on innovations provided by the most unexplored areas of the ocean, containing the most potential for discovery. Beyond academic pursuits, she is founder of creative science communication and consultation brand ‘The Imaginative Scientist’. Brand experience includes 70+ national and international speaking engagements, documentary narration, video production collaborations garnering 500,000+ views, and consultation for gallery installations, video game development, and film production.

What makes British Columbia such a compelling place to start and scale ocean ventures? During this special edition of the COAST Talks podcast, we take the mic to discuss the results from our recent BC Blue Economy Ecosystem Survey—and explore its broader implications for the future of the ocean sector. Then, we share how these findings lined up to inform the conceptualization and launch of COAST's newest program, the Blue Action Canada accelerator. To learn more about Blue Action Canada, visit canadacoast.ca/accelerator.

If you're up on seaweed-based bioplastics innovation, you may have heard of PhyCo Technologies. This Vancouver-founded company is focused on not only crafting a resilient, totally compostable alternative to plastics—they're working closely with First Nations communities in British Columbia to do it. Tune in to Ranah Chavoshi, CEO and co-founder, as she shares more about PhyCo's approach, their vision, and what they've learned from an incredible year spent travelling around the world to compete (and often, to win) major blue economy competitions. 

In 2024, Norway debuted the world's first autonomously piloted ferry in the Trondheim fjord. What will it take to bring this technology to Canada? More flexible and adaptive than traditional public transit systems such as rail or metro, public ferries are a promising way to adapt to fast-growing urban populations in coastal areas, particularly here in British Columbia. Vancouver's Sea Bus welcomes 14,0000 passengers each day! A ferry piloted autonomously offers even more exciting possibilities for the future of affordable and efficient marine public transit.  British Columbia-based Future Marine is aiming to deliver a prototype of North America's first autonomous ferry next year. Tune in to this COAST Talks: Podcast episode featuring Martin Stewart, founder of Future Marine, and learn what's in store for public, marine, and autonomous transit in British Columbia. 

Up to 70% of all ocean macro plastics are "ghost gear" — discarded, lost, or abandoned fishing gear. This poses a risk to ocean ecosystems and the communities who depend on them. Among their other projects, Victoria-based Ocean AID (https://oceanaid.ca/) has been working to help coastal communities tackle ghost gear by leveraging real-time AI to detect underwater objects to facilitate efficient, cost-effective removal. But Ocean AID is active far beyond just ghost gear—they're undertaking new projects with communities across BC to tackle underwater detection to remove pollution, improve biodiversity, and beyond. In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Polanyi, co-founder and executive director of Ocean AID (https://oceanaid.ca/) to learn all about it.

On this episode of COAST Talks, host Jason Goldsworthy, Executive Director of COAST, explores sustainable tourism within the blue economy with guests Daniel and Bushra Savard, owners of the Swept Away Inn. Learn how they transformed a US Navy minesweeper into a unique bed and breakfast in Port Alberni, BC, blending family-style Moroccan dining with eco-friendly tourism. Discover how their floating inn fosters community, supports local resources, and champions conservation.

On this episode of COAST Talks, host Jason Goldsworthy, Executive Director of COAST, as he chats with Dan Shumuk, Director of Product Development at AXYS Technologies. They delve into innovations in environmental monitoring, focusing on AXYS Technologies' cutting-edge floating lidar for offshore wind energy. Discover the importance of quality data, the multidisciplinary approach of their engineering team, and the future of ocean tech in BC’s blue economy.