BUSINESS SUPPORT, ACCELERATION AND MENTORING
Creating and nurturing the innovation ecosystem – We connect and support stakeholders in the blue economy
Propelling businesses forward
Through our business support and acceleration activities, we connect businesses to research and support startups in finding the knowledge and resources they need to realise their innovative solutions and sell them on the market. We facilitate the exchange of information, products, and opportunities while fostering collaborative initiatives that promote the sustainable development of blue bioresources.
Through our accelerator, we offer seed funding, mentoring, networking and knowledge brokerage to startups and SMEs. Furthermore, SUBMARINER hosts a BlueActionMatch platform that connects people and ideas to shape the future of our oceans, seas, and waters. On the platform stakeholders can find projects, products, job opportunities, as well as mentorship in the field of the blue bioeconomy.
Discover our business support projects
Our projects bring together stakeholders to support regional startups and SMEs, to promote an ecosystem conducive to innovation and sustainable growth
Light in the Dark
Smart Blue Regions
Blue Mission BANOS
Connecting key actors in the blue economy
The sustainable blue economy is a crucial driver to tackle the challenges of our time, including climate change, marine pollution, biodiversity loss and regional revitalisation. The blue economy encompasses many heterogeneous sectors, from shipping to tourism, from blue biotechnology to renewable energy, and many different actors, including local, national and regional authorities, companies, key infrastructure providers (e.g., ports), research institutes and regional innovation clusters.
SUBMARINER is a key player in connecting different actors along strategic regional sustainable development objectives, aligning policies from the EU to the local level and paving the way for innovators to find a welcoming ecosystem to support their ideas. Through its members and wide-reaching network, SUBMARINER is uniquely positioned to foster innovation, support and represent the interests of innovative solution providers.
Business support resources hub
Our specialists have put together a collection of publications, additional relevant projects, tools, and resources on the topic of business support in the blue economy
Latest business support news
Monaco Ocean Protection Challenge 2026 opens its call for applications
What the EU’s New Bioeconomy Strategy Means for the Blue Economy
BlueMissionBANOS Ends with Key Insights and Regional Impact
Algae Accelerator Open Call 2 is Live
The Algae Accelerator is back for its second open call.
Happy Birthday, BlueBioMatch!
2026/7/3 – UPDATE: BlueBioMatch became BlueActionMatch! Our revamped platform is
The BlueActionBANOS Project Has Kicked Off
The BlueActionBANOS (BAB) project officially launched on September 1st! Supported
Ocean Hackathon 2025 Applications Are Now Open
The third Atlantic Hackathon, a local edition of Ocean Hackathon®
BlueBioClusters New Ecosystem Approach
We’re excited to announce that we have made this important
SEAentia case study featured in Aquaculture Europe
The SEAentia case study, initially put together and published within
Webinar: Mentoring opportunities for start-ups and SMEs in the blue bioeconomy sector
On June 17, AlgaeProBANOS, Blue Bio Clusters, and Baltic Muppets
Digital and green transition of small ports in the south Baltic sea region
Unlocking the Potential of the Blue Bioeconomy
Roadmap Set for the Blue Economy in the Western Baltic
Fostering Entrepreneurship in the Blue BioTech Sector
Mussel Farming in the Baltic Sea: Estonia
Mussel Farming in the Baltic Sea: Sweden
Turning Aquaculture into Tourism Opportunities
Baltic Sea Mussels: The future of pet food?
Connecting the Blue Sector: BlueBioMatch
Still have questions? We have answers
What is the Blue Bioeconomy?
The Blue Bioeconomy has no one definition, but in simplest terms, it is industries which utilise living aquatic resources such as algae, sponges, jellyfish or microorganisms to deliver a wide variety of products, processes and services. It is also defined within the context of sustainable economic growth, social development and food security whilst reducing negative environmental impacts from this sector.
What is BlueActionMatch platform about?
The people and ideas shaping the future of our oceans, seas, and waters are more powerful in connection than in isolation. BlueActionMatch was built to make that connection possible, spanning generations and professions to bring together innovators, scientists, creatives, ocean advocates, and public servants committed to oceans and waters that sustain both life and livelihoods.
What began in 2023 as a matchmaking hub for the blue bioeconomy has grown into something broader. Today, more than 1,800 members from over 80 countries make BlueActionMatch their professional home, working across industries such as blue economy innovation, marine & freshwater restoration, coastal resilience, sustainable fisheries, offshore energy, aquaculture, ocean literacy, advocacy, and much more.
The platform is built for meaningful connection and actionable progress. Members find collaborators and mentors through dedicated one-to-one matchmaking, contribute to thematic working groups, showcase products and services to a global blue audience, and access a continuous stream of events, funding calls, and career opportunities.
Managed by the SUBMARINER Network and aligned with the priorities of the European Ocean Pact, BlueActionMatch is anchored in Europe and open to the world. Whether you are an established professional, an emerging researcher, or a creative practitioner bringing new perspectives to the blue, this community is built to transform individual commitment and ideas into collective momentum and real-world action.
Want to know more?
Reach out to our expert
Alberto Terenzi, Team Lead Innovation Support & Blue Skills