Applications now open for the 2026 'ocean tribute' award by boot ...
Expired family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:12
Applicants must actively contribute to the sustainable improvement and cleanliness of oceans, lakes and/or rivers with their projects. Technical ...
Funding Details
- Funder
- boot Düsseldorf & German Ocean Foundation
- Funding Goal
- To recognize and support outstanding projects, initiatives and campaigns that actively contribute to the sustainable improvement and cleanliness of oceans, lakes and rivers, including technical innovations, research, scientific/educational initiatives, and ocean litter reduction campaigns.
- Funding Amount
- €20,000 prize for the winning project (20.000 € – 20.000 €)
- Deadline
- 2025-11-01 (Fixed)
- How to Apply
- Apply via the boot.com awards page (https://www.boot.com/en/Program/Awards_Events/ocean_tribute_Award/). After submission, a jury conducts an initial technical evaluation. Nominated projects then proceed to a public online voting phase starting November 2025. The three highest-rated projects (combined jury + public score) are presented at boot Düsseldorf in January 2026, and the winner is announced at the fair.
- Target Region
- Global
- Contact
- Tania Vellen / Tanja Karl / Cathrin Neitzel — Tel: +49 211-4560-518 / 999 / 607 — VellenT@messe-duesseldorf.de, KarlT@messe-duesseldorf.de, NeitzelC@messe-duesseldorf.de. Radio/TV: Michael Vellen / Linda Richert — Tel: +49 211-4560-990 / 221 — VellenM@messe-duesseldorf.de, RichertL@messe-duesseldorf.de
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-11 16:42
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
The 'ocean tribute' award is an annual €20,000 prize jointly presented by boot Düsseldorf — the world's largest yacht and water sports trade fair — and the German Ocean Foundation. Launched in 2017 and awarded annually since 2018, it has established itself as a recognized international marine conservation prize. The 2026 edition is now open for applications, with the award ceremony scheduled for January 2026 during the boot Düsseldorf trade fair (17–25 January 2026). Eligible applicants include individuals, projects, or initiatives that actively contribute to the sustainable improvement and cleanliness of oceans, lakes, and/or rivers. Accepted submissions span a broad range: technical innovations, research projects, scientific and educational initiatives, and campaigns to reduce ocean litter. There is no explicit restriction on organization type or geography — the prize is framed as international in scope. The selection process involves a high-profile expert jury (including meteorologists, anthropologists, scientists, and industry representatives) conducting an initial evaluation, followed by a public online voting phase starting November 2025. The three top-rated projects from both jury and public vote are presented at boot Düsseldorf, where the winner is announced. The prize is explicitly aligned with the United Nations' sustainability goals. In 2025, the award went to SeaLabs Ocean Citizen Science for their 'Ambiente Europeo' project. The initiative is championed by both the Director of boot Düsseldorf and the Chairman of the German Ocean Foundation, who emphasize that marine conservation — at both local and global scale — is the defining challenge of our time.
Historical Context
The award was launched in 2017 and has been awarded annually since 2018 — the 2026 edition marks eight years of the programme. The 2025 winner was SeaLabs Ocean Citizen Science (Luise Wagner) for the 'Ambiente Europeo' project. boot Düsseldorf 2026 runs 17–25 January 2026.
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