10 | WATERLINE July 2026 INNOVATORS & START-UP SHOWCASE WINNER The Marinas26 Innovators & Start-Up Showcase introduced five new products and services to the market, with each finalist delivering a punchy seven-minute presentation outlining the unique benefits of their solution for the industry. All five finalists came to the Showcase from very different corners of the industry, spanning digital and artificial intelligence, environmental innovation and the future of the marine workforce. • Metarina • Southern Sky AI • ReefFloat • Harbr • Marine Futures Following the presentations, a live poll of the delegates in attendance decided the result, and in a tightly contested vote, ReefFloat was announced as the winner at the Gala Dinner on Tuesday night. Founder and Managing Director, Toby Budd showcased the world's first foam-free, fully recyclable concrete marina float. For more than fifty years pontoons have relied on EPS foam for buoyancy, yet a single conventional float can contain around 20 million polystyrene beads that take hundreds of years to break down. They are often mistaken for food by turtles, fish and crabs, and are almost impossible to recover if released into the marine environment. ReefFloat eliminates that risk entirely. Developed in partnership with Holcim's Airium technology, its buoyancy comes not from plastic foam but from an ultra-low-density concrete core wrapped in a high-strength concrete skin — a float that is inert in the water, supports marine biodiversity rather than harming it, and is 100% recyclable at end of life, simply crushed into hardcore for zero landfill. ReefFloat is developed by the team behind ScaffFloat, an established and commercially proven pontoon system. A prototype float has been installed and operational at Falmouth Harbour in the UK for more than 200 days, with an in-situ replacement system, itself a market first, allowing marinas to swap individual floats without removing pontoons or disrupting berth holders. With patents filed and the product progressing rapidly towards full commercial certification, ReefFloat is preparing to scale through a program of pilots, testing and industry partnerships over the coming year. Accepting the award, Toby said “We set out to solve a problem the industry has lived with for half a century, and to now have that recognised by the industry's own people means a great deal to us as we move towards full commercialisation.” The Innovators and Start-up session was chaired by Andrew Hutchinson - Senior Industry Engagement Officer, Marine Industry Advisor and Australian Certified Economic Developer, Invest Gold Coast, who said "It was an outstanding session and a real showcase of the talent and ambition driving our industry forward. Every one of the five finalists brought something genuinely useful to the table, and the breadth of ideas, from artificial intelligence through to sustainability and workforce development says a great deal about where the industry is heading." Congratulations to ReefFloat for coming up with something so important for the environment and all marinas. The final component of the Marinas26 program featured two alternative Study Tours, providing delegates with the opportunity to experience a diverse range of marina facilities and operations firsthand. More than 100 delegates boarded buses on 27 May for the Local Study Tour, which included visits to Mantaray Marina & Residences, Main Beach Superyacht Marina, Marina Mirage, The Boat Works, AkzoNobel Paint Training Centre, and Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard. Delegates also enjoyed lunch at The Captain’s Lounge at The Boat Works. The tour showcased excellence in marina operations, infrastructure development, innovation, and the wide range of businesses and services that support the marina industry. The second Study Tour explored some of the Whitsundays’ premier marina destinations, beginning with a visit to the 5 Gold Anchor Platinum and Superyacht Ready Coral Sea Marina. The following day, delegates toured Hayman Island Marina & Resort and the 5 Gold Anchor and Superyacht Ready Hamilton Island Marina. Both Marinas26 Study Tours provided valuable opportunities for delegates to strengthen industry connections, share knowledge, and gain insights into a range of marina operations and facilities. MARINAS26 WRAP UP MARINAS26 STUDY TOURS EXPLORE THE BEST OF THE GOLD COAST & WHITSUNDAYS Hamilton Island Study Tour Group Mantaray Marina and Residences AkzoNobel Paint Training Centre Toby Budd, Founder & Managing Director, ReefFloat
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