Maria Coelho, executive coordinator of B2E – CoLAB for the Blue Bioeconomy, was one of the guest speakers at the roundtable discussion “Business Acceleration Clinic,” held this Tuesday at the Casa da Arquitetura. The event was organized by the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) and the Matosinhos City Council, as part of the Entrepreneur Fair.

Specifically within the scope 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, emphasizing the importance of valuing and monetizing the knowledge generated in order to boost economic growth.

Emphasizing 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 CoLAB for the Blue Bioeconomy is involved. The project to add value to marine by-products, developed in partnership with Iceland and Norway, was one of the examples discussed, given the potential that exists in this area, in terms of the emergence of new value chains. “By-products, which are nothing more than fish scraps and whose main destination is currently waste or pet food, can be added value and applied in industries such as textiles, footwear or nutraceuticals, contributing to the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy,” she argued.

In a round table that also included the participation of 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 highlighted the strategy that has been adopted by government entities in the area of ​​the marine economy, giving as an example the future International Center for Blue Biotechnology. “This project proves the commitment that Portugal needs and is making,” he emphasized, noting that the new infrastructure will be built in Matosinhos and that B2E CoLAB is part of the project’s monitoring committee.