The B2E CoLAB hosted three innovative startups in the field of blue biotechnology as part of the 6th edition of the Blue Bio Value Acceleration Program 2023. The strategic meetings, held on December 7th, aimed for a collaborative approach to explore opportunities and synergies in the growing area of ​​the blue bioeconomy sector.

Last Thursday, PanaSea Aquaculture, specializing in the sustainable cultivation of sea cucumbers and the creation of products with food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications; 7Leagues Leather, an innovative company producing sustainable fish skin leather from fish processing industry waste, plant extracts, and natural dyes to support environmental sustainability; and Grisea, which transforms macroalgae waste into sustainable bioplastic alternatives compatible with industrial equipment and production lines, met with the B2E CoLAB Business Development and Knowledge Transfer team. This meeting is seen as a crucial milestone in the search for collaborative opportunities in the field of the blue bioeconomy. The visit and meetings are part of the context of the 6th edition of the Blue Bio Value Acceleration Program 2023, a program that aims to boost new business opportunities in the value chain of marine bioresources and blue biotechnology, bringing together several national and international start-ups.

Blue Bio Value, promoted by the Oceano Azul Foundation and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in partnership with the BlueBio Alliance and Maze Impact, is an acceleration and ideation program based in Portugal, dedicated to the expansion of the blue bioeconomy. Maria Coelho, executive coordinator of B2E CoLAB, and Marta Santos, Business Development and Knowledge Transfer Manager, are part of the network of members of this acceleration program.

This meeting was not the first between B2E CoLAB and the various startups that make up the Blue Bio Value Acceleration Program 2023. Online meetings were held earlier in October to establish promising partnerships and synergies.

This strategic meeting underscores not only the Blue Bio Value Acceleration Program’s vision of fostering innovation, but also the determination of these startups to find sustainable and innovative solutions in the blue bioeconomy.