Helena Vieira, a researcher from CESAM/DAO and the ERA Chair Holder of the BESIDE Project, participated, at the invitation of CAA – Atlantic Arc Commission (whose national partner is CCDR-LVT), in the process of producing recommendations for public policies aimed at promoting an innovation ecosystem in the Blue Economy.
These recommendations aim to boost the growth of startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Atlantic area, providing them with greater access to financing, promoting gender diversity in the sector, and removing legislative barriers to innovation.
According to the researcher, “the invitation to participate as a member of the Academy, representing the University of Aveiro (CESAM/DAO), but also as a European expert in the Blue Economy, is a privilege that I particularly cherish because it shows that science is increasingly called to the table of important decisions. It is with pleasure that I see that the contributions I provided have been incorporated into this document, particularly regarding emerging sectors such as the Blue Bioeconomy. I also emphasize the contributions related to the need to promote circularity and sustainability in the design of public funding and support programs for the development of the blue economy and the absolute need to promote productive and transformative innovation in the more traditional sectors, pillars of the blue economy, which should not be overlooked in this European dual transition.”
The work aims to strengthen the innovation landscape in the Atlantic region, especially in areas related to the Blue Economy, such as port and aquaculture digitization, ocean renewable energies, and blue biotechnology. It culminated in the production of a document that lists a set of policy recommendations to European Union decision-makers to make the Atlantic innovation ecosystem more robust, dynamic, and interconnected. The recommendations presented are based on the experience of the European FAN-BEST project, meetings with innovation stakeholders in the Atlantic area, and stakeholders involved in Atlantic blue innovation projects.
The FAN-BEST project is an INTERREG project in the Atlantic Area, which began in January 2019 and ran until June 30, 2023. This project focused on transferring research results to SMEs in the Atlantic Area related to Blue Economy sectors, thanks to the establishment or leverage of a network of agents acting as funders and guides for startups and SMEs.
Learn more about the Atlantic Arc Commission here.
Text by: CESAM in collaboration with Helena Vieira.