This team designed ballast technology effectiveness measures, evaluated post-filtration technologies for preventing contamination of ships’ ballast water, conducted a full-scale system design competition, held a ballast technology trade fair and conducted an evaluation of their ballast technology projects. The testing platform and protocols developed have aided the research and development of broadly effective treatment systems. A ballast technology investment fair held in Chicago engaged global end-users in topics including: 1) technical requirements of ballast technologies for different ships, 2) the current federal and state regulatory environment, 3) the size of the potential global market for ballast technologies, 4) ‘angel’ and venture capital and how to use it, 5) commercializing a technology and dealing with proprietary concerns, and 6) the ballast technology industry’s federal policy needs.