B2E CoLAB takes part in the Entrepeur Fair
The executive coordinator of B2E – Blue Bioeconomy CoLAB, Maria Coelho, was one of the guest speakers at the round table “Business Acceleration Clinic”, held this Tuesday at Casa da Arquitetura. The event was organised by the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) and the Matosinhos City Council, as part of the Entrepreneur Fair.
In the context of entrepreneurship, Maria Coelho highlighted the role of B2E CoLAB in promoting collaboration between academia and industry to develop innovative solutions in the area of the Blue Bioeconomy, stressing the importance of valuing and monetising the knowledge generated in order to boost economic growth.
Emphasising B2E CoLAB’s commitment to helping transform the linear economy into a more sustainable and resilient circular economy, Maria Coelho revealed some of the projects in which the Blue Bioeconomy CoLAB is involved. The project to valorise marine co-products, developed in partnership with Iceland and Norway, was one of the examples discussed, with a view to the potential that exists in this area, in terms of the emergence of new value chains. “Co-products, which are nothing more than fish scraps and are currently used mainly as waste or pet food, can be valorised and applied in industries such as textiles, footwear or nutraceuticals, contributing to the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy,” he said.
In a round table that also included Daniel Alves (E-GOI), Miguel Lemos (Águas de Gaia), Maria Oliveira (UPTEC) and Susana Bettencourt (Portugal Fashion) and moderated by RTP journalist José António Pereira, Maria Coelho underlined the strategy that has been adopted by government entities in the area of the sea economy, giving as an example the future International Centre for Blue Biotechnology. “This project proves the commitment that Portugal needs and is making,” she emphasised, pointing out that the new infrastructure will be built in Matosinhos and that B2E CoLAB is part of the project’s monitoring committee.
