The two open calls — the Transition Agenda Open Call and the Community-Led Actions Open Call — were designed to fund organisations working to advance sustainable transitions in coastal and marine communities across the region.

Submission Results at a Glance

• Total proposals submitted: 222
• Transition Agenda Open Call: 61 proposals
• Community-Led Actions Open Call: 161 proposals
• Countries covered: All 11 eligible countries in the Baltic and North Sea region

Proposals were submitted from across the full range of eligible countries. In the Transition Agenda call, Norway, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands were most frequently represented. In the Community-Led Actions call, the Netherlands, Poland, and Germany led in submission volume, with strong participation from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.

The applicant pool was diverse. In both calls, locally-based commercial companies submitted the highest number of proposals, followed by research-performing organisations, NGOs, enterprises focused on skills development or inclusive blue economy activities, regional and local authorities, educational establishments, and foundations.

Mission Ocean and Waters Objectives Addressed

All submitted proposals aligned with one or more EU Mission Ocean and Waters objectives. Across both calls, the three most commonly cited goals were:

1. Protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity — the most frequently cited objective in both calls
2. Preventing and eliminating pollution of the ocean, seas, and waters
3. Making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular

The breadth of themes reflects the scope of interest in the region and the relevance of the BlueActionBANOS funding framework to a wide range of actors and approaches.

What Happens Next

Evaluation is now underway, carried out by external and internal evaluators selected by a dedicated Selection Committee appointed by the BlueActionBANOS consortium. Applicants will be informed of outcomes in Autumn 2026, and selected projects will be announced publicly.

For more information, visit blueactionbanos.eu or contact Project Coordinator Sarah Tamulski at st@submariner-network.eu.

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The blue bioeconomy — spanning marine biotechnology, seaweed cultivation, bivalve farming, ocean-based ingredients, and more — is a growing sector with genuine demand for skilled professionals and innovative entrepreneurs. But awareness of career routes, training resources, and funding opportunities remains low, particularly for early-career professionals and start-ups across the EU.

Many people want to work in the blue bioeconomy but can’t find a clear way in. That is the skills gap Blue Bio Techpreneurs was built to address.

What Is Blue Bio Techpreneurs?

Blue Bio Techpreneurs (BBT) is an EU-funded project designed to create more accessible pathways into blue bioeconomy careers and entrepreneurship. Working together with BLUEBIO ALLIANCE, Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique, University of Southern Denmark, and University of Gdańsk, the project has delivered:

• 6 online courses reaching more than 3,000 learners across Europe
• 3 international hackathons tackling real blue biotech industry challenges
• 7 webinars on blue economy careers and innovation pathways
• A growing BlueBioMatch community connecting emerging talent with industry opportunity

Behind each number are researchers exploring new career directions, entrepreneurs finding their first industry connections, and students discovering that the blue bioeconomy is a place they can actually build a future.

What Is the MakeEUBlue Award?

The MakeEUBlue Awards, presented annually at European Maritime Day, recognise outstanding contributions to ocean literacy, blue economy innovation, and sustainable use of marine resources across Europe. The Organisation category honours institutions making a measurable difference in how Europe thinks, learns, and works with the ocean.

Why Closing the Blue Bioeconomy Skills Gap Matters

Skills gaps don’t close on their own. They close when institutions invest in making knowledge accessible, when researchers and businesses find ways to talk to each other, and when early-career professionals can see a realistic path forward.

That is what BBT set out to do, and what this award recognises. For SUBMARINER, it also validates a broader approach: that transnational collaboration across the Baltic Sea Region, done well, can produce results that no single institution could achieve alone.

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“Durch gute Ostsee-Zusammenarbeit gewinnen alle” — “Through good Baltic cooperation, everyone wins.” Minis­ter­prä­siden­tin Ma­nue­la Schwe­sig

One topic gained particular weight across the discussions: water. As industries across the Baltic transform — through the expansion of clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and other water-dependent sectors — reliable access to industrial water is becoming a key factor in where businesses choose to grow.

The Baltic Sea, with its natural characteristics and expanding green energy capacity, offers real potential here. How the region develops and shares that potential across borders will matter increasingly for its competitiveness as a whole.

At the event, through our booth and the day’s session, SUBMARINER also had the opportunity to present our forthcoming role as Co-Location Centre for the Central and Baltic region within EIT Water. For Baltic business and investment stakeholders, EIT Water brings innovation funding and industry networks that sit directly alongside what SUBMARINER has been building across the region for years.

Through our network, BlueBioMatch, our blue economy matchmaking platform, and through the wider Mission Ocean ecosystem, we continue to build the connections that turn regional potential into something concrete. We look forward to the conversations ahead.

Interested in learning more about our work in innovation and business support?

Get to know our solutions

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The research examined 32 distinct forms of marine use and assessed their compatibility with one another. The most in-depth analysis focused on four combinations considered most promising for the German EEZ: low-trophic aquaculture (mussels, algae, and oysters), passive fishing with basket and trap gear, biogenic reef restoration, and various forms of mobile research.

A key finding is that several of these secondary uses are already permissible under existing German law, without requiring legislative changes.

Nature restoration through biogenic reefs and low-trophic aquaculture, in particular, were found to be technically and legally compatible with operational offshore wind farms, and even offer potential ecological co-benefits such as nutrient removal and habitat creation.

The study recommends designating a limited number of multi-use demonstration areas as a practical next step — sites where secondary uses can be tested at scale, data can be shared across sectors, and approval processes can be refined. It also calls for expanding preliminary site investigations to include parameters relevant to secondary uses from the outset, reducing downstream costs and delays.

The five work packages are available at the BSH website under Expert Studies and Reports.

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Kybele’s Garden is a biotechnology startup developing high-value solutions for the agrifood sector, including probiotic and prebiotic formulations, functional fertiliser blends, and algal-derived extracts such as phycocyanin.

When joining the Accelerator, the company was navigating a period of transition — new investment, a facility relocation, and certification systems to build from scratch. The programme helped the team develop a roadmap for technology transfer to contract manufacturers, identify critical control points in their production workflow, and align R&D with business goals. Next steps focus on advancing funding applications and scaling in a disciplined, structured way.

L’EAUTELIER

L’EAUTELIER creates ocean-derived interiors, amenities and experiences for hotels, most notably through the Seaweed Suite — described as the world’s first algae-based licensable hotel room concept.

Founder Morgan RÆ joined the programme with a detailed business plan but no clear way to communicate what the company did or how it made money. Through mentorship, the concept was sharpened around a licensable suite with an e-commerce layer, allowing hotel guests to purchase the ocean-derived products they experience in the room. By the end of the programme, L’EAUTELIER had a three-year cash flow projection, updated pitch materials, and template contracts for hotel partners. The Seaweed Suite makes its public debut on 28 May in Wageningen, NL, at the 10th Anniversary Young Algaeneers Symposium.

Round 2 now underway

Building on the results of the first cohort, the Algae Accelerator has launched its second round with a newly selected group of SMEs. The six-month programme follows a structured three-sprint format, offering up to €10,000 in mentoring value per company.

Follow AlgaeProBANOS on LinkedIn to stay updated!

The post AlgaeProBANOS Algae Accelerator: Stories from Open Call 1 appeared first on Submariner Network for Blue Growth.

The Board held its first meeting on 31 March 2026, where members exchanged views, identified strategic priorities and began shaping the Board’s future work programme.

SUBMARINER Network has spent years doing exactly this kind of work in the Baltic and beyond — bringing the right people, projects and initiatives together, supporting innovation across the entire chain from science to practice, and ensuring EU ambitions translate into concrete outcomes at local and national level.

Angela’s appointment reflects the organisation’s standing as a key connector in the Baltic Sea Region and its active role in Mission Ocean implementation through the Blue Mission BANOS Lighthouse.

For more information on the European Ocean Board, visit the European Commission website.

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Based in Denmark, Havhøst is a non-profit NGO dedicated to regenerative ocean farming through community-driven action. Their national network connects more than 40 local “blue community gardens” along the Danish coastline, where thousands of volunteers cultivate seaweed, mussels and oysters — low-trophic species that actively improve water quality and support local biodiversity. Through programmes like “Haven i Havet”, they also bring marine sustainability into schools, and support blue entrepreneurs in developing small-scale, sea-based food businesses.

We look forward to deepening our collaboration with Havhøst, particularly in areas linked to low-trophic aquaculture, education and community-based blue entrepreneurship

Learn more about their work!

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This year’s programme reflects where the sector currently finds itself: past the early demonstration phase, but still working through the regulatory, financial, and market barriers that stand between promising results and reliable commercial activity. SUBMARINER will be joining and will share insights in two sessions.

Session 1: The European Seaweed Industry in Transition

Maya Miltell, Senior Project Manager at SUBMARINER Network, will speak in Session 1, which looks at how businesses and researchers are navigating market maturity, regulatory frameworks, and climate impact. Her contribution focuses on seaweed legislation — specifically, whether the current regulatory landscape is supporting or constraining the sector’s development. Regulation shapes everything from what species can be cultivated and where, to how products can be labelled and sold. Getting it right matters not just for individual businesses, but for whether the European seaweed sector can develop at the scale that sustainability objectives require. Maya will bring SUBMARINER’s regional perspective to a conversation that is increasingly relevant at the EU level.

Session 6: Connecting the Dots Across EU Seaweed Initiatives

Angela Schultz-Zehden, Managing Director of SUBMARINER Network and s.Pro, will present in Session 6, which offers an overview of EU seaweed projects and international initiatives. Her presentation will look at how individual projects connect within the wider EU framework, drawing on SUBMARINER work on EU4Algae, the EU Mission Ocean and Waters, RootLinks, and EIT Water.

If you are attending and would like to connect with the SUBMARINER team, please reach out in advance or find us during the conference.

More information and registration: seagriculture.eu

For SUBMARINER’s work on algae cultivation and the blue bioeconomy, visit our algae solutions page.

The post SUBMARINER at Seagriculture EU 2026: Regulation, Collaboration, and the Road Ahead for European Seaweed appeared first on Submariner Network for Blue Growth.

This five-week course bridges the gap between marine science and entrepreneurship. You’ll discover how organisms like algae and other marine life are being transformed into breakthrough solutions across health, energy, and sustainable industry — and learn what it takes to bring those solutions to market.

From the fundamentals of marine biotechnology to the mechanics of commercialisation, the course traces the full journey from scientific discovery to business reality. You’ll explore how to build viable business models, safeguard ideas through intellectual property, and attract the investment needed to grow in a competitive landscape.

Alongside the business side, you’ll gain a clear understanding of the technologies driving the sector — including bioprocessing and product development — all grounded in a commitment to sustainability and long-term impact.

Expect real-world case studies, expert perspectives, and hands-on learning that equips you to engage confidently with one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global economy.

Whether you’re a researcher ready to think commercially, an entrepreneur drawn to ocean-based innovation, or a professional looking to pivot into something new — this course will show you where the blue bioeconomy is heading, and how you can be part of it.

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“The feedback from our first wave of participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Startups not only refined their strategies but also built lasting connections with leading mentors and investors in the blue biotech ecosystem”, summarises project manager Ferdi Bulmer from SUBMARINER Network.

Below, three success stories from Open Call 1 illustrate what this support has meant in practice!

AlgaePhos4X

AlgaePhos4X develops microalgae-based systems that treat nutrient-rich food production side streams while recovering valuable resources such as nutrients and water. Within the programme, the company focused on clarifying market fit and translating technical strengths into business-relevant messaging.

Through structured mentoring and regular sprint evaluations, AlgaePhos4X strengthened its customer targeting and refined its development roadmap. The company now reports improved quality of industrial dialogue and clearer pathways towards pilot-scale validation.

PALGAE

PALGAE develops algae-based material solutions as alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. During the Accelerator, the company revisited its business model, financial structuring and investor positioning.

This structured approach resulted in strengthened investor readiness and a major milestone: securing €500,000 in investment. PALGAE is currently conducting Proof of Concept studies with industrial partners under real operating conditions.

Sea.Sense

Sea.Sense transforms European seaweed into ready-to-use, nutrient-rich toppings for retail markets. Entering the programme at concept stage, the company used the mentorship period to define its mission, refine its market entry strategy and build a coherent brand narrative.

Since completing the Accelerator, Sea.Sense has been accepted into the I3-4-Seaweed Open Call and selected for additional food innovation programmes, reinforcing its pathway to scale.

Round 2 now underway

Building on the results of the first cohort, the Algae Accelerator has now launched its second round with a newly selected group of SMEs.

The six-month programme continues to follow a structured three-sprint format, offering up to €10,000 in mentoring value per company. Each participant works closely with an experienced mentor to define objectives, track progress against KPIs and translate innovation potential into market traction.

With Round 2 now underway, the Accelerator continues to strengthen Europe’s algae innovation ecosystem by supporting companies not only in developing products, but in building resilient and scalable business models.

Follow AlgaeProBANOS on LinkedIn to stay updated.

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