In the global economic chessboard, Portugal’s leadership requires the intersection of science, industry, and public policy, placing people and communities at the heart of innovation.

As an IT Project Manager at B2E CoLAB, my focus is on converting fragmented data flows into intelligence assets that reduce risk and empower strategic investments in the blue sector. I believe that Artificial Intelligence, anchored in FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and Open Science, is the catalyst that protects our sovereignty and ensures inclusive and transparent innovation. It is this vision – of a smart ocean, structured by data but oriented by and for people – that will be debated at Blue Wink-E 2026, on March 20th, in Matosinhos.

For this vision to move from conceptual to operational, we must address a structural challenge: information fragmentation. The blue economy demands a definitive end to information silos. More than just isolated tools, true disruption lies in the systemic capacity to design architectures that integrate data, human capital, and public policy. By achieving this transition toward a predictive paradigm, we transform uncertainty into rigorous planning. In this context, Artificial Intelligence serves as the systemic catalyst enabling:

• Strategic Autonomy: Preserving intelligence regarding resources as a sovereign national asset, preventing the country from becoming a mere exporter of raw data.
• Industrial Leadership: Driving the transition toward a knowledge-based bioeconomy. Projects such as FishMatter reveal underutilized secondary flows, supporting the conversion of waste into high-value raw materials for demanding global markets.
• Systemic Efficiency: Sustainability transcends reputational commitment to become a measurable and profitable competitive advantage

However, technology without principles does not generate sustainable competitiveness. It is often said that “data is the fuel and AI is the accelerator,” but real value only emerges when they are integrated through architectures that respect FAIR principles. Adopting this stance means being “as open as possible, as closed as necessary,” thereby safeguarding intellectual property. By treating the ocean as a knowledge infrastructure, we prepare the sector for emerging value chains.

Success in the blue sector requires us to be the architects of digital transformation. Blue Wink-E 2026 goes beyond algorithms: it focuses on how digitalization bolsters industrial competitiveness and food sovereignty. This will be the stage to foster the intersection of researchers, companies, policymakers, and citizens, uniting them in a common vision. Because the future of the ocean is being built now: intelligent, autonomous, and sustainable.