Massachusetts Ocean Technology Network: a model for marine technology business cooperation, development and growth

New England is home to many world-class research institutions, universities, government agencies and commercial businesses that work in the marine technology design, development, and production field. These entities often cooperate when there is a need for several products to be integrated into a system. They also have been known to compete for government contracts to design and build one-off types of instruments to measure some aspect of the ocean, weather, or benthic environment. It is estimated that in Massachusetts alone the marine technology revenues generated via commercial sales are upwards of $300 million annually. That figure does not include the influx of funding for government, university, or institutional research. There are an estimated 3000 employees working directly in the commercial sector of the marine technology business in Massachusetts. Business is strong in deep water oil and gas exploration, port and harbor dredging, and cable and pipeline laying, to name a few. With business so good, why would a relatively small group of otherwise fierce competitors want to join forces under the umbrella of MOTN? The answer is that after five years of working diligently to address the business development needs of industry, MOTN has demonstrated that there is strength in numbers. An organization that was founded in 1994 with funds from the state of Massachusetts, MOTN has grown from a nucleus of 25 members to an expanding group of 49 corporate and institutional members. Lead by a dedicated group of officers and directors, with frequent input by members, MOTN provides a variety of services that help members stay tuned to changes in the business environment, take advantage of government programs at assisting small and medium sized companies, and promote the members at numerous marketing venues all over the world