NBOC

What NBOC does

NBOC (New Bedford Ocean Cluster) is a nonprofit marine industry association founded in 2017 and headquartered in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The organization operates as an industry cluster, connecting ocean technology companies and startups with funding opportunities, institutional partners, and collaborative resources. Its core function is serving as a centralized hub for the regional blue economy, facilitating access to state-level grant programs and partnerships with research institutions.

In early 2026, NBOC received $11 million in grant funding from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) through the Ocean Innovation Network. This funding supports a strategic pivot from a narrow offshore wind focus to a broader ocean technology mandate encompassing marine research, aquaculture technology, ocean monitoring, and related innovations. The pivot is a response to federal policy shifts affecting the offshore wind sector. NBOC maintains a core partnership with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, another major MassCEC grant recipient, anchoring its position within the regional ocean research ecosystem.

NBOC employs 1-10 staff and operates on a nonprofit revenue model dependent primarily on government grants. No commercial products, services, or pricing models are disclosed; the organization does not function as a product or service vendor but rather as an intermediary and cluster coordinator. No management team, funding rounds, M&A activity, or product launches are documented in the available sources. The organization's website returns only a verification/loading page, limiting further public disclosure of governance, financials, or operational details.

Name

NBOC

Website

https://nboc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NBOC is a nonprofit marine industry association founded in 2017 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, connecting ocean technology companies with grant funding, research institutions, and industry partners to advance blue economy industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Bedford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: NBOC receives grant funding from Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) through the Ocean Innovation Network, with $11 million awarded in grants to support ocean technology development and expansion beyond offshore wind.

Core offering

NBOC is a nonprofit marine industry association that serves as a regional cluster hub in New Bedford, Massachusetts, connecting maritime businesses, startups, and research institutions to advance blue economy and ocean technology industries. It facilitates access to grant funding (notably $11 million from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center's Ocean Innovation Network) and supports industry collaboration in marine research, aquaculture technology, and ocean monitoring.

Product overview

NBOC is referenced in connection with ocean technology and offshore wind industry news, including mention of the New Bedford Ocean Cluster as a grant recipient under Massachusetts Clean Energy Center's Ocean Innovation Network. No specific product or service offerings for NBOC were available in the source data, as the primary website (https://nboc.org/) returned only a verification/loading page.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution is another major recipient of MassCEC grants through the Ocean Innovation Network. As a leading ocean research institution, it represents a key collaborator in the ocean technology ecosystem that NBOC operates within.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Marine Technology Society (MTS): International professional society for ocean engineers, marine scientists, and policy professionals. Comparable to NBOC as a marine/ocean technology convening body supporting ocean innovation, though MTS focuses on individual professionals and conferences rather than regional company clusters.
• National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA): Largest U.S. recreational marine industry association, representing boat manufacturers, engine companies, and accessory makers. Comparable as a national marine industry association that advocates, convenes, and supports marine businesses, though at far larger scale and broader scope than NBOC.

Emerging players

• Blue Marine Foundation: International ocean conservation nonprofit supporting marine protected areas and sustainable ocean industries. Comparable to NBOC thematically as a nonprofit advancing ocean-focused outcomes, though focused on conservation policy rather than commercial cluster development.

Regional players

• Marine Renewables Canada: Canadian industry association promoting marine renewable energy (tidal, wave, offshore wind). Comparable to NBOC as a marine/ocean technology industry association channeling collaboration and funding, though operating in Canada rather than the U.S.
• Maine Marine Trade Association: Regional marine industry trade association serving Maine's boatbuilders, marinas, and marine businesses. Comparable to NBOC as a New England regional maritime industry association that connects and advocates for marine businesses, though focused on recreational boating rather than ocean technology.

Direct peers

• Ocean Exchange: Nonprofit that funds and accelerates ocean-inspired solutions worldwide. Comparable to NBOC as an ocean-focused innovation network that channels grant/award funding to ocean technology ventures and convenes the ocean innovation ecosystem.
• The Maritime Alliance: San Diego-based nonprofit maritime cluster advancing sustainable maritime industry. Directly comparable to NBOC as a U.S. regional blue economy cluster organization that mobilizes public-private partnerships to support ocean and maritime businesses.
• Maritime Blue: Washington-state nonprofit maritime industry cluster advancing a sustainable blue economy. Directly comparable to NBOC as a U.S. regional maritime/ocean-tech cluster organization serving member companies, brokering public funding, and convening industry stakeholders.

Others

• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC): State economic development agency funding clean energy and ocean technology in Massachusetts. Comparable to NBOC's ecosystem context as the principal funder behind NBOC's Ocean Innovation Network grant, though MassCEC is a public agency, not a cluster organization.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI): Pioneering U.S. ocean research institution co-recipient of MassCEC Ocean Innovation Network grants. Comparable as a key partner within NBOC's ecosystem, though WHOI is a research institution, not an industry cluster.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-bedford-ocean-cluster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NBOC