What if glow sticks — one of the most ubiquitous tools in maritime and event settings — could be replaced by a safer, ocean-biodegradable alternative? That's exactly what the Port of San Diego is setting out to explore through its latest pilot under the Blue Economy Incubator (BEI).
The project features Lux Bio, a startup developing bioluminescent lighting as a sustainable substitute for traditional chemical glow sticks. Over an 18-month period and with a $350,000 investment, the technology will undergo a multi-phase demonstration covering commercial fishing research and development, port events, and collaboration with government partners to evaluate its real-world performance and environmental durability.
The interest goes beyond replacing a single product. Bioluminescent lighting sits at the intersection of marine biology, materials science, and operational sustainability — and testing it in a live port environment means confronting the full complexity of real conditions: saltwater exposure, varying temperatures, handling by non-specialist users, and regulatory scrutiny.
That is precisely the kind of validation that innovation in the blue economy needs. Lab results are a starting point; port infrastructure is where technologies either prove themselves or don't.
Our PIN member, Blue Economy Incubator has now launched 13 pilot projects focused on sustainable, ocean-based innovation. What makes it a reference is not only the volume of projects, but the structured approach: real infrastructure, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and phased testing that generates the kind of evidence investors and regulators actually need.
Find out more about the Blue Economy Incubator and the Lux Bio pilot at portofsandiego.org.