From April 7 to 10, 2026, the MAR+Invest community gathered in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, to celebrate the closing of the 2025 Acceleration Program, marking the culmination of around six months of intensive work, collaboration, and innovation aimed at protecting the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR).
This third cohort brought together a diverse group of early-stage initiatives committed to contributing to the conservation and restoration of the MAR, while also strengthening the resilience and well-being of coastal communities across the region. Through tailored technical assistance, mentorship, and strategic guidance, the program has continued to position itself as a key platform for advancing the blue economy and sustainable entrepreneurship from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras.
In this edition, a four-week intensive bootcamp was introduced prior to the final selection. This phase first convened 14 ventures from across the region, all working toward innovative responses linked to the main threats to the MAR: water pollution, overfishing, and climate change. During the bootcamp, participants enhanced their capabilities through workshops on sustainable business models, finance, leadership, marketing, mental health, and the blue economy, strengthening their operational strategies and long-term impact potential.
Following this first month, eight ventures were selected to participate in a six-month in-depth acceleration journey. Their work spans key sectors including ecotourism, circular economy, waste management, sustainable products, and water treatment, reflecting the diversity of approaches needed to address the complex challenges facing the MAR region.
The eight ventures selected for the MAR+Invest 2025 Acceleration Program, from five different countries, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and the United Kingdom, were (in alphabetical order):
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- Saving Our Sharks (in collaboration with the Kab Xok Fishing Cooperative)
- As part of the closing experience, participants took part in a field visit to Punta Sam, organized by the Kab Xok Cooperative in collaboration with Saving Our Sharks. The visit offered a firsthand look at a transformative model that embodies the principles of the blue economy promoted by MAR+Invest.
During the visit, the group experienced a shark safari: an initiative designed as an alternative livelihood for local fishers who have completely transitioned away from shark fishing toward non-extractive, conservation-based tourism. This transition is supported by Saving Our Sharks, which works alongside the cooperative to strengthen its operation capacity and expand its conservation impact. Together, they are building a model where sharks are no longer exploited for food, but instead become a central element in promoting environmental awareness and sustainable income.
The purpose of the field visit was to ground the acceleration experience in a real-world case study, allowing participating ventures to directly engage with an example of how conservation, community empowerment, and business innovation can intersect to reduce pressure on the MAR while creating economic opportunities for coastal communities. It also highlighted the importance of locally led-initiatives and the role of traditional knowledge in designing scalable, impact-driven ventures.
The closing event in Playa del Carmen served as a space for reflection, connection, and celebration. Over the course of four days, participating ventures showcased their progress, shared key learnings, and presented their companies to a network of partners, mentors, and stakeholders from the impact ecosystem during a meeting at The Reef 28 hotel. The event also fostered meaningful exchanges through workshops, networking sessions, and conversations centered on scaling solutions for reef conservation.
With this new generation of ventures, MAR+Invest reaffirms its goal to catalyzing innovative businesses that protect one of the world’s most valuable reef systems while promoting inclusive and sustainable economic development across the region.
The Acceleration Program is led by New Ventures, a partner of the MAR+Invest initiative, and supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR). The MAR+Invest alliance is also composed of the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund), the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN), Sureste Sostenible, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People (HRHP), and Viwala.
The initiative mobilizes private capital towards businesses that generate a positive impact on the MAR and its coastal communities, driving innovation and offering financial mechanisms that de-risk investments and facilitate access to funding.
Supporting market solutions today, for a resilient Mesoamerican Reef tomorrow.
Learn more about the ventures at: mar-invest.org
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Sustainable sunscreens developed by CoruaSun featured during the MAR+Invest 2025 Acceleration Program closing ceremony.
The team during a responsible shark interaction activity, learning about their conservation in their natural habitat.
