BlueInvest Grants: Investing in Blue Innovation
The grants offered to SMEs in this blue economy window call for proposals shall help advance market-readiness of new products, services or processes. Activities could, for example, include trials, prototyping, validation, demonstration and testing in real environment conditions, and market replication.
A non-exhaustive list of relevant areas for the blue economy includes:
_ the blue bioeconomy — the cultivation, husbandry or capture of living material from fresh or saltwater and activities based on the use or processing of this material
_ digital transformation of ocean and coastal activities
_ renewable energy — including energy from wind, sun (floating), tide, wave and thermal gradients; logistic or supporting activities in that area are covered
_ enabling technologies such as sensors, corrosion or biofouling resistant materials or coating, digitisation, electricity transmission equipment, multi-purpose platforms
_ production of new products from living or non-living resources that would otherwise be wasted
_ cleaner shipping
_ pollution monitoring, clean-up or management
_ new facilities that support the diversification or energy efficiency of ports
_ sustainable tourism aiming at reducing its carbon footprint or enhancing biodiversity, or efficiently managing resources (e.g. water, food and waste) or tourist flows (e.g. diversifying offer, addressing seasonality and safety)