Yachting Ventures is partnering with Marine Marketers of America (MMA) to launch a Startup Marketing category for the 2026 Neptune Awards. The Neptune Awards are held each year during the Miami International Boat Show, with other award categories celebrating exerptise including boat show marketing, video marketing, and website design.
The new startup award will recognise the most creative and effective marketing campaigns from startups in the leisure marine industry, celebrating ingenuity, authenticity, and storytelling over big budgets.
Marine Marketers of America was founded in 2007 and is the professional association representing marketing professionals across the recreational boating sector. Its Neptune Awards, now in its 18th year, will take place on 11 February 2026, at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden.
The new Startup Marketing category created by Yachting Ventures marks the first addition in several years, expanding the awards’ reach to include the fast-growing community of early-stage marine companies redefining how the industry communicates.
Recognising ingenuity over budget
According to Yachting Ventures, the Startup Marketing category will highlight startups that are finding smart, impactful ways to tell their story and engage audiences with limited resources. Campaigns will be judged on creativity, effectiveness, and consistency, including brand storytelling, content strategies, social campaigns, or event activations that have successfully driven awareness and engagement.
“Startups are often the ones bringing fresh thinking to the marine space,” says Lucy Wright, head of growth at Yachting Ventures. “They might not have the biggest budgets, but they bring bold ideas, agility, and authenticity to how they connect with their audiences. This award recognises that spirit and gives these teams a global platform to be seen and celebrated.”
Yachting Ventures, the global community supporting startups in the leisure marine sector, offers growth, marketing, and event opportunities for early-stage companies. By partnering with the MMA, the organisation aims to bridge the gap between the next generation of innovators and the established marketing leaders of the industry. With over 75 vice presidents of marketing from across the marine sector serving as judges, startups are placed directly in front of an influential audience of decision-makers when they enter the event.
“We continually stress the importance of creative marketing for startups, and we’ve significantly expanded our growth support services to help them excel in this area. This award and partnership perfectly align with our strategic direction as a company, and I’m incredibly excited to see the submissions from our community and the broader startup ecosystem,” says Gabbi Richardson, founder of Yachting Ventures.
How to enter the marine Startup Marketing award
The Startup Marketing category is open to any marine startup demonstrating strong brand presence and creative marketing execution between 2024 and 2025. For the purposes of this award, a startup will be defined as a company with annual turnovers of less than $1,000,000 and/or has been commercially operating for less than five years.
Entries are open until December 7th, 2025, and startups can apply online.
The winners will be announced during the Neptune Awards Ceremony at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2026.
The post Marine startup category launched for Neptune Awards at Miami Boat Show appeared first on Marine Industry News.
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