Strong participation and cross-border exchange at the Second Networking Event in Foggia
03/11/2025
On 31 October 2025, the Department of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering (DAFNE) of the University of Foggia successfully hosted the Second Networking Event within the project framework, gathering 52 participants from academia, enterprises, public authorities, and local communities.
The event, titled “Seaweeds and Side-Streams: From By-products to Value”, represented the second milestone in a cycle of three networking meetings aimed at strengthening cross-border dialogue on the blue bioeconomy, sustainable innovation, and the valorisation of macroalgae and aquaculture by-products. As outlined in the official programme, the workshop explored how green biorefinery technologies can transform side-streams into high-value products for sectors such as food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and advanced materials.
Following the institutional welcome by the Director of the DAFNE Department, the agenda featured technical-scientific contributions from researchers and industry representatives, including insights on green biorefinery approaches, valorisation pathways for seaweed biomass, cross-sector applications, and the strategic role of regional and European funding instruments. The discussions highlighted the growing importance of integrating research, entrepreneurship, and policy frameworks to accelerate the ecological transition of the Adriatic blue economy.
The event provided a valuable platform for exchange between project partners, SMEs, start-ups, public authorities, and institutional stakeholders, confirming the University of Foggia and the STAR*Facility Centre as key reference points for applied research and innovation in sustainable aquaculture.
The networking session created further opportunities for dialogue, enabling participants to explore concrete collaboration prospects and strengthen connections between research and territory. The high attendance and active engagement demonstrated strong interest in circular approaches to marine biomass and reinforced the importance of cross-border cooperation in advancing innovative blue bioeconomy solutions.
Building on the success of the first networking event held in Dubrovnik in September, the Foggia meeting further consolidated the project’s capacity-building objectives and set the stage for the final networking event in the cycle.
