Project title: Supporting European coastal regions in the transition to a sustainable blue bio-economy (abbr. BlueBioClusters)
The BlueBioClusters project brings together 12 organisations from 10 European countries. They will join forces to offer blue bioeconomy players innovative business development tools and methods to create a long-lasting impact by engaging directly with hundreds of regional actors to stimulate collaboration and positive change. BlueBioClusters is a 3-year project funded by Horizon Europe programme. The project started on 1 August 2022.
A transdisciplinary consortium led by SUBMARINER Network for Blue Growth EEIG, and comprising 12 partners from 9 European regions were awarded a €2.5 million grant to facilitate the uptake of business opportunities in the blue bioeconomy for European coastal regions, companies and citizens including low-income populations. BlueBioClusters project will contribute to sustainable regional development and the EU Green Deal by enhancing the services of existing blue bioeconomy clusters across Europe to both public and private actors.
Project’s mission
The long-term ambition is to lay the foundation for a competitive, bio-based circular blue economy in Europe, which simultaneously addresses global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and ocean acidification, benefitting society, the economy and our environment.
Project’s activities
- Showcase integrated and circular value chains within the blue bioeconomy, which can serve as role models & inspiration to European coastal communities
- Develop tools for supporting businesses in integrating ecosystem services into novel ecology-driven business models and induce cross-sector collaborations along the value chain.
- Provide regional actors access to the technologies they require to realise their transition to blue bio-based solutions across the entire value chain, e.g., biomass production, processing, product manufacturing, and selling
- Stimulate and accelerate the development of a sustainable blue bioeconomy by enabling start-ups and SMEs in the participating regions to realise their circular, eco-friendly business ideas
- Identify and strengthen blue bioeconomy efforts and their political and societal uptake through a monitoring & evaluation methodology based on SMART objectives
- Foster effective stakeholder engagement through dedicated BlueBioClusters activities, and exploitation of synergies and results beyond the project lifetime within and by other blue bioeconomy regions and actors
Project partners:
Blue Cluster (BE), Submariner Network (DE), Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique (FR), Tartu BT Park (EE), Klaipedos Universitetas (LT), Tartu Ulikool (EE), Islenski Sjavarklassin (IS), Blue Bio Alliance (PT), Associacija Klaipedos Regionas (LT), Innovatum (SE), AKP (NO), BlueBridge (BE) and SAMS (UK).