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2026 IPF

Landing Events

Oceantic Network’s annual International Partnering Forum (IPF) lands in the Big Apple in 2026! IPF is the largest marine renewable energy conference in the Americas, empowering companies to innovate and diversify into business sectors including offshore wind and solar, wave, tidal, and green hydrogen. We will explore emerging technologies like floating data centers and marine carbon dioxide removal. We will anchor on the infrastructure that makes all of it happen: ports, vessels, the grid, and transmission.

At IPF, U.S. and global industry experts gather to transform the blue economy through collaboration and innovation. It’s where you make connections, grow your business, and access insider knowledge you need to navigate the changing and developing industry. 

WindMatch™ is Oceantic Network’s premier networking service that provides IPF attendees the opportunity to speak one-on-one with decision-makers from top offshore renewable energy companies from across the globe. WindMatch™ allows you to set up 1:1 half-hour meetings with peers from attending companies. Important: you must be registered for 2025 IPF and you also must opt-in to the attendee list during IPF registration. WindMatch™ is available through the Oceantic Network mobile app.

Sponsor:

Why WindMatch™? 

  • Connect to a network of businesses, suppliers, and organizations engaged in the offshore wind and ocean renewables industry 
  • Create active channels for business transactions. 
  • Start a dialogue that will help you develop and share specialized infrastructure, labor markets, and services. 
  • Build relationships with entities outside your geographic region to leverage your competitive strengths and expand business opportunities. 
  • Develop networks for business financing, business-to-business sales, education, and workforce development, and opportunities to expand into markets nationally and internationally. 

Where Should I Hold Meetings? 

During IPF, there will be a dedicated WindMatch™ meeting area in the Exhibit Hall Lobby at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. If you want to meet somewhere else (hotel, restaurant, etc.), you can propose an alternate location in the messaging section of your WindMatch™ request or by using the IPF app chat. 

Make sure you download the new Oceantic app to prepare for the 2025 International Partnering Forum (IPF).

Use the Oceantic app to stay up to date with the latest announcements, view the IPF agenda with speakers and workshop details, view sponsor and exhibitor information, add workshops to your personal IPF schedule, create your event profile, make WindMatch™ appointments, and more.

Instructions: Access the Oceantic App

1. Download the Oceantic Network app for your iOS or Android device. (You can also search for “Oceantic Network” in the App Store on your phone)    

Apple
Android

2. Open Oceantic Network app and type “IPF” in the “Search for an event” text box   
3. Download the 2025 International Partnering Forum event  
4. Log in with the email you used to register.   
5. Check your text messages or email for your verification code 

As you make your plans to attend 2025 IPF, be sure to leave time to experience the city’s vibrant coastal charm, delicious cuisine, and rich cultural attractions that make Virginia Beach a popular East Coast destination. In addition to the recommendations below, check out our IPF map that that has all conference events as well as our food and sight-seeing recommendations.

Check out our IPF Map!
Bee and the Biscuit | Credit: City of Virginia Beach

Southern, Coastal, and Global Cuisine 

Virginia Beach’s culinary scene highlights fresh seafood and coastal flavors. Start your day with a hearty breakfast at Bay Local Eatery, known for creative brunch dishes and a laid-back beach vibe. In the Pungo area to the south, Bee and the Biscuit is a cozy farmhouse-style eatery famous for its giant biscuits and Southern hospitality. Near the Oceanfront, Doc Taylor’s serves classic breakfast dishes in a relaxed, retro-style setting. 

After a day of exploring, enjoy dinner at one of the city’s standout spots. Waterman’s Grille is a classic Oceanfront restaurant known for its fresh seafood and the signature Orange Crush cocktail. For an upscale experience with panoramic ocean views, head to Orion’s Roof, which offers high-end Asian-fusion cuisine. At Rudee Inlet, Rockafeller’s serves locally sourced seafood with stunning water views. If you prefer a more relaxed vibe, The Porch in the Chesapeake Bay area focuses on farm-to-table dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. 

Tasty Treats for Tourists 

Satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to Lolly’s, which offers homemade ice cream in creative flavors at locations in the Oceanfront, Inland, and ViBe districts. For something refreshing, head to the ViBe District, the city’s creative district, to try the shaved ice at Get Lost VB. If you’re craving rich, creamy ice cream, Gelati Celesti is a local favorite known for its small-batch flavors. Pastries more your style? Be sure to visit the Sugar Plum Bakery , which serves up delicious baked goods and also offers employment opportunities for people with disabilities.  

Lolly’s | Credit: City of Virginia Beach
King Neptune Statue | Credit: City of Virginia Beach
14th Street Pier Oceanfront | Credit: City of Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Boardwalk 

The heart of Virginia Beach is the iconic three-mile-long Virginia Beach Boardwalk, which offers plenty of space for walkers, runners, and bikers. Lined with restaurants, shops, and live entertainment, the boardwalk provides stunning ocean views and easy access to the beach. Don’t miss the famous King Neptune statue at 31st Street. 

For a different beach experience, take a short ride to Sandbridge Beach for a more private and relaxed setting. The quieter atmosphere is perfect for unwinding, and nearby outdoor spots like Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park offer additional opportunities for hiking, birding, and exploring Virginia Beach’s natural beauty. 

Explore Beyond the Boardwalk 

Virginia Beach’s rich history and culture extend well beyond the beach. Visit First Landing State Park, where the Virginia Company colonists landed in 1607 before moving on to establish Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. The park offers over 19 miles of trails for hiking and biking, along with opportunities for swimming and boating. 

History buffs will also enjoy the Military Aviation Museum, home to one of the world’s largest collections of historic military aircraft in flying condition. The collection includes planes from the early 1900s through the 1950s. 

For a unique cultural experience, stop by the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). MOCA features rotating exhibitions of modern art and offers workshops and special events throughout the year. And for a bit of maritime history, climb to the top of the Cape Henry Lighthouse — the fourth oldest lighthouse in the country and the first federally funded public works project of the United States government. 

First Landing State Park | Credit: City of Virginia Beach
Military Aviation Museum | Credit: City of Virginia Beach
Cape Henry Lighthouse | Credit: City of Virginia Beach

 

Questions about your speaking role at IPF? Review our speaker FAQs below to ensure you’re prepared. 

Learn about offshore renewable energy innovations from the winners of Startup Alley! 

For the fourth year, Oceantic Network has partnered with SeaAhead, a bluetech open innovation platform that helps to build and catalyze startups in ocean industries and ocean sustainability.

SeaAhead has selected seven (7) startup companies to deliver five-minute pitches to IPF attendees. Congratulations to the following companies who have been selected to present their business innovations at 2025 IPF! Companies will present their pitches during two “Pitch and Brew” sessions on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30, at 3 p.m. each day. View the full IPF agenda. 

Sponsor:

2025 Startup Alley Pitches 

Coastal Measures 

CUMULUS replaces the old paradigm where every sensor sends data in proprietary formats to siloed data repositories. Instead, an innovative plugin architecture lets sensor vendors integrate directly into CUMULUS to reduce their data management costs by more than 30% while staying focused on creating state-of-the-art hardware. CUMULUS delivers a unified data stream from any sensor, private or public, that is immediately ready for AI or other analytics to support decision-making. Whether it is to enable our renewable energy industry or mitigating risk for coastal communities, Coastal Measures is making ocean data work better right now.

Crewless Marine 

Crewless Marine equips unmanned platforms with underwatering monitoring capabilities for maritime security. We provide affordable and scalable hydrophone arrays and software to detect and localize sources of underwater noise across multiple platforms. 

Deep Anchor Solutions

Deep Anchor Solutions accelerates floating renewables with the Deeply Embedded Ring Anchor (DERA) – a compact, cost-effective, and sustainable anchoring system. DERA reduces costs by up to 75%, eliminates the need for port upgrades, protects marine life, and supports local economies, making floating renewables more scalable and viable. 

Equinox Ocean Turbines 

Ocean currents offer a consistent, round-the-clock energy source, providing robust and predictable baseload power. Our proprietary two-stage turbine technology concentrates energy before harvesting, maximizing efficiency and scalability. By leveraging proven materials and designs from other renewable sectors, we ensure a cost-effective and sustainable solution. The first commercial turbine will be launched in 2027 with a power production of up to 3 megawatts. 

MMSeas 

MM-SEAS USCG Licensing Software simplifies the process of obtaining and maintaining U.S. Coast Guard licenses for both mariners and maritime employers. Mariners benefit from clear guidance, document tracking, and sea service calculations, while employers can ensure crew MMC compliance. Offering “Stress-Free MMC submissions,” the MM-SEAS team provides a unique advantage by double-checking applications for common errors, paying correct federal fees, submitting the MMC application to the Coast Guard, and proactively tracking it. Should any issues arise, the MM-SEAS team actively works with the USCG to resolve them, ensuring a smooth and efficient process for its customers. 

Orpheus Ocean

Orpheus Ocean is enabling ultra-scalable access to seafloor environments. Powered by a constellation of unique autonomous vehicles, we streamline the acquisition of critical environmental, biological, and geotechnical data with high-resolution benthic surveys, seabed sample collection, and long-duration monitoring. 

Sperra 

Inadequate port infrastructure and supply chain capacity for foundation manufacturing and turbine assembly are some of the most critical impediments to floating offshore wind. U.S. ports need affordable and fast infrastructure upgrade solutions. This pitch will describe a versatile, Jones-Act-compliant, modular, floating concrete dock that can be used to manufacture, launch, and retrieve concrete floating wind foundations. It sidesteps dredging, infilling, and constructing the wharves conventionally needed to manufacture and deploy foundations, accelerating floating wind deployments by up to 10 years and reducing infrastructure costs up to 90%. 

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