In the newsroom, you will find the latest updates on the BlueInvest initiative: useful videos to expand your knowledge, success stories, insights on our pasts and upcoming events and much more!
BlueInvest was launched in 2019 with the aim to facilitate access to finance and support investment readiness for early stage businesses, SMEs and scale ups in the blue economy. The platform …
Supports investment readiness and access to finance for innovative start-ups, SMEs, and scale-ups in the blue economy.
Provides a market path through technical assistance, visibility, matchmaking and network- and opportunity-building for investors and companies.
Guides investors to specialize their investment strategies into blue economy related areas and to maximize their related investments.
Fosters a community and investment ecosystem to help finance the go-to-market and scale-up and to fuel the transition to more sustainable finance and impact investment.
SUCCESS STORIES
80+ beneficiaries had qualified introductions to investors 50+ beneficiaries secured investment 96.5% satisfaction rate
Read more on the BlueInvest beneficiaries and their success stories here below.
As the global population continues to grow, the pressure to meet the increasing demand for food has never been greater. The Spain-based start-up Ficosterra offers a ground-breaking solution that maximises crop production while minimising the ecological footprint.Their secret weapon? Seaweed.
In the pursuit of sustainable agriculture, Ficosterra has emerged as a pioneer in 2016 and they expanded their network and increased their visibility thanks toBlueInvest.
According to Founder and CEOLuis Lombana, "The BlueInvest support was valuable for us in order to gain solvency and visibility among several investors and agencies."
Seaweed, a highly sustainable and rapidly growing resource, holds immense potential for revolutionising agriculture. The use of seaweed in agriculture contributes to reducing the dependence on chemical fertilisers and synthetic pesticides, resulting in more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices.
Ficosterra saw the potential and used the power of seaweed to optimise crop performance. When applied to the soil,Ficosterra's biostimulants activate soil microbiology, unlocking enhanced nutrient availability for plants. As a result, crops grow healthier and stronger, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers.
This is important becauseover 60% of soils in the EU are degradedor in an in an unhealthy state.
Redefining the future of farming
But what sets Ficosterra apart? Their “Total Recovery Deployment (TRD)” technology is a game-changer, as it allows them toextract high concentrations of beneficial compounds from seaweed. These natural seaweed-based compounds can replace synthetic growth hormones commonly used in agriculture.
Unlike conventional harsh extraction methods, Ficosterra's technologypreserves the active ingredients in seaweed.
Ultimately, Ficosterra's solution provides dual benefits -improving crop performance and returns for farmers, as well as reducing pollution and emissions compared to traditional approaches.
Ficosterra’s BlueInvest Journey
Ficosterra was anearly member of the BlueInvest community, joining in 2019. Through the support of BlueInvest Readiness Assistance and participation in BlueInvest Days, Ficosterra expanded their network and increased their visibility within the European blue economy. The networking opportunities at BlueInvest Days, in particular, brought new ideas and connections that helped them further develop their business.
This increased visibility and financial strength enabled Ficosterra to secure agrant of €1,125,908 from the European Innovation Council in 2023, which the company has since invested into developing and scaling its TRD production technology.
Ficosterra also caught the attention of theUnited Nations Development Programme, by whom they were invited to participate in the Ocean Innovation Challenge, an initiative to address ocean pollution from agricultural runoff.
Now, after successfully launching their products and receiving theSeal of Excellence from the European Innovation Council, Ficosterra is again seeking external funding to expand their production capabilities even further. They seek to secure €4 million in equity, confident that their innovative technology, emphasis on the blue economy and agriculture, and unwavering commitment to sustainability will attract potential investors.
Since joining the BlueInvest community in 2019, Ficosterra has seen remarkable growth. They have expanded their production and reach in both Europe and the Americas by forming strategic alliances and new partnerships. This growth is reflected in their financials, with annual revenue doubling over the past two years.
About BlueInvest
BlueInvest is an EU initiative that aims to boost innovation and investment in sustainable technologies for the blue economy. It offers assistance to access financing for early-stage businesses, SMEs and scale-ups. BlueInvest is enabled by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
BlueInvest Readiness Assistance is an exclusive coaching programme. It targets high potential EU startups and SMEs with innovative and sustainable products and solutions for the blue economy. Businesses and projects selected for Investment Readiness Assistance will receive coaching packages tailored to their readiness levels and business objectives. The programme is impact-driven, with a clear focus on providing business support to help startups and SMEs build capacities for growth and attract investment.
Call for Tender: EU Coastal Monitoring Demonstrators
The ‘EU Coastal Monitoring Demonstrators’ Call for Tender, launched by Mercator Ocean International, aims to reinforce the Copernicus Marine Service’s interactions and collaboration with core users at the national and transnational level in the European Union.
The European Commission launched theShip Financing Portal, designed to improve access to financing for the shipping sector and the wider maritime industry.
The platform, launched by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, provides businesses and organisations with a repository of available financial tools needed to drive fleet renewal and retrofitting, enhance efficiency, and reduce environmental impact.
The Portal in a nutshell:
Consolidated resource:the portal centralises access to a variety of pan-European financing products, simplifying the search for suitable financing opportunities for stakeholders across the maritime sector.
Current information:it provides up-to-date details on available grants, loans, and other financing products administered by the EU, Member States, and private financial institutions. This ensures that users are informed about the latest financing opportunities.
Sector-specific solutions:the portal lists financing products relevant for the shipping sector, facilitating the development and deployment of technologies and services to promote shipping decarbonisation. This aligns with the EU's commitment to steer the maritime sector towards a green transition.
The launch of the portal is a further step in supporting the greening of the maritime industry. The portal addresses the lack of available information on financing opportunities.
The European Commission invites all maritime stakeholders, including small and medium-sized businesses, financial institutions, and other organisations to explore the Ship Financing Portal and take advantage of the diverse financing opportunities available. This initiative underscores the EU's dedication to fostering a sustainable and competitive maritime sector.
EUSPA has published a new Fundamental Elements funding scheme grant to support the integration of Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) in maritime positioning and/or navigation solutions.
The Galileo HAS-enabled Maritime receiver Call for Proposals aims at designing, developing, testing and demonstrating aGNSSpositioning/navigation solution, integrating Galileo HAS receiver, suitable to be embedded within the vessel navigation equipment.
Deadline for submission to the call: Friday, September 20, 2024 - 23:59 CEST.
You can read more about this opportunity at theEUSPA pages.
Oceanovation Festival - 21-22 June 2023
Innovation and technology are the cornerstones of a blue economy, and Europe is leading the way. A thriving Blue economy promises to bring innumerable benefits through the financing of projects and investments with a focus on marine innovation and circular economy solutions. This is why Blue Invest is a supporting partner of OCEANOVATION Festival taking place in The Hague on 21-22 June.
The Festival will bring together 350+ innovative founders, investors, corporates, and forward-thinking minds in the ocean space to identify, implement and scale the technologies we need to grow the blue economy in a sustainable way. As part of the Blue Invest network, you will be able to attend 2 days of workshops and engaging conversation with a 40% discount on the ticket. Take part in the different civities offered during the event such as a Founders program, dedicated Investor Program, Pitch on The Beach, Industry Workshops, and unlimited networking opportunities.
BlueInvest is partnering up with Ocean Autonomy Cluster for the seminar “Protecting and Monitoring the Ocean - the Nordics” taking place on 03 May in Clarion Brattøra and online.
Experts, innovators, and industry leaders will gather to discuss the current state and prospects of the blue economy in the Nordic region.
The session "Solutions looking for a problem - Entrepreneurs" is available for online participation. Registerhere.
The other parts of the event are by invitation only. Any questions can be addressed toOcean Autonomy Cluster.
Innovation Fund third small-scale call for projects
Thethird Innovation Fund small-scale call for projectswas launched on 30 March 2023 with a budget of EUR 100 million for projects with a total capital cost between EUR 2.5 million and below EUR 7.5 million, it will be open for projects submissions until19 September 2023, 17:00 Brussels time.
On 20 April, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and the European Commission's DG Climate Action are organising anInfo Dayto present the call.
BlueInvest and the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism are collaborating to provide market pathways for sustainable and innovative technologies at different stages of formation.
The Black Sea Assistance Mechanism offers participating countries practical support to help meet the blue economy goals of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea.
The focus is on facilitating awareness and capacity of local and regional stakeholders by providing the Black Sea community with expertise on the blue economy, a network across borders on both shores to help project leaders find the right partners, as well as support with project idea development and share funding opportunities.
BlueInvest and the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism are collaborating to provide market pathways for sustainable and innovative technologies at different stages of formation.
The Black Sea Assistance Mechanism offers participating countries practical support to help meet the blue economy goals of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea.
The focus is on facilitating awareness and capacity of local and regional stakeholders by providing the Black Sea community with expertise on the blue economy, a network across borders on both shores to help project leaders find the right partners, as well as support with project idea development and share funding opportunities.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
