Bridging science and commercialisation

The Partnership encourages its projects to engage with industry and investors as part of their activities, promoting the translation of research into real-world applications. Their experience at the event and feedback allows us to explore the relevance of market uptake and commercialisation for the Partnership’s co-funded projects, the value of networking at BlueInvest Day, and recommendations for future participation.

_{Left to right: from the Partnership, Kathrine Angell-Hansen, Angiolo Boncompagni, Frode Dal Fjeldavli; from the projects, Ruth Higgings (ARCFISH) and Natalia Mæhle (AQUABALANCE); also from the Partnership, Margherita Cappalletto and Ingeborg Frøysnes.}

Natalia Mæhle is a Professor at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Bergen, Norway) and coordinator of the AQUABALANCE project. AQUABALANCE focuses on balancing economic, environmental, and social sustainability in European aquaculture by mapping innovative solutions and developing sustainable business models for the industry. Ruth Higgins from EurOcean represents the ARCFISH project, which is developing a Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO) to support sustainable Arctic fisheries management. She attended BlueInvest to gain insights into industry perspectives on commercialisation and network with key stakeholders. EurOcean is responsible for the communication and dissemination of the project.

How relevant did you find the event for your project?
NATALIA: The BlueInvest Day is highly relevant for AQUABALANCE as it provides an overview of commercialisation opportunities, while also offering a platform to meet potential investors and collaborators. Hearing success stories and pitches was truly inspiring.
RUTH: It was eye-opening. It offered opportunities for networking with investors, most of whom are outside of the usual community that we meet at networking events. BlueInvest will have more relevance for ARCFISH in coming years as we identify which project components have commercial value.

How important are market uptake and commercialisation issues to your project?
NATALIA: Market uptake is essential for AQUABALANCE. One of our goals is to develop sustainable business models and communication toolkits for the aquaculture industry, which could have commercialisation potential.
RUTH: Our project, and Digital Twin of the Ocean- projects in general, are designed as ‘common assets’ rather than commercial products, but there could be market opportunities for integrated applications in fisheries monitoring systems, such as onboard detection technology, for example.

Did any of the keynote, pitches, or sessions particularly resonate with you?
NATALIA: I found the networking session on the first day particularly valuable. Additionally, the panel on the role of the EU blue economy in European competitiveness was insightful. The BlueInvest pitch session was inspiring, especially in terms of learning how to pitch research projects effectively.

Did you make any valuable new connections?
NATALIA: Absolutely! I met start-up representatives, researchers, and policymakers. The exhibition was also a great opportunity to connect with blue innovators. I believe some of these connections will lead to future collaborations, for example as partners for new projects and future commercialisation attempts.
RUTH: Yes! I strengthened existing relationships and made at least one highly valuable new connection. It’s also great to refer back to the fact that we met at BlueInvest Day for future collaborations.

Would you recommend other Partnership projects to attend?
NATALIA: Definitely. BlueInvest Day provides high-level networking opportunities, insights into commercialisation opportunities in the blue sector, and inspiration from successful projects. I would also recommend combining BlueInvest Days with attending other events during the European Ocean Days, to keep up to date with the recent developments in the marine and maritime sectors in Europe.
RUTH: Absolutely; I have already told my colleagues at ARCFISH that we should all attend next year. BlueInvest challenges us to think about our research differently, inspiring creativity and new ways to engage with stakeholders. It’s a really unique setting and a great opportunity to meet investors.

_{Ruth Higgings (ARCFISH) and Natalia Mæhle (AQUABALANCE) at the JPI Oceans' office in Brussels during the European Ocean Days.}

Key takeaways: the value of BlueInvest Day for the Partnership’s co-funded projects

Both AQUABALANCE and ARCFISH partners gained significant insights from BlueInvest Day 2025. The event highlighted the importance of understanding market dynamics, networking with industry leaders, and learning how to communicate scientific innovation in a business-oriented setting.

The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership is committed to supporting its co-funded projects in exploring commercialisation and market opportunities and encourages all current and future projects to participate in the next editions of BlueInvest Days. For Partnership co-funded projects looking to bridge the gap between research and market uptake, BlueInvest presents a unique opportunity to connect with investors, industry experts, and other innovators, ensuring that cutting-edge research finds real-world applications in the sustainable blue economy.

Many thanks to Natalia and Ruth for leading the way and taking part in BlueInvest Days 2025, and for sharing their experience to inspire future projects!