Which modular projects are part of the Blue Growth Community?
iBlue
IBLUE - INVESTING IN SUSTAINABLE BLUE GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH 3-PILLAR BUSINESS MODEL (3-PBM)
iBlue will contribute to the sustainable relaunch of yachting sector (shipbuilding, nautical services, tourism) creating a Med transnational network to help the economic upturn by sharing business models (BM) which integrate the 3 pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, economic), developing the “3-PBM” methodology.
The sector is now facing crisis and unemployment challenges, but a focus only on economic aspect would represent a threat for the Med ecosystem balance, from an environmental and a social viewpoint.“3-PBM” application and the systematic data collection will create a database providing: a critical mass of knowledge about Med yachting in terms of economic impact, employment, strengths, weaknesses and sustainability, exploitable by several users (SMEs, policy makers, and researchers); an indicator system about the sustainability of the yachting enterprises, useful to the policy makers for a better resource allocation and for impact evaluation; a collection of best practices, innovation patterns and policies exploitable by Med yachting sector actors for performance improvement; training material for the realization of sustainable BM in yachting, going towards circular economy principles, and for the maritime tourists for improving awareness about rules for Med safeguard. A transnational action will all ow a sustainable development of the whole yachting sector of the Med, protecting at the same time nature, beauty and culture of its territories and its people.
Lead Partner: University of Udine – Italy
MAESTRALE
MAESTRALE – SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
The project Maestrale intends to lay the basis for a Maritime Energy Deployment Strategy in the Mediterranean. Based on a survey of existing and innovative technologies, hindrances and potentials in participating countries, it aims to widen knowledge sharing among scientists, policy makers, entrepreneurs and citizens and prompt effective actions and investments for blue growth.
Notwithstanding the large number of academic and technical studies in the field of renewable blue energy, there is a lack of concrete initiatives and operating plants in the MED area. To fill this gap, project partners will cooperate to detect maritime renewable energy potentials in participating countries as regards their physical, legal, technological, economic and social contexts. Among the issues to be faced, there are environmental sustainability, technological innovation, acceptability by citizens, and possible conflicts with marine ecosystems.
The main output will consist in the creation of Blue Energy Labs (BEL) to take place in each participating region. BELs will involve local enterprises, public authorities, knowledge institutions and citizens and will operate to support future blue energy policies and plan concrete strategies for blue growth. A number of pilot projects will serve the purpose of raising awareness among local stakeholders, facilitating social acceptance, decreasing uncertainty and increasing feasibility of concrete interventions.
Lead Partner: University of Siena – Italy
PELAGOS
PELAGOS - PROMOTING INNOVATIVE NETWORKS AND CLUSTERS FOR MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY SYNERGIES IN MEDITERRANEAN COASTS AND ISLANDS
The sea represents a huge resource for renewable energy (Blue Energy, BE) such as waves, tides, and marine currents.
Harnessing the economic potential of this energy in a sustainable manner has been highlighted in the Commission's Blue Growth Strategy as one of key areas, where in order to build the necessary capacity and critical mass, it is necessary to involve a wide range of stakeholders. The project aims to increase the innovation capacities and cooperation of BE actors in MED through promoting a transnational cluster, bringing them together in order to develop a shared understanding of the challenges and collectively devise workable solutions. PELAGOS will establish a Cluster in Blue Energy that will promote novel technologies and provide a mix of support activities to beneficiaries such as technology providers, enterprises, financial operators, authorities, NGOs end citizens. The project will enhance internationalization of the Cluster members through a range of activities that will jointly identify opportunities of BE in Mediterranean insular and coastal regions.
This will be achieved through fine-tuning of existing know-how, development of skills, identification of common business opportunities and facilitation of growth by bridging providers and users in targeted maritime industries. The development of this emerging sector can become an important part of the blue economy, fuelling economic growth in coastal regions and create new, high-quality jobs.
Lead Partner: Centre for renewable energy sources and saving – Pikermi Attica Greece
PROteuS
PROteuS - PROmoting security and safeTy by crEating a MED clUster on Maritime Surveillance
The Mediterranean Sea constitutes a cross road of continents and the main link among EU countries, Asia and Middle East, baring a huge load of maritime activities that need to be monitored in an efficient way. Maritime Surveillance (MS) aims at providing to the involved key actors the necessary methods and systems to achieve effective data exchange concerning various maritime risks and sectors (Port control, piracy, pollution and trafficking monitoring, border control, defense, fisheries controls).
An important issue within MS is the existence of communication and regulatory gaps that can lead to serious loss of time in case of emergency.
PROteuS project aims at exploiting the growth potential of the emerging Maritime Surveillance industry that can play a crucial role in the socio-economic development of MED area and in the generation of new job opportunities. This objective will be addressed through the establishment of a MED MS Cluster, fostering innovation and R&D capacities, knowledge and technology transfer, as well as transnational cooperation among the involved key MS actors, focusing on maritime security and safety mechanisms in MED area. The Cluster will offer customized services in order to identify and exploit technologies related to MS and will achieve transferability through the creation of concrete linkages with other Blue Growth sectors that face common challenges and growth opportunities.
Lead Parner: Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture of Venice Rovigo Delta - Lagunare
4HELIX+
4Helix+ - EMPOWERING THE 4 HELIX OF MED MARITIME CLUSTERS THROUGH AN OPEN SOURCE-KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH IN FAVOR OF BLUE GROWTH
The project aims to stimulate, coach and fund cross-sectoral and trans-boundary innovation within the Mediterranean maritime sector. It seeks to improve the gap between the 8 Mediterranean regional maritime clusters on the one hand, and their respective Quadruple Helix on the other (university, industry, government and civil society), in order to accelerate the transfer of research and innovation results. This partnership with and within open spaces for exploratory interaction and creativity is also empowered by the integration with cultural and creative industries’ (CCIs) knowledge and expertise.
This is envisaged to be achieved through an open source, knowledge sharing and community-based approach, resulting from cooperation with so-called ‘new innovation agents’ (fab-labs, co-working spaces, creative hubs, etc.) and cultural and creative industries (high-skilled companies, RDI centers, etc.). This cross-sectoral knowledge transfer and cooperation with blue SMEs will be realized by a series of innovative tools, such as Cyber Space and Innovation Voucher Scheme, as well as numerous project events, such as boot-camps, transnational brokerage event, regional info days...
Lead partner: SVIM-Sviluppo Marche
Mistral
MISTRAL - Mediterranean Innovation STRAtegy for transnational activity of clusters and networks of the Blue Growth
The project aims to strengthen a transnational partnership made up of 8 countries in order to:
- Make marine knowledge and sustainable innovation the key drivers for BG,
- Support MED clusters to become an excellent intermediary of knowledge for increasing blue economy,
- Design and implement sustainable development trajectories harmonized with the MED regions Smart Specialization Strategies.
The strong partnership, thanks to the open innovation approach, will act as catalyzer for cooperative sustainable innovation actions, placing MISTRAL in a unique position to help the boost of the BG sector in the MED area responding to the programme challenges.
MISTRAL has the ambition to develop a wider governance vision towards 2020 in the BG sector as well as assuring the effective policy mainstreaming. In conclusion, MISTRAL will be the Blue Innovation wind in the MED area unlocking the innovation potential of the coastal and marine ecosystem.
Lead partner: Emilia–Romagna Region, DG Knowledge, Labour and Enterprise Economy - Research, Innovation, Energy and Sustainable Economy Dep.