As the founder and CEO of the Miami-based nonprofit Seaworthy Collective, Daniel Kleinman believes the future of ocean conservation lies in entrepreneurship. Drawing on his background in underwater robotics and maritime engineering, Kleinman launched Seaworthy Collective in 2020 to help early stage startups transform bold ideas into businesses that protect and restore our oceans. Since then, the organization has connected founders with mentors, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate their ability to tackle everything from coastal resilience to marine restoration, helping establish Miami as a global hub for BlueTech innovation.
Aventura: What was your vision with Seaworthy Collective, and how has it evolved over the past six years?
Kleinman: I founded Seaworthy on a simple premise: the opportunity to pursue your passion for ocean impact should be accessible to anyone with the entrepreneurial drive and determination to make it a reality. Over the nearly six years since we started, we’ve developed intentionally interconnected programs that not only raise awareness of the sector but also lead people to tangible opportunities to develop their own businesses in ocean innovation, also known as BlueTech.
From sea-level rise to coral loss, South Florida faces no shortage of environmental challenges. Which do you believe is the most urgent, and where do you see the greatest opportunity for innovation?
I think it’s impossible to point to one single problem as the most urgent; they are all connected. Corals are affected by both nutrient pollution and marine heat, which also fuel sargassum blooms, while sea-level rise from ocean warming adds to future threats from major storms. The greatest opportunity for innovation isn’t singular but systemic; no single solution alone will address all the problems we face, so creating an ecosystem where solutions can work together creates a multiplier effect. For example, combining oyster aquaculture with floating solar not only filters pollutants out of the water and creates reliable energy but also provides better water quality and cooling for coral reefs to survive, which increases storm resilience.
Seaworthy Collective has helped dozens of startups launch and raise millions of dollars. Tell us about the type of innovation you’re trying to foster.
To date, we’ve supported 57 startups and 111 entrepreneurs who have raised over $40 million in grants and investments. One startup we’ve supported that demonstrates successful impact and business success is PhytoFlora. PhytoFlora creates productive floating wetlands, floating platforms that allow plants to grow, creating marketable crops like flowers while removing nutrient pollution from our waterways. Instead of the artificial, chemically blue-dyed lakes seen in many South Florida neighborhoods, PhytoFlora’s floating islands of flowers naturally keep lakes and waterways healthier.
Many people have never heard the term “BlueTech.” What is it, and why is Miami uniquely positioned to lead the way?
BlueTech means innovation that impacts the ocean and inland waterways. After working in BlueTech “hubs” in Boston and San Diego, I returned to South Florida to start Seaworthy because we uniquely face more significant ocean-connected challenges than almost any other region in the United States.
Where do you go when you want to reconnect with the ocean and nature?
The late, great Wallace J. Nichols wrote a best-selling book on practicing “Blue Mind,” intentionally taking time to connect with a body of water every day, and its importance for our mental health and well-being. Whether it’s walking down the street with my dog to a canal or hitting the beach, I do my best to practice it daily.
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