Blue Knowledge and Technology Transfer – challenges and opportunities
Blue Bioeconomy in Portugal is essential for fighting climate change, promoting sustainability, and valorizing aquatic resources. Transforming this biomass into innovative products strengthens the economy, combining responsible exploitation with advanced technologies and efficient environmental management.
However, the path is not without its challenges. Despite insufficiency and progress, limited funding, lack of training, technological insufficiency and fragmented stakeholders hinder progress and innovation in the sector. These obstacles call for creative and collaborative solutions to unlock the true potential of the Blue Bioeconomy.
Knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) is essential in Blue Bioeconomy, facilitating connections between universities, research centers, and companies. Oceano Fresco, founded in 2015 in Nazaré, is an example of success in transferring scientific knowledge to the market, innovating in sustainable shellfish aquaculture with cutting-edge technologies, and attracting more than 23 million euros in investment by 2024. Sea4Us, founded in 2013 as a spin-off from Nova Medical School, is a Portuguese biopharmaceutical company that develops new pharmaceuticals based on marine compounds, excelling in the treatment of chronic pain with an innovative non-opioid analgesic, and has attracted significant investment, including 5.96 million euros from the European Innovation Council in 2023 to advance its research and development activities. Inclita Seaweed Solutions and Fykia Biotech are recent CIIMAR spin-offs operating in the field of marine biotechnology and harnessing the power of seaweed for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, petceuticals, and functional foods and beverages.
At B2E CoLAB, we believe in organizing Knowledge and Technology Transfer to make technical knowledge applicable, promoting innovative solutions through partnerships, collaborative projects, and the assignment and/or licensing of technologies, as well as encouraging mobility between academia and industry. Despite the challenges of creating start-ups and spin-offs in the Blue Bioeconomy, due to the high costs and wrongly perceived risks, B2E CoLAB supports these companies, acting as an intermediary in technology transfer and intellectual property management.
Another pillar is the stakeholders’ capacity to face technical and commercial challenges, bridging gaps in areas such as intellectual property management, open innovation, and entrepreneurship. B2E CoLAB aims to strengthen skills along the Blue Bioeconomy value chain, turning qualification into a competitive advantage that aligns the different players with the sector’s requirements.
Finally, the internationalization of Knowledge and Technology Transfer is strategic for expanding the Blue Bioeconomy, as the internationalization of knowledge and technologies made in Portugal connects the country to global markets, international partnerships, and funding, promoting innovation and visibility in the sector. Initiatives such as B2E CoLAB seek to integrate the sector into global networks, expanding access to new markets, competitive financing, and foreign investment. These alliances increase the sector’s visibility and create a favorable environment for collaborative innovation.
In this context, B2E CoLAB reaffirms its commitment to being a catalyst for transformation in Blue Bioeconomy. We work to connect people, ideas, and technologies, creating synergies that drive the sector forward and make Portugal a global benchmark. With a collaborative and results-orientated approach, we will continue to face challenges and embrace opportunities, consolidating our role as a driver of innovation and sustainable development.
