THE SOLUTIONS EXPO
The Solutions Expo: A Bold New Vision for Collaboration and Action
At Reef Futures 2026, we are doing something different. Historically, our event has focused on providing world-class educational tracks through speaking sessions, poster presentations, and workshops. This format has been essential, but to truly accelerate coral reef restoration, we must foster more dynamic and collaborative engagement.
Introducing The Solutions Expo
The Solutions Expo is a significant structural evolution for Reef Futures, designed to bring the entire community together in one large, vibrant space.
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A new showcase focused on directly connecting practitioners to high- and low-tech, hands-on solutions, powered by both community and technology. This is a place where participants can go and share, touch and experience practical solutions hands-on, watch videos, see software demonstrations, and engage directly with the people and methods driving change.
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The Expo will champion the concept of "Innovation for All: Ensuring Equitable, Accessible, and Locally Driven Coral Reef Restoration." This focus will highlight emerging, high-tech tools while prioritizing low-tech, community-based solutions, knowledge exchange, capacity development, and equitable implementation across all regions, especially those with high reef dependence.
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Instead of smaller, separate hands on sessions, the Expo will be held in one big pavilion, running from an afternoon into an evening. This central gathering will provide a unique opportunity for everybody to connect in a different way—part community showcase, part next gen science fair, and part professional trade show.
The Innovation Pitch Stage: “The Barracuda Tank”
To further amplify groundbreaking work, we are introducing a competition track within the Solutions Expo.
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The Process: Individuals and teams can submit their ideas to be judged by a panel of experts.
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The Main Stage Pitch: The top-judged ideas will earn the exclusive opportunity to give a five-minute pitch on the main plenary stage on the final day of the conference.
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The Prize: The best-selected idea in each category and overall may receive a small amount of seed money to further develop their concept, but most importantly, their solution will gain high visibility to the entire Reef Futures audience and potential funders in the room.
The Call for Content: Showcase Stations
This year, our Call for Content will expand beyond traditional talks, workshops, and posters. We will now allow participants and sponsors to directly submit a proposal to host an Interactive Showcase Station at the Expo.
This is an opportunity for organizations and groups to showcase their latest and greatest:
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Show off their technology and solutions.
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Provide hands-on, practical demonstrations.
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Connect directly with the full range of the Futures community—from researchers and practitioners to funders and policymakers.
Abstracts for Showcase Stations are due by April 15
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