Deadline: 15 August 2024
Budget:  winner: 10.000 € / one-year scholarship for a master’s degree in open innovation and youth entrepreneurship at CIHEAM Bari; and in the form of an internship in one of the partner companies.
Information: Check CIHAEM website

The CIHEAM launched the Youth Innovation Award in 2022 to reward innovative solutions, designed and implemented by young people, to accelerate green and blue transition processes towards more sustainable, inclusive and equitable food systems in the Mediterranean (SFS Med).

The 2024 edition is launched with the support of three partners who share common objectives and a common vision for the Mediterranean, namely, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED) and the Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (BusinessMed).

The “CIHEAM Youth Innovation Award for Green and Blue Transition in the Mediterranean” will reward an innovative solution (scientific or entrepreneurial product/service) at least in the pilot phase, developed by a Mediterranean young woman or man aged under 39 years and implemented in a country of the region. The innovation must demonstrate its ability to contribute to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of Mediterranean food systems.

The selected awardee will receive a financial grant of 10.000 €, a CIHEAM medal and a Certificate. Other recognitions will also be awarded in the form of a one-year scholarship for a master’s degree in open innovation and youth entrepreneurship at CIHEAM Bari; and in the form of an internship in one of the partner companies.

The Award ceremony will take place on the occasion of a CIHEAM special session held during the ECOMONDO – The Green Technology Expo, one of the most important fairs in the world dedicated to green and circular economy hosted in Rimini, Italy, on 5-8 November, 2024.

The CIHEAM launched the Youth Innovation Award in 2022 to reward innovative solutions, designed and implemented by young people, to accelerate green and blue transition processes towards more sustainable, inclusive and equitable food systems in the Mediterranean (SFS Med).

With a 2030 target, the EU Mission « Restore our Ocean and Waters » aims to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments. The Mission’s new approach will address the ocean and waters as one and play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature.

Cross-cutting enabling actions will support this objective, in particular broad public mobilisation and engagement and a digital ocean and water knowledge system, known as Digital Twin Ocean

The Mission supports regional engagement and cooperation through area-based “lighthouses” in major sea/river basins: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube-Black Sea. Mission lighthouses are sites to pilot, demonstrate, develop  and deploy the Mission activities across EU seas and river basins.

Funding opportunities
On 17 April 2024, the Commission adopted an amendment to the 2023-24 Work Programme of Horizon Europe to mobilise previously unallocated Horizon Europe funding to increase the 2024 budget by nearly €1.4 billion to a total of €7.3 billion. This amendment includes an investment of nearly €650 million in the EU Missions to enable the implementation of the Communication “EU Missions two years on: assessment of progress and way forward”, adopted on 19 July 2023.

Under the Mission Restore our Ocean and waters, there are new 4 Mediterranean related opportunities to support your work and that are now published on the Funding and Tenders Portal, under the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2024.

They all have a closing date date of 18 September 2024.

1. HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-01: European Blue Parks – Offshore marine protected areas
2. HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-01: Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters
3. HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-03​ Reducing the environmental impacts of fisheries on marine species and habitats Atlantic and Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea basin lighthouses
4. HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-04: Science for Community – Building the marine Citizen Science data network of the future to valorise data coming from the ocean and increase engagement

Deadline:  30 June 2024
Budget:  Max $ 55.000 per MPA, per year, over 5 years
Countries: Albania, Algeria, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, and Tunisia
More information: MedFund website

In the framework of the joint project The MedFund / MedPAN, financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and entitled “Build back a blue and stronger Mediterranean”, the MedFund launches the call for interest addressed to the MPAs of the 6 eligible countries that have expressed their interest, namely : Lebanon, Montenegro, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Albania.

The Fund provides financial support by awarding grants to the management and co-management structures of Mediterranean MPAs in order to make a sustainable contribution to the recurrent management costs of these protected areas.

Visit the MedFund website for further details