Ocean Hex

Ocean Hex

Upgrading grey coastal infrastructure into living ocean ecosystems.

About

Ocean Hex is a Perth-based nature-tech company integrating marine science, engineering, autonomous robotics, and digital assessment to turn coastal infrastructure into measurable, nature-positive assets. As a first mover in active Grey-to-Green marine infrastructure, the company is already in pilot discussions with Fremantle Ports and holds an MoU with Gascoyne Gateway Ltd — with ambitions to scale from WA to ports and marinas globally.

Co-Founder: Jurgen Valckenaere

A PhD candidate whose research demonstrated how habitat-integrated infrastructure can be designed to accelerate marine growth, Jurgen brings the ecological science foundation that underpins Ocean Hex's patented technologies.

Co-Founder: Oscar Backhouse

Oscar holds a Master of Applied Finance from UWA and brings a background in banking and finance across business analysis, strategy, and high-stakes regulated environments. As co-founder, he sits across strategy, capital, risk, product, and delivery — focused on building commercial value and measurable outcomes at scale. A former high-performance rugby player, he applies the same discipline of consistency, fast feedback, and pressure management to building Ocean Hex.

The Problem They're Solving

The world has over 3.2 million hectares of artificial coastline — seawalls, pylons, ports, and groynes that provide no ecological value and face growing ESG and regulatory scrutiny. Nature can settle on these structures, but it's slow, unplanned, and impossible to verify. Asset owners are under mounting pressure to prove environmental outcomes, without a credible, scalable way to do it.

What They Do

• HEX — pre-seeded habitat units that embed marine life directly into existing infrastructure, accelerating ecological growth

• BARN — a permanent system for groynes, breakwaters, and rock structures designed for long-term ecological performance

• HIVE — a modular tile solution that protects structures, fits inspection schedules, and supports growth using regenerative biomaterials

• Autonomous monitoring — above and below-water robotics delivering standardised, repeatable, WHS-safe biodiversity data across entire sites

• Data portal — a method-locked platform delivering TNFD-ready, ISSB/AASB-aligned ESG reporting, regulator submissions, and biodiversity certificates

Industry

Climate Technology · Marine Conservation · Nature-Tech · ESG & Biodiversity Reporting · Coastal Infrastructure

Links

• Website: oceanhex.com.au

• LinkedIn (Co-Founder): Oscar Backhouse

• Phone: +61 431 815 840

Work With Ocean Hex

Ocean Hex works with ports, marinas, project developers, governments, and infrastructure operators looking to turn compliance obligations into tangible environmental outcomes. Get in touch at oceanhex.com.au.