Blue Carbon sweeps KPMG Nature Positive Challenge

27 January 2026

• Blue Carbon wins both $100,000 KPMG Nature Positive Prize and $20,000 People’s Choice Award 
• Native Secrets Australia takes home the First Nations Award 
• Five finalists to share a $250,000 pool of tailored advisory services to help scale their businesses

Queensland ocean-restoring climate-tech company Blue Carbon has taken home both the top $100,000 Prize and the $20,000 People’s Choice Prize at this year’s KPMG Nature Positive Challenge.

The annual Challenge champions and supports innovative eco startups to build scalable businesses that have a positive impact on nature and the environment. This year the Challenge focused on two fast-growing sectors within the nature positive ecosystem: AI enabled solutions and startups supporting the circular economy.

The five finalists for the Challenge were:

• Blue Carbon (Brisbane, QLD) – a climate-tech company restoring ocean ecosystems and decarbonising marine industries through AI-enabled, nature-positive innovation.
• BlockTexx (Loganholme, QLD) – an award-winning Australian cleantech company that recycles textiles and clothing, transforming waste into high-value raw materials.
• Native Secrets Australia (Dubbo, NSW) – maker of skincare and wellness products using native botanicals derived from cultural harvesting cycles that protect land and support ecosystem regeneration.
• Newera Bio (Sydney, NSW) – pioneering the development of high-performance, bio-based dyes and binders to replace toxic and fossil-fuel-based dyes used in the textiles and beauty industry.
• Syenta (Eveleigh, NSW) – makes ultra-fine wiring inside computer chips, called interconnects, which are much smaller and denser, allowing data to move faster and more efficient for next generation computing.

Andrew Yates, CEO, KPMG Australia said: “This is the first time that one company has won both of the monetary prizes in the KPMG Nature Positive Challenge. Our judging panel, and our people, were clearly impressed with how Blue Carbon is tackling some of the biggest issues facing ocean ecosystems. Blue Carbon stood out for its novel technology and integration of artificial intelligence to accelerate the monitoring and regeneration of natural systems, moving us closer to a resilient, nature-positive economy.”

“Congratulations to all the finalists, and to the First Nations Award winner, Native Secrets Australia. We hope that your participation in the Challenge will have a meaningful impact on your success and help you to support our planet.”

From 75 applicants, the five finalists were shortlisted to pitch to a panel of judges including Kyah Bell, Co-Founder & Partner at the Black Excellence Fund, Darren Grover, Head of Regenerative Country at WWF-Australia, Patty Akopiantz, Chair of Environmental Leadership Australia and non-executive Director, KPMG Australia, Josh Geelan, Global Private Enterprise ESG Lead at KPMG Australia and John Munnelly, Chief Digital Officer, KPMG Australia.

The judges were struck by Blue Carbon’s technology which harnesses wave energy to circulate, cool and oxygenate seawater, using real-time ocean intelligence and autonomous systems to regenerate marine habitats and reduce emissions.

Dr. Ana Novak, CEO of Blue Carbon, said: “Winning the KPMG Nature Positive Prize is a catalyst for Blue Carbon. It will help us scale passive, ocean-powered systems that support healthier marine ecosystems while reducing energy demand across ocean industries. We look forward to working with KPMG, with its international reputation and reach, to advance pilots and partnerships, so more organisations can benefit from measurable, nature-positive solutions in real-world operations.”

First Nations Award

Native Secrets Australia (Dubbo, NSW) was selected as the winner in the First Nations category, which aims to highlight the ongoing and significant contribution that Indigenous knowledge brings to our natural ecosystems.

People’s Choice Award

Blue Carbon also took home the $20,000 People’s Choice Award, as voted on by KPMG staff.

Past winners of the KPMG Nature Positive Challenge include plastic alternatives biotech Uluu (which announced a $16 million Series A funding round in October 2025); Levur, the synthetic palm oil alternative that raised $1.2 million in May 2025; and Xylo Systems. The 2024 Prize enabled Levur to accelerate to the next stage in its journey, with guidance and support from the KPMG High Growth Ventures team.