Convocatoria – Oportunidades de la Economía Azul en Cataluña
El evento “Oportunidades de la Economía Azul en Cataluña” es el segundo “roadshow” que el Mecanismo de Asistencia de la Iniciativa WestMED organiza en España a través del Mecanismo de Asistencia Español de dicha Iniciativa.
El evento está enmarcado en los “roadshow” que son reuniones a nivel regional (comunidad autónoma) de carácter técnico cuyos principales objetivos son:
- (i) dar a conocer la Iniciativa WestMED y su Mecanismo de Asistencia
- (ii) interactuar con los agentes más relevantes de la región
- (iii) recopilar las principales ideas de proyecto y prioridades de los agentes con potencial para llevar a cabo proyectos que vayan en línea con las prioridades de la Iniciativa WestMED
En este contexto, el evento del 10 de Octubre de Barcelona en el Departament d’Acció Exterior, Relacions Institucionals i Transparència (Via Layetana, 14, Barcelona), es el segundo de estos “roadshow” en España y está organizado por la Iniciativa WestMED en colaboración con la Generalitat de Cataluña.
El evento se dividirá en tres bloques principales:
- Apertura: Con representantes de las administraciones locales / regionales
- Presentación de la Iniciativa WestMED y oportunidades existentes en la Economía Azul a nivel de Mediterráneo y de Cataluña
- Grupo de Trabajo para fomentar la aparición de ideas de proyectos de cara a futuro y la colaboración entre instituciones regionales donde se dará respuesta por parte de cada entidad a las siguientes preguntas:
- Experiencias de su institución/organismo/empresa en Economía Azul en el pasado y presente.
- Experiencias que se desean elaborar/abordar/impulsar desde su institución/organismo/empresa para un futuro.
- Necesidades de asistencia(financiación, búsqueda de socios, etc.) de su institución/organismo/empresa en temas deseados alrededor de la Economía Azul.
Se ha confirmado ya la asistencia de unas 37 personas escogidas de entre los principales sectores de acuicultura, transporte marítimo, marinas, turismo, pesca, pesca recreativa, energías renovables marinas, universidades y conservación marina.
Maestrale Project: Final Blue Energy Lab
The Final Blue Energy Lab of the Maestrale Project took place at AquaBioTech, Mosta, on the 20 September.
The event provided interesting insights on the blue energy sector, through a training session on entrepreneurship, energy technologies, legal framework and funding opportunities.
During the event, the two pilot projects for Malta, that are being carried out through the Maestrale Project, were presented. These consist of a marine thermal energy system and biofuels production from algae.
WestMED-supported promoters respond to calls with 10 new project proposals
In less than a year, the WestMED Assistance Mechanism has provided extensive assistance to a large number of stakeholders. Here is what we do and what have done so far.
Applying for project funding
There are a multitude of instruments and calls, meaning that it can be tricky to successfully participate in calls for funding. WestMED is here to support project promoters get their ideas across, by helping to develop them into sound concepts, package them into strong proposals, enhance them with niche partnerships, and tailor them to the relevant funding instruments available.
WestMED provides support both in promoting new ideas and partnerships, and in assessing the weaknesses and enhancing the proposals of good ideas that have been rejected in past calls.
Following the money
WestMED combines support with project development with a mapping of on-going and future funding/financing opportunities provided by Financial Institutions and Development Agencies. The Assistance Mechanism team, and especially our National Hubs, are continuously scouting established project fields, and are also supporting new project ideas with an aim for these to be successfully delivered to the various EU, regional and national Blue Economy funding opportunities.
Current calls’ close-up
To date, a total of 10 regional projects have already been actively supported by the Assistance Mechanism’s Core Team and National Hubs. The WestMED Initiative has helped regional project promoters to draft and submit several projects for different calls. Assistance to promoters has been provided for the following calls: EMFF, Interreg MED, JPI Oceans, Horizon 2020, ENI CBC. Topics vary from sustainable tourism across the region, to innovative skills, technologies, tools and strategies for sustainable, innovative aquaculture, port competitiveness, and promotion of technologically-advanced devices developed under Horizon 2020 projects, to name but a few.
Our advice ranges from identifying the funds and developing the full project proposal to building partnerships, analysing strengths and weaknesses, structuring work packages.
Want to discuss a project? Get in touch here.
L’Initiative OuestMED au Forum de la Mer 2019
Le Hub National Tunisie Mr Salem Miladi a assisté le 21 septembre 2019 à l’ouverture du deuxième Forum de la Mer à Bizerte et a présenté lors d’une séance plénière se rapportant aux” grands témoins et images” le projet OuestMed rappelant ses objectifs, sa feuille de route ainsi que ses priorités définies à la conférence de Palerme le 14 mai 2019. Il a aussi rappelé les tâches du hub national qui doit assurer notamment la disponibilité permanente du mécanisme d’assistance et le soutien des parties prenantes au niveau national.
Plus de 800 personnes ont assisté à ce forum dont des ministres tunisiens, le secrétaire général adjoint de l’UpM, plus de 60 maires de villes tunisiennes, des députés tunisiens et européens, le Hub National Algérie, des professionnels tunisiens et étrangers, plusieurs associations et experts dans le domaine de l’économie bleue.
Quatre ateliers thématiques ont eu lieux: l’économie bleue durable et collectivités littorales, les projets de l’économie bleue en Méditerranée, l’économie bleue solidaire pour un développement inclusif et transversal en méditerranée et enfin perceptions et attentes des employeurs de la région Euromed.
Des tables rondes ont regroupé des professionnels tunisiens et européens qui ont pu discuter des différentes activités de l’économie bleue et le déjeuner débat a traité en particulier de l’économie bleue et tourisme.
Enfin les organisateurs ont présenté l’appel à projets AMWEJ et ont annoncé le nom des trois finalistes.
Lancement du projet Co-Evolve4BG
Mr Salem Miladi Hub National Tunisie a assisté aujourd’hui 20 septembre au lancement officiel du projet Co-Evolve4BG. Ce projet, financé par l’Union Européenne, traite de l’étude des relations entre les systèmes environnementaux et les activités côtières pour présenter des modèles de développement des zones côtières méditerranéennes.
Les objectifs du projet visent à analyser et promouvoir la co-évolution des activités humaines et les systèmes naturels dans les régions côtières touristiques permettant la réalisation d’un développement durable avec des activités touristiques basées sur l’approche de l’aménagement de zones côtières intégrées et favorisant la croissance bleue en méditerranée.
Le projet s’intéresse à la zone côtière de Sousse, Monastir et Djerba en Tunisie et concerne aussi l’Espagne, la Grèce et le Liban.
Le Hub National Tunisie a profité de cette rencontre pour parler avec les responsables tunisiens et les participants, du projet WestMed et des opportunités de coopération dans le domaine de l’économie bleue.
Plus d’information:
Kick-off Meeting MedCoast 4BG (by UfM)
Launch of the BlueInvest Platform
The European Commission has launched on 13 September the Blue Invest Platform which aims to support investment readiness and access to finance for early-stage businesses, SMEs and scale-ups in the blue economy.
The Blue Invest Platform provides the following services:
BlueInvest Community
The community is open to entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and innovation stakeholders interested in the Blue Economy. Our content and activities are designed to help start-ups and SMEs with investment and growth prospects.
BlueInvest Readiness Assistance
An exclusive coaching programme for high potential start-ups and SMEs with innovative and sustainable products and solutions for the Blue Economy.
Businesses and projects selected for the Readiness Lab will receive coaching packages tailored specifically to their readiness levels and business objectives. The programme is impact-driven, with a clear focus on providing business support to help startups and SMEs build capacities for growth and attract investment.
BlueInvest Events
BlueInvest events are aimed at business impact. Events will feature learning opportunities, knowledge exchange, networking and B2B matchmaking, in formats designed to transform business. Join us at:
– BlueInvest Day 2020. 04 February 2020, Brussels
– 1st thematic workshop. 26 November 2019 @ WindEurope Offshore, Copenhagen
BlueInvest Academy
The academy offers capacity-building courses, training events and exclusive webinars to accelerate businesses for investment, market access and international expansion.
BlueInvest Academy is open to members of the BlueInvest Community. Features include seminars on the latest industry developments and trends, sessions with market experts, talks and speed mentoring to help you with your go-to-market approach.
BlueInvest Pipeline
See our showcase of innovative projects and entrepreneurs who are shaping the Blue Economy.
Projects will consist of innovative and scalable business ventures from traditional and emerging sectors of the maritime economy.
How you can benefit:
- entrepreneur to gain access to expertise, relevant contacts, expanded international business networks and enhanced investment potential. Get the right connections to the market and move from strategy to execution;
- investor to access to relevant deal flow, high potential portfolio candidates and an investors’ community of interests, to be in-the-know on meaningful developments and get the chance to shape the industry;
- partner to get real connections to business, markets and investors, knowledge exchange and support to ecosystem building.
All the information is available on the Blue Invest Platform.
Accord de partenariat entre les clusters maritimes tunisien et français
Salem Miladi, Hub national tunisien, a assisté le 10 septembre à la signature d’un accord de partenariat entre le cluster maritime tunisien et le cluster maritime français, et en présence du secrétaire général français de la mer, la maire de Carthage et le maire de Bizerte.
Les deux présidents des deux clusters ont insisté sur l’importance de la coopération entre les deux pays dans le domaine des activités liées à la mer et dans la promotion de l’économie bleue.
A cette occasion, Mr Miladi a brièvement présenté le projet WestMED et a confirmé sa participation au Forum de la Mer de Bizerte au cours duquel il présentera en détail le projet WestMED (samedi 21 en session plénière de 15.00 à 15.40).
Plus d’informations sur le Forum de la Mer – Bizerte ici.
Pour s’inscrire (avant le mardi 17 septembre), cliquer ici.
BRIDGES project – Presentation of underwater glider vehicles Deep Explorer and Ultradeep Explorer
The H2020 BRIDGES project officially closed after four years with the public presentation on 28 August 2019 in Cassis (France) of Deep Explorer and Ultradeep Explorer underwater gliders.
These two prototypes are underwater exploration platforms adapted to the challenges of tomorrow’s marine research and the needs of the blue economy. On this occasion, the French National Hub was represented to discuss the next steps of this ambitious project with the various French partners Alseamar and ENSTA-Paristech / Armines, especially in the Mediterranean.
For more information: france@westmed-initiative.eu
More information on the BRIDGES project here.
The National Hub joins an AMAre Workshop
On 4 June, our National Hub Malta attended the AMAre workshop.
The event was organised by the Physical Oceanography Research Group, in which the work of the AMAre project was introduced.
It brought together stakeholders within the Malta North-East Marine Protected Area (MPA) to build dialogue and awareness on common issues.
The National Hub took this opportunity to meet stakeholders in the marine and maritime sector and to disseminate information on the WestMED Initiative.