The 1st Steering Committee of the project took place online last 28th of March with the presentation of the partners and the sharing of the first activities, which are already underway.
The overall objective of BLUE ECOSYSTEM is to enhance the capacities of quintuple helix stakeholders in developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of solutions through a co-creation and transformative innovation approach in the Blue Sustainable Economy. Particularly, it will tackle challenges of the blue sustainable economy in several innovation domains such as marine ecosystem and coastal areas, blue biotechnologies, marine renewable energies, fishing and aquaculture, ports, shipbuilding, marine robotics, coastal and maritime tourism.
In fact, as stated in the BlueInvest Investor Report 2024, from the period 2012-2017 to the period 2018-2023, investments in the blue economy have increased by 3. The three most dynamic sectors are blue renewable energy, blue tech and ocean observation, and aquaculture.
The Emilia-Romagna Region, as lead partner, and ART-ER explained the different Work Packages (WP)
WORK PACKAGE 1: SHARED APPROACH FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CO-CREATION OF INNOVATION IN BLUE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY.
WP1 will consist of defining a common methodology to co-design and co-create innovation labs in the participating regions to enhance the capacity of territories to work on transformative innovation projects.
This will be done through the blue transformative challenges matrix, the revision of the main referring thematic policy documents and strategies (eg. SRIA Blue Med, RIS3, MISTRAL Blue Book) and the regional action Plans (Balearic Island, Emilia-Romagna, Sud Paca-Occitanie, Zadar County, Alentejo, Attica, Albania).
WORK PACKAGE 2: TESTING THE TRANSFORMATIVE CO-CREATION INNOVATION LAB METHODOLOGY
A call will be launched in collaboration with each territorial partner (for the 8 operative partners) to find Blue Transformative Innovation solutions. Local stakeholders will be invited to take part in the call setting up Quintuple Helix Partnership (QHP).
Then, the “TRAIN lab acceleration process” will start following different formats: collective technical workshops, study visits, and keynote conferences. They will involve stakeholders from the 5 Helix, putting experts of the sectors at the heart of the event and fostering share of points of view and practices.
The TRAIN labs will co-design, experiment and test a methodology to establish territorial innovation ecosystems capable of facilitating the ‘normative process’ of orienting innovation pathways to tackle specific societal goals.
WORK PACKAGE 3: EVALUATION AND TRANSFERABILITY OF THE TRAIN LAB METHODOLOGY
Finally, efforts will be focused on Sharing the overall project approach, the main outcomes, and best practices for mutual learning about Transformative innovation. To this end, the “Blue Ecomatch Transnational Programme” will be created.
For further information about the project, please contact jordi.juarez@crpm.org or francesco.camonita@crpm.org
