What is Blue Observer?

Blue Observer is an oceanographic platform aiming at decarbonizing oceanography and developing innovation projects to better understand, value and protect the ocean.

Following 4 strategic axes, Blue Observer proposes a new economic model based on public-private partnerships and the transition from fundamental to applied research.

An integrated ecosystem

Oceanographic sailing campaigns

Ships for economical, clean, flexible and silent scientific campaigns

Startup Studio for responsible innovation

An operational unit to support innovative projects from the laboratory to market launch

Funding for decarbonized research

A structure to finance and support oceanographic research

Communication platform

An integrated communications team to promote partnerships and raise awareness of ocean issues

Blue Observer's foundations

Exploration

Through our expeditions, we explore the world’s oceans and seas. We sail in little studied maritime zones and allow, thanks to our oceanographic sailing ship and our expertise, to implement the study protocols ordered by scientists.

Understanding

Our approach is part of the understanding of oceanic phenomena with the aim of enriching knowledge on the functioning and the state of health of the ocean, but also to bring complementary data to fundamental research and its potential applications.

Innovation

The ocean is an ecosystem conducive to innovation. It represents a bioresource of the future, carrying immense hopes and the support of many projects aiming at its protection. By supporting project leaders, Blue Observer accompanies and develops responsible innovations with high potential and a positive impact on the environment.

Awareness

Informing in a rigorous way about the state of health of the ocean and mobilizing for its protection is a transversal mission of Blue Observer. Through its communication platform, the team highlights scientific content for its partners, the scientific community and the general public.

Governance

In terms of values and administration, Blue Observer is a simplified joint-stock company (société par actions simplifiées) which has its objective defined as “contributing to the understanding and protection of the oceans as well as the development of a respectful, sustainable blue growth” – and intends to make concrete commitments, including decarbonizing its process and achieving gender diversity.

Expertise since 2016

2023
Launch of the Startup Studio

Blue Observer accompanies the development of responsible innovation projects from the laboratory to the market thanks to a cell of multidisciplinary experts and adapted technical and financial resources.

2023
Indian Ocean expedition, a long-distance expedition
map next expedition indian ocean

After several months of work and collaboration with the scientific community, the route of the next expedition is set. On the agenda: physical oceanography, microbiology, a study of pollutants and the observation of marine fauna. We are also continuing the transformation of the sailboat and preparing it for a departure planned for 2023.

2022
First innovation project: the strain library
Prélèvement microbiologique

We are launching our first innovation project in partnership with the Brittany region, Biotech Santé Bretagne and the Roscoff Biological Station. This is the first library of aerosolized marine micro-organisms collected at sea under sail. The objective is to screen new molecules of interest of natural origin with high added value for biotechnologies in nutraceuticals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

2021
Inaugural "Great Atlantic" expedition, a first for sailing on this scale
equipage voilier iris

Inaugural expedition in the North and South Atlantic for international scientific institutes and laboratories. The program includes the deployment of measuring instruments (95 Argo floats) and the collection of microbiological samples. This scientific campaign is recognized by the United Nations as an ocean science action for sustainable development.

2020
Creation of Blue Observer
logo blue observer

We identify the need for a flexible and economical solution to collect data at sea and decide in the fall of 2020 to create a SAS with a "raison d'être" to make a decarbonized oceanographic platform available to scientific and industrial actors. We acquire our first sailboat and start a large-scale project to transform it into an oceanographic vessel and prepare our first expedition.

2016
Creation of the Iodysséus endowment fund

In 2016, with biologist Pierre Mollo and seven friends who are passionate about the ocean and the environment, we created the Iodysséus Endowment Fund, a program combining research and scientific mediation around plankton by leading sailing expeditions.

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