Leading blue economy innovation ecosystem players
to share their knowledge and build capacity and investment opportunities
in two subsectors: aquaculture and fisheries,
and renewable marine energy and decarbonisation,
for a sustainable future.
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH aims to build capacities of less-developed European regions to build and reinforce the capabilities of blue economy ecosystems in the identification of interregional innovation and investment projects, for the development of a sustainable and smart green and blue economy.
The core focus will be on two core value chains with potential for innovation and growth, in particular: sustainable seafood, aquaculture and valorization of blue resources (value chain #1), and maritime renewable energy and decarbonization of the maritime sector (value chain #2). Identification and mapping of opportunities for innovative, sustainable and deeptech investments across those sectors will be at the core of the project activities.
I3-4-BLUE-GROWTH will promote regional capacity building in six less developed regions from four countries (Azores, Center and North – Portugal; Andalusia – Spain, Pomorskie – Poland, and Croatia – HR), situated in four different macro-regions (Atlantic, Baltic, Mediterranean, and Adriatic), while exploring synergies and opportunities of collaboration with leading blue economy clusters across Europe.
The consortium is led by the National Innovation Agency (Portugal), and also includes Merinova Technology Centre (Finland), Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (Croatia), Aquaculture Technological Centre (Spain), Agrifood Clust-ER (Italy), Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique (France), Regional Directorate of Science and Technology – Azores Regional Government (Portugal), Unknown Group (The Netherlands), Baltic Sea & Space Cluster (Poland), and BlueBio Alliance (Portugal).
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH is a project funded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).
Deliverables
News and Events
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH | Business Matchmaking Sessions
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH promoted 2 intensive days for cross-country Business Matchmaking sessions between Project Promoters and Technology providers that applied to the previous open calls.
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH Capacity Building Program - Session 3
The session aimed to explore circular models in the blue economy sector and the enhancement of marine resources.
I3-4-BLUE Growth Aims to be an Impactful Project
Through a tailored Capacity Building Programme, the project aims to enhance the capacities of startups/SMEs to build and reinforce innovative ecosystems to develop a sustainable and smart blue economy.
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH Open Innovation Programme Call | Open for Applications.
Looking for techproviders that can make their solutions available to unlock the potential green innovation for bluegrowth. Discover the challenges that you can support in this publication.
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH Project
The I3-4-BLUE GROWTH project is driven by a committed consortium working on leading blue economy innovation ecosystems.
Kick-off Meeting
Learn more about I3-4 BLUE GROWTH's kick off meeting, which happened in the Azores, Portugal, in January 2024.
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH Capacity Building Program - Session 4
A session dedicated to Maritime renewables energies and decarbonization - regional growth challenges and opportunities.
I3-4-BLUE GROWTH Capacity Building Program - Session 2
A session dedicated to the importance of feasibility, business plans, and international partnership towards investment opportunities to scale-up and growth.
I3-4-Blue Growth project has launched The Hub for a Sustainable Blue Growth
Bringing together technology providers, public authorities, innovation clusters, and other blue economy stakeholders to support the technical, business and investment readiness advisory to startups/SMEs with innovative interregional innovation projects.
I3 Blue Economy Project Launch
Calling all SMEs working on: • sustainable seafood, aquaculture, and valorisation of blue resources; • maritime renewable energy and decarbonisation of the maritime sector; across less developed regions targeted by the project, namely from Spain, Poland, Croatia, and Portugal.
Project Partners
Learn more about the ten members of the consortium, spanning eight European countries.
I3-4-BLUE-GROWTH: Unlocking the potential of Sustainable Blue Economy
Project Duration: 2 years | December 2023 – December 2025
Contact person: Mariana Paupério | project@bluebioalliance.pt
The I3-4-BLUE GROWTH project is funded by the European Union under the Project Number 101133055.
