For the second time, EBN, represented by coaches from five EU|BICs, Pietro de Martino (Bic - Incubatore di Genova), Sandra Garcia Torres (Bic Euronova), Mariano Ladanza (Città della Scienza), Fabio Montagnino (Consorzio ARCA) and Panayiotis Philimis (Cy.R.I.C), has supported the high-profile Blue Invest event organised by the European Commission on 24 January 2019, in Malta. 

EBN coaches provided individual coaching and mentoring to the 20 innovative companies selected by the European Commission who pitched in front of a jury of investors, including EBN Member Samuel Bachelot, Atlanpole (EU|BIC in France).

Blue Invest in the Mediterranean 2019 is a match-making event that brings together innovators and the financial community to mobilise private sector investment capital and lending, to sustainably develop the Blue Economy of the Mediterranean Sea basin, while protecting its marine resources.

The 20 pitching companies covered all different regions of the Mediterranean countries, ranging from Spain and France to Algeria and Morocco and their overall feedback about the coaching received in preparation for their pitch, as well as the event itself have been very positive.

“We are actually making deals!” enthused Alexandre Chailleux from Manatee Lab, a platform for fishing organisations, which was coached by Mariano Landanza. But even without a hard deal on paper, the B2B meetings were extremely useful for the entrepreneurs. Daniel Buhagiar, senior research engineer at the Maltese offshore energy company FLASC, who enthusiastically pitched his storage application for offshore energy to the group of investors said: “You think you know what you want, and then you speak with the people here, investors or technology providers, and they open your eyes to new opportunities”. And it is not only high-tech companies with a full meeting agenda; EcoMarine, a Maltese company, attended the event to promote environmental tourism using only small, low-impact boats.

The Blue Invest event is also an important meeting point for policy makers and stakeholders from all across the Mediterranean to stay on top of fast developments in the European blue economy that challenge the current policy frameworks and anticipate future policy needs. Considering the continuous blending-together of once separated blue economy sector, like fishery, shipbuilding, aquaculture and tourism, and the development of a new framework that takes this reality into account, it is crucial to build a durable and supportive policy environment.