BlueBioClusters

The blue bio-economy deals with the production and conversion of renewable marine biological resources into products with added value, such as food, animal feed, biobased products and bio-energy. This sector offers plenty of opportunities to European coastal communities. Innovative business models, short chains, digital solutions and ecosystem services can create new companies and jobs, even for low-skilled employees.

However, blue actors in the bio-economy struggle with technological challenges, a lack of knowledge and skills and/or regulatory barriers. BlueBioClusters brings together 13 (cluster) organisations from 9 regions, who are each strongly involved in supporting start-ups, companies and policy makers in their region for the roll-out of innovations. Together, they develop new tools and methods to facilitate entrepreneurship in the blue bio-economy.

In this context, the partners will build joint knowledge on:

• blue biobased value chains for aquaculture and fishery products;
• valorisation of ecosystem services by companies and governments;
• technology needs for cultivation, stabilisation and processing of marine biomass;
• coaching of starters and co-creation of innovative business models; and
• Communities of Practice for regional development of blue bio-economy. 

Blue Cluster leads the work package on the valorisation of ecosystem services. We expect to create a long-term impact by having several Flemish actors collaborate with the other regions in the projects to determine business opportunities in the blue bio-economy. The results of BlueBioClusters will be updated and maintained through an interactive portal, including after the project has ended.