I3-4-BLUE-GROWTH: Unlocking the potential of Sustainable Blue Economy: I3-4-BLUE-GROWTH

Programme(s): Interregional Innovation Investments Instrument (I3)

Topic(s): I3-2022-CAP2b

Type of action: I3 Project Grants

Project ID: 101133055

Objective: I3-4-BLUE-GROWTH is a capacity building and investment project preparatory action aimed at promoting interregional cooperation for innovation and investment projects in high-priority and value-added markets of the blue economy sector. By bringing together European leading actors of Q-helix (2 national public authorities and one regional government), technology centres and industry clusters with track-record in blue economy sector, we aim at responding to the needs of 6 less developed regions from 4 countries (PT, ES, HR and PL) in key areas for smart specialization of these regions. We will build on experience of 2 more developed regions (NL and IT) and 2 transition regions (FI and FR), which are leading European regional ecosystems in their respective fields. The primary objective of the project is to enhance capacities of lessdeveloped coastal & insular European regions to build and reinforce innovative ecosystems for the development of a sustainable and smart blue economy. The project will focus on two specific value chains (sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and valorization of blue resources; Renewable Marine Energy and maritime decarbonization) aiming to deepen understanding of the related interregional value chains, transferring knowledge and good practices, and identifying a pipeline of innovative investments to promote sustainable growth of blue economy value chains. The project will equip regional stakeholders and SMEs with technical, business and investment readiness expertise, networking, business matchmaking and brokerage opportunities towards joint interregional innovation investment projects. Based on peer-to-peer knowledge exchange and regional field trips, it will provide them with exemplary best practices and advances in the sector, from both interregional policy, financing and industry perspective.