BlueInvest Day 2024 Copyright: BlueInvest

BlueInvest Platform: Accelerating the European blue economy

EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, December 06, 2024, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

The European Union's BlueInvest platform is a pioneering initiative aimed at accelerating innovation and investment opportunities in the sustainable blue economy. 

The European blue economy has grown faster than the overall land-based economy over the past decade and has been rapidly modernising. Alongside its traditional sectors (fisheries, aquaculture, transport, ports, coastal tourism), innovative blue economy activities, such as ocean renewable energy, blue bio-economy and bio-technology, and desalination, are evolving.

To support the sustainable blue economy and mobilise private capital, the European Commission set up BlueInvest in 2019 with a total budget of € 9.8 million to help maritime startups and SMEs that have transformative innovations in accessing private capital.

Since its launch, BlueInvest has directly benefited over 330 start-ups and scale-ups in the sustainable blue economy, helping them secure more than € 300 million in investments. The platform has also engaged over 300 investors and enabled the launch of new dedicated blue funds.

A hub for collaboration 

The BlueInvest platform works as a hub for collaboration between investors, companies, and business support organisations. The platform provides a range of services, including:

• Coaching and mentoring for startups and SMEs through assistance programmes to boost their investment-readiness;
• BlueInvest project pipeline: a database showcasing innovative, scalable, and sustainable maritime ventures, connecting them with investors to drive Blue Economy growth and funding opportunities;
• Events and matchmaking opportunities between investors and companies;
• Support financial intermediaries and fund managers seeking to increase their investment in the blue economy through investor capacity building sessions and reports about the investing landscape of the EU blue economy.

Furthermore, BlueInvest takes a sea basin-specific focus, for example for the Baltic and Black Seas, where it collaborates with local stakeholders to support the development of ocean-based innovations while promoting investment opportunities that drive regional economic growth.

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