Introducing Planet & Purpose

Welcome to Planet & Purpose, a new Linkedin Newsletter featuring professional insights and personal experiences from ocean and climate ecopreneurs, investors, and advocates brought to you by Daniela V. Fernandez, Founder & CEO of Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA). This newsletter is paired with a handy ocean-climate glossary , for ease of comprehension.

In this inaugural edition, I explain my reason for launching, discuss the ocean investment space, and offer advice for Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs).?

In honor of National Inventors’ Month in May, we’ll sit down with SOA Ocean Solution Startup Navier Co-Founder & CEO Sampriti Bhattacharyya , clean tech investment pioneer Adam Pool , and SOA Mentor Phil Plumley of Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge for career takeaways and a conversation around innovation.

Stay tuned!

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for being here. If you’re receiving the inaugural edition of my Linkedin Newsletter, odds are you’re already familiar with my life’s work as the Founder & CEO of Sustainable Ocean Alliance —the first organization to launch an ocean-impact accelerator—and Founder of ocean venture fund Seabird Ventures .?

Discovered this newsletter without context? Let’s get you up to speed with an overview of my professional journey and fun facts about me.

“If not you, then who? If not now, when?”?

This adage was a favorite of one of my college professors during my undergrad at Georgetown University . It perfectly captures why I urgently pursue my purpose to save ourselves by saving our planet and restoring the health of the ocean in our lifetime…

Accordingly, I can think of no better time than the present—which just so happens to be Earth Month—to launch this newsletter.

In a broader sense, this is also the perfect moment to catalyze a purpose-driven, planet-friendly, and profitable workforce revolution.

Between 2022 and today, more than 300,000 US tech workers have been laid off. If you are part of this tremendous pool of talent, your transferable expertise and diverse experiences are highly coveted within the thriving climate and ocean innovation space.?

Last year, despite broader tech downturns, $59 billion was injected into climate technology companies. And by 2030, the global Blue Economy is expected to reach US $3 trillion a year and support 40 million jobs.?

Translation? Now is the time to pivot. You can dive into the sector’s potential with SOA and Leonard’s new report “Towards a Sustainable Blue Economy .”

The benefits of aligning your values to your profession to heal the planet far outweigh the risks of a career transition.

First, identify your preferred impact area and who is doing that work across sectors of the sustainable blue economy. Then, translate your skills to open roles or create your own startup.?

We are on the cusp of the next great industrial revolution and we need YOU. BUT, we don’t expect you to do it alone.?

My hope for Planet & Purpose is to inspire you, guide your career path, and introduce you to influential figures in our industry who’ll open doors.

In addition to my work in the social impact sector, I’m also the Founder of a Venture Capital (VC) Fund, Seabird Ventures .

The fund’s name was inspired by the National Geographic Sea Bird . Back in 2019, this Arctic charter ship hosted SOA’s 'Accelerator at Sea' immersion program – bringing together mentors, partners, and investors who aided social entrepreneurs in the evolution of their startups.?It is also where an initial $1 million was raised for a new VC fund focused on our ocean’s health and sustainability, and hence, Seabird Ventures was born.

VC finance is in flux, given last month’s historic collapse of Silicon Valley Bank , which funded 1,500 climate startups. As an impact investor, I believe that this is just a setback at this time.

The current economic downturn is not dissuading Seabird Ventures from investing in promising, innovative ocean solutions. To date, we’ve also invested in 75% women-led startups, with no plans to slow down.

In upcoming editions, you’ll hear from founders of select, innovative startups (such as AKUA , Blue Ocean Gear , Loliware , Navier , and Novoloop ) on the challenges and opportunities of ecopreneurship.

Moving forward, we’ll also learn from prominent investors, getting their takes on the current ocean and climate investment space, evergreen insights, and emerging trends.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in investing but don’t know where to begin, consider auditing your financial institution.?

You can call, email, or research how the capital in your checking/savings account is used and pursue this until you get a satisfactory answer, as their transparency is mandated.

The unfortunate reality is that big banks often invest in fossil fuels and high-carbon industries, so if your money isn’t funding climate-positive investments, consider making a switch.

As a former adjunct professor at Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a liaison to thousands of youth leaders globally, many confide in me and express both their career anxiety and aspirations.?

Time and again, I’ve heard the same things: “I’m not qualified,” “I want to help but I’m not ready,” and “I don’t know where to start.”?

The universal truth that I point them to, and hope might resonate with you, is that you don’t have to know everything to help solve these crises or to become an ecopreneur.?

Case in point. In my favorite podcast, How I Built This , one commonality emerges across interviews with hundreds of founders: no one knows what they are doing initially.?

Sir Richard Branson, a renowned entrepreneur with a net worth of $3B USD, began with a mail-order record business. He then expanded to travel, telecommunications, health, and banking (despite lack of experience in these industries). He attributes his success to following his passions and “failing forward.”

Inspired and ready to get started? Once you’ve identified how you could disrupt an industry, seek resources, and surround yourself with advocates who believe in your vision.

The “Brain Trust,” or personal advisory board, is outlined in Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill . Historically, access to a network of trusted mentors with complementary skills, knowledge, and connections has been a secret to success for accomplished business leaders.

Follow this example to quickly and efficiently find solutions to complex company issues as they arise. Smart leaders outsource and delegate, conserving their limited talent, time, and energy.

Henry Ford, a titan of American industry, famously maintained that he didn’t need to have all of the answers, he needed to know what to do with the information upon sourcing it.

If you still doubt your ability to join the sustainable blue economy or become a founder, I’ll give you yet another example of this concept in application. If you look at Sustainable Ocean Alliance, the “Brain Trust” is our exact model. We have an expert advisory board, a pool of mentors available to our network, and a proven cohort of founders who each bring their own unique solution to solving the greatest challenges of our time.

Moral of the story? I don’t do this work alone, and neither should you.?

So, what are you waiting for?

Have questions about the Blue Economy, Ecopreneurship, Investing, or Mentorship in the ocean and climate innovation space? Submit your inquiries here and we’ll answer them in upcoming editions.