REFERENCE PROGRAM
Italy-Croatia Program 2021-2027 – First Call for Standard Projects
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To promote innovation processes and smart specialization in Blue Economy sectors through actions aimed at enhancing business innovation, upskilling the workforce, and facilitating the connection between supply and demand among SMEs and job seekers in the Blue Economy through:
- Creation of an “Innovation Hub Network” in Blue Economy and maritime sectors;
- Research and analysis of SMEs' needs in the Blue Economy;
- Exchange of best practices and innovative experiences, focus groups;
- Information services and knowledge transfer for various Blue Economy sectors (Aquaculture, small-scale fishing, fishing tourism, nautical industry, etc.);
- Match-making actions between SMEs and graduates/start-ups (through events, hackathons, career days);
- Dissemination and communication activities aimed at younger generations, schools, etc.
PARTNERS
- LP DELTA 2000 (IT)
- PP2 Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico
- PP3 Confcooperative Unione Regionale Veneto (IT)
- PP4 FLAG COSTA DEI TRABOCCHI Consortium Company (IT)
- PP5 UNISALENTO, University of Salento – Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies
- PP6 Zadar County Development Agency ZADRA NOVA (HR)
- PP7 Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development ARGONAUTA (HR)
- PP8 University of Dubrovnik (HR)
DURATION
30 months, from 01.04.2024 to 30.09.2026.
BUDGET
- Total Budget: EUR 1,702,334.70
- DELTA 2000 Budget: EUR 281,797.50, of which 80% ERDF EUR 225,438.00 – 20% National Funding EUR 56,359.50
PLANNED ACTIONS
The cross-border partnership of development agencies, innovation centers, universities, and business support organizations aims to exchange and provide various innovative and IT solutions and matchmaking mechanisms to support the supply and demand between SMEs and job seekers in Blue Economy sectors. The project's activities will help address the lack of innovation in the so-called "traditional sectors" of the Blue Economy (fishing, aquaculture, and nautical services). The technical work packages (WP) are structured as follows:
- WP 1: Creation of an Innovation Hub Network S3 in Blue Economy and maritime sectors / WP Leader: Polo Alto Adriatico Pordenone
- WP 2: Innovative Changes and Transformations in SMEs and Maritime Jobs in the Blue Economy / WP Leader: PP5 UNISALENTO
- WP 3: Match-making between SMEs and Graduates/Start-ups / WP Leader: LP DELTA 2000
MAIN EXPECTED RESULTS
The project will establish a BLUESLINKS S3 network of innovation hubs, supporting 80 SMEs with a catalog of innovative and IT business solutions/services. Partners will organize three matchmaking mechanisms, including an online platform for SMEs and job seekers in Blue Economy sectors, three hackathon competitions open to 154 participants (including graduates and SMEs), and transnational open days to facilitate connections between job supply and demand. Notably, the organization of a Hackathon competition to facilitate matching of job supply and demand in traditional Blue Economy sectors will represent a new challenge in the innovation sector, creating an open space for technical and scientific exchanges between SMEs and qualified labor.
AGENDA