SeaAhead Pilot 2026: Reverse Pitch Webinars

Earlier this month, SeaAhead hosted reverse pitch webinars as part of the launch of SeaAhead Pilot, our new program designed to connect pilot-ready startups with real-world customers and end-users.

In this inaugural year, our theme is Coastal Resilience and Coastal Asset Protection – with a focus on startups that can help coastal stakeholders characterize coastal conditions, predict hazards and system behavior, and intervene against risks and negative outcomes.

Reverse pitches give startups a direct window into the priorities of decision-makers and technology end-users. Rather than startups pitching to investors, our program sponsors and coastal stakeholders took the virtual stage to share their operational challenges and what they'd like to see from external innovators, to help startups develop pilot ideas grounded in real needs.

​If you are interested in program sponsorship and/or presenting in a reverse pitch webinar, please reach out to Julia Pangan (julia.pangan@sea-ahead.com).

Check out the webinar recordings below.

SeaAhead Pilot Reverse Pitch Webinar #1: Coastal Resilience in New England

New England's coastal communities face aging infrastructure, accelerating erosion, increasingly intense storm events, and the complex jurisdictional and regulatory landscapes that come with dense, historic coastlines. In this reverse pitch, sponsors and stakeholders laid out their real operational challenges and resilience priorities, giving startups a grounded, regional perspective on where innovation is most needed.

Presenters:

1. ​​Waterson Terminal Services – Ryan Daniels, Port Engineering and Capital Projects Manager (timestamp 9:11)

2. ​​Atlantic Resiliency Innovation Institute – Jeremy Devaney, Executive Director and Co-Founder (timestamp 16:11)

3. ​​Town of Plymouth – Mike Cahill, Climate Resiliency and Sustainability Planner (timestamp 23:48)

SeaAhead Pilot Reverse Pitch Webinar #2: Resilience for Tropical Coastlines

Tropical coastal communities are dealing with a distinct set of coastal challenges: sargassum inundation, managing fragile marine ecosystems, and the urgent need to restore mangroves and other natural buffers against storm and erosion. In this reverse pitch, stakeholders outlined their ongoing work to keep coastlines and coastal ecosystems clean and intact, and noted where innovation could add significant value.

Presenters:

1. Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust – Mark Martin-Bras, Director of Community Relations and Research (timestamp 10:03)

2. Virgin Islands Conservation Society – Anne Marie Hoffman, Executive Director (timestamp 24:01)