Tutto il mondo a Ecomondo: The blue economy in the spotlight.

Datum objave: 11. November, 2024.

The blue economy was a key theme at Ecomondo 2024 in Rimini, and the BLUESLINKS project stand, where Argonauta participated as a project partner, attracted significant attention. In addition to networking, the project partners used the stand for public relations, sharing best practices, and discussing project activities, including management, financial planning, communication, and the implementation of planned activities.

Motivation Through Cooperation

Interactions with other exhibitors further motivated the BLUESLINKS partners, who were inspired by numerous innovators in the blue economy sector.

“Protecting nature, the environment, and the sea – this is why we’re here and why we work together. We share an identity and a vision; we don’t need to overthink it, we need to act,” said Franco Scolari, CEO of Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico, one of the BLUESLINKS project partners.

Responding to the Sector’s Needs

Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico conducted a local needs assessment, presented by Diego Santaliana and Margherita Madaro, which highlighted key needs in the sector, including:

Training programs for capacity building
Innovation consulting and technology mediation
Digital transformation and collaboration
Participation in EU consortia for resource sharing and funding

Addressing these needs could significantly enhance the resilience, growth, and competitiveness of small businesses within the blue economy.

Challenges in Recreational Fishing Tourism

The Croatian partners noted that Croatia faces legal challenges regarding the recognition of recreational fishing tourism. The Italian partners suggested that effective planning could lead to legal recognition over time, with the BLUESLINKS project playing a key role in stimulating the conversation and contributing to the realization of this goal.

Examples of Good Practices in the Blue Economy

The partners presented several sustainable practices, ranging from marine waste recycling and the use of artificial intelligence to collect environmental data, to the restoration of wooden ships using digital tools and the development of underwater drones for protecting the Adriatic seabed.

Additionally, the partners reviewed past activities and outlined plans for the project’s upcoming objectives. In the coming months, the second focus group will be held with all project partners, and activities presenting the project in partner schools have already begun. There were also discussions about planning a hackathon, an event that will involve all partners, small and medium-sized companies from Italy and Croatia, and students, all working together to develop innovative solutions for the blue economy sector.