From scattered outreach to structured impact: how Go Ocean built a lead engine for ocean restoration

The Challenge

Go Ocean is on a mission to restore ocean health by partnering with companies that care about sustainability. But while the ambition was clear, the commercial engine wasn’t. Their outreach relied on personal connections and cold leads, which are costly, slow, and difficult to scale.
To grow their impact, Go Ocean needed a predictable, scalable lead generation system that could consistently attract the right partners: organizations connected to the ocean and committed to driving sustainable change.

Our Role

We joined forces with Go Ocean to turn a promising mission into a structured go-to-market approach. Our goal was straightforward: build a repeatable funnel that delivers sales-qualified leads, without relying on chance.

We kicked off by mapping the As-Is and To-Be using the Business Model Canvas, clarifying customer segments, value propositions, and pain points. From there, we translated strategy into execution:

• Defined target segments based on company size, profitability, and sustainability maturity.
• Built a high-potential lead universe using Sales Navigator, Scrap.io, and Trendstop.
• Developed tailored messaging and automated outreach flows through Lemlist, supported by A/B testing and retargeting.
• Activated our own network to create warm introductions and stress-test the value proposition.
• Explored scalable funding models that could fit employee benefits and CSR initiatives.

Workshops, hands-on sprints, and tight feedback loops ensured alignment and speed from day one.

Results

Even in a small pilot, the new commercial engine delivered measurable traction:

• A clear segmentation model aligned with Go Ocean’s mission and commercial goals.
• A structured outreach funnel with trackable CTR and reply rates.
• Messaging that resonated with HR, marketing, and sustainability decision-makers.
• A repeatable, scalable lead-gen setup, reducing dependence on manual outreach.

All leading to:

• 12,5% conversion from lead to structural contact
  → 9 meetings booked with high-potential prospects
• 3% conversion from lead to collaborations
  → 2 actual collaborations

Beyond these numbers, the Go Ocean team gained confidence, clarity, and a blueprint for continuous commercial growth.

“This project helped us in our mission. We now have tools and more structure to engage the right partners and scale our impact.”

— Go Ocean team

What We Learned

• Automation performs best when paired with authentic, personal touches.
• Segmenting by sustainability mindset helps pinpoint partners with real intent.
• Packaging the offer into tangible products (like CSR and employee programs) accelerates adoption.
• Alignment on audience and messaging is essential before scaling outreach.