Blue Economy Summit 2026
Organizer: Oceans@Duke University
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 25 · 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
Location: HCA Auditorium, Fuqua School of Business Duke University Durham, North Carolina United States Get directions
Format and Highlights:
- Duration: 5.0 hours
- Format: In person
About This Event: The Blue Economy Summit is the flagship convening of Oceans Week at Duke University, uniting global thought leaders, practitioners, and students across science, business, law, and policy. This year’s theme explores how marine science discovery can evolve into scalable solutions through enterprises that protect and restore ocean ecosystems.
The half-day program bridges academic insight with entrepreneurial drive, highlighting pathways where innovation meets impact. Sessions will spotlight emerging ideas from labs, fieldwork, and classrooms, supporting their evolution into ventures that reshape markets, finance biodiversity, and advance environmental justice.
For philanthropists, foundations, and mission-driven investors, the Summit offers a launchpad for real-world collaboration and impact, connecting partners ready to accelerate systems-level change in regenerative aquaculture, blue carbon markets, nature-positive financing, and inclusive coastal development.
What to Expect:
- Keynote address from Kristin Rechberger, CEO of Dynamic Planet and Duke ’95 alumna
- Panel on translating marine research breakthroughs into market-ready solutions for ocean health
- Panel on how finance and policy drive scalable conservation and equitable growth in the blue economy, sponsored by Builders Vision
- Student Q&A with panelists and contributors
- Closing “Seaside Chat” with Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, CEO of the World Ocean Council, and Dan Vermeer, Executive Director of Duke’s Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment
- Networking with Duke students, faculty, and partners
Panel Presenters / Speakers:
- Kristin Rechberger — CEO, Dynamic Planet (Keynote)
- John Bohorquez, Ph.D. — Founder, Blue Economy Solutions Lab; Adjunct Professor, Duke University (Opening Remarks)
- Mark Huang — Co-founder and General Partner, Longleaf Studios
- Shannon Parker — Founder of ReefCycle; Executive in Residence, Duke University
- Nelly Ramírez-Moncada, Ph.D. — Co-Lead, CIFAR Alliance Secretariat
- Ty Roach, Ph.D. — CEO of Coral Arks; Assistant Professor, Duke University Marine Lab
- Laura Deaton, J.D. — Executive Director, Multiplier
- Charlotte Hudson — Executive Director, Blue Convergence Fund
- Suzanne Johnson — Senior Advisor, United Nations Global Compact
- Alexandra Leeper, Ph.D. — Managing Director, Iceland Ocean Cluster
- Xiao Recio-Blanco, S.J.D. — Program Officer, Builders Vision (Moderator, Panel II)
- Douglas Nowacek, Ph.D. — Nicholas School of the Environment (Moderator, Panel I)
- Rebecca Vidra, Ph.D. — Nicholas School of the Environment (Moderator, Panel I)
- Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy — CEO, World Ocean Council; Co-founder, Okhtapus (Seaside Chat)
- Dan Vermeer, Ph.D. — Executive Director, EDGE; Associate Professor, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University (Seaside Chat)
Contact or Registration: Register at https://sites.duke.edu/oceansweek/blue-economy-summit-2026/ · For partnership inquiries: dukeoceans_info@duke.edu