Italia-Croatia

The BIOBASED – Development support of blue biorefinery in the Adriatic Sea project will hold its Final Conference in Naples, Italy, on 11 September 2026, as part of the 4th International Aquatic Biotechnology Symposium – Aquabiotech 2026. The event will take place from 11:00 to 13:30 at the Aula Magna of the Conference Centre of the University of Naples Federico II, Via Partenope 36.

Chaired by Giovanna Romano, Senior Researcher from the Department of Sustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica "A. Dohrn", the conference will represent an important moment to reflect on BIOBASED’s achievements and on the future of a more sustainable blue bioeconomy in the Adriatic area.

A key contribution will be provided by Maris Stulgis, Policy Officer on Blue Bioeconomy, Algae and Marine Aquaculture at DG MARE – European Commission, who will present current and future EU Strategies and Initiatives for the algae Sector. Stulgis will place BIOBASED within the wider European policy framework, showing how research, innovation and emerging algae-based value chains can contribute to the EU’s blue bioeconomy priorities.

As the project comes to an end, the conference will highlight how BIOBASED has contributed to advancing more sustainable and innovative uses of marine biological resources. The place where the conference will be held, the 4^th International Aquatic Biotechnology Symposium – Aquabiotech 2026, provides an important opportunity for the project, giving the possibility to share its results with a broader scientific and professional community, contributing to the debate on aquatic biotechnology and the blue bioeconomy.

The event will conclude with the presentation and signature of the project Memorandum of Understanding, which will support the transfer of the approaches developed by BIOBASED and formalise continued cooperation among research organisations, producers, sector representatives and local actors beyond the project's implementation period.