Charting Our Ports’ Future
August 2026 Newsletter
Imagine a Boston waterfront where bluetech innovation coexists with the seafood-processing industry, allowing sustainability and economic development to go hand in hand.
That’s the vision Richard Davey—CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)—shared at this summer’s Demo Day.
In a fireside chat with SeaAhead CEO Alissa Peterson, Davey discussed the economic importance of ports, how Massport and bluetech startups can support one another, and why he’s eager for Massport to take the kinds of risks uncommon in government.
Key takeaways:
Massport sees ocean innovation as the next industry to vitalize the Seaport. “We were challenging ourselves and saying, what is the next ecosystem? What's the next cluster? What are the next things we need to be supporting? And we landed on bluetech.”
Collaborating with startups is a critical part of how Massport plans to innovate. “Government usually likes to be the second adopter. That is different at Massport—my drive is to continue to challenge us to take some more risks.”
The state’s ports can be major hubs of economic activity. “That is how we think at Massport: our role is to be stewards of not only the ocean and the land along the waterfront, but also the kind of economic activity we can generate.”
The best solutions boost sustainability, customer service, and financial outcomes. “The absolute gold standard is if you can improve customer satisfaction and improve the bottom line.”
Read more and watch their full conversation below for more insights!
SeaAhead Startups’ News
BeeX raised a $7.7M Series A to scale its underwater drones, which leverage physical AI to boost sustainability and resilience within the maritime sector.
Jaia Robotics was awarded a $6.1M U.S. Marine Corps contract for its low-cost, micro-sized, autonomous aquatic drones
USEFULL is bringing its plastic-free, reusable containers to takeout dining at The University of Colorado Boulder this fall.
FEATURED EVENT
Climate Salon is diving into bluetech on Sept. 1! Join us in Boston for conversations on commercializing ocean innovations, including within port infrastructure & supply chains, data & AI, coastal resiliency, and fisheries.
