Ocean Economy
World-Class Marine Science Powering Economic Growth
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Advancing Ocean Economy R&D in Southwest Florida and beyond
- Building a Silicon Valley of Marine Science & Technology
Innovative marine research that pushes the frontiers of science is the heart of Mote Marine Laboratory. Mote is inviting forward-thinking businesses to join us in research and technology transfer to grow and diversify the ocean economy in our region and beyond. By partnering with Mote, your company can leverage our marine science and technology-development expertise, facilities and intellectual property, amplifying your impacts on our oceans and your industry.
- Why Mote?
- Mote’s research programs are already leading the development of new technologies and science-based solutions across multiple disciplines in Southwest Florida and around the world.
- Mote has also been entrusted by state and federal agencies with leading massive, multi-partner research and technology development initiatives to solve problems affecting ocean and economic health.
- Mote’s City Island campus has now begun its evolution into a state-of-the-art, International Marine Science & Technology Innovation Park that will include:
- A new Center of Excellence for Ocean Technology and Artificial Intelligence that will focus on autonomous and remotely operated vehicles, next generation robotics and sensor development, and use of artificial intelligence and swarm model algorithms, and
- A new Center of Excellence for Derived Products from the Sea that will weave together Biomedical, Immunology, Molecular Microbiology, Ecotoxicology and Medicinal Chemistry Research Programs.
- The new International Marine Science & Technology Innovation Park will more than double Mote’s research infrastructure on the City Island campus alone, and increase the number of scientists beyond our current staff of over 45 PhD-level researchers.
- This will provide Mote scientists & engineers, visiting research partners, and science & technology entrepreneurs from around the world with expanded, state-of-the-art research facilities that will enhance our ability to excel in addressing significantly complex threats facing our oceans.
- The innovations and intellectual property generated by Mote and its partners, along with a growing regional science and technology sector, will ignite an expansion of Florida’s “blue economy,” with impacts felt well beyond our state.
- Mote’s new International Marine S&T Innovation Park will become the catalyst for a “Silicon Valley” of marine science and technology throughout SW Florida, and fuel new industry sectors, drive economic growth, and create high-wage jobs.
The result will integrate Mote’s world-class research with emerging ocean technologies sectors to leverage the new International Marine Science and Technology Innovation Park as the launchpad for a thriving new high-tech blue economy cluster in Florida.
- State of the Art Facilities
- Mote now operates 10 locations from Anna Maria Island to Key West. Our research is anchored by three core facilities: Mote Marine Laboratory’s 10.5-acre primary research campus on City Island, Sarasota, the 200-acre Mote Aquaculture Research Park in eastern Sarasota County, and the one-acre Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration (IC2R3) on Summerland Key.
- Mote’s multiple specialized science and ocean technology development facilities for coral and seagrass restoration and genetics, aquaculture/aquaponics development, and harmful algal bloom mitigation technology.
- Mote trains the next generation of marine scientists through five Workforce Development Labs at our new, state of the art, Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA).
- Motes recently established the Artificial Intelligence in Marine Science (AIMS) Center, a hub for harnessing the power of AI in marine science and technology, which is highlighted with one of the Workforce Development Labs at Mote SEA.
- Research Benefitting our Ocean Economy
Red Tide Mitigation:
Harmful algal bloom mitigation and technology development, deployment methods, research & development partnerships
Artificial Intelligence:
Integrating AI into marine science research and education (training, workshops, research, data analysis/collection, custom apps)
Ocean Technology:
Sensor development/integration, AI/ML algorithms, image recognition, AUV/ROV, robotics
Sustainable Aquaculture:
(RAS Systems) optimization and best practices, methods include fish sexual characteristics determination using peptide hormones
Beach Conditions Reporting System (BRCS):
public data collection/website interface, method of using conditioned media to determine and report the presence of red tide
Marine Biomedical Research:
antimicrobial wound healing, antibiotics, conditioned media for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, Alzheimer’s research, derived products from the sea
Shark, Marine Mammal, & Sea Turtle Research
live sample collection, analysis algorithms, DNA digital signatures (sharks)
Coastal Resiliency & Restoration:
Coral, Seagrass gene banks, methods for outplanting genetically resilient seagrass and corals to withstand multiple types of stressors
- Educating our STEM Workforce
Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA) expands opportunities for STEM education in our region and prepares students for future careers. Lessons follow Florida’s standards and are built on Mote’s leading marine research, giving students hands-on experiences with real ocean challenges. With three STEM Teaching Labs and five advanced Workforce Development Labs, Mote SEA offers dynamic spaces where curiosity grows into valuable skills and career opportunities.
- Services for industry
Advisory/Consultative:
- Ex: Outside company is seeking Mote expertise on a specific topic
Research & Development:
- Ex: Outside company uses Mote scientists to test their product or technology
Licensing of Technology:
- Ex: Mote licenses their intellectual property to an outside entity for commercial purposes
Joint Research Project:
- Ex: Mote and a partner institution work together on technology development
- Partnerships
Industry Partnerships
- Wastewater treatment
- Oil spill clean-up/response
- Natural/Derived products from the sea
- Emergency response companies
- Blue tech companies
- Commercial aquaculture
- Public/Private research institutions
Federal and State Partnerships:
- DoD
- EPA
- NSF
- NOAA
- FL DEP
- FL FWC/FWRI
- US Fish and Wildlife Service
- FL Dept. of Health
- >175 Universities around the world
