July 22, 2020 - The sustainability of the Adriatic Sea is the mission of the strategic project InnovaMare, funded by Interreg Cross Border Cooperation Italy-Croatia Programme 2014 - 2020, whose kick off conference took place on July 22, 2020 and was organized by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, lead partner, and the Institute Ruđer Bošković as project partner.
For the next 30 months InnovaMare will involve 14 partners from Italian and Croatian sides in order to develop and establish an innovation ecosystem model in the area of underwater robotics and sensors for monitoring and surveillance sector, bringing cross-border collaboration between science and private sectors on a higher level.
The kick off conference, introduced by Tomislav Radoš, Ph.D., Vice President for Industry and Energy, Croatian Chamber of Economy, presented the mission and the vision of the project and hosted three different thematic rooms where participants and stakeholders were asked to contribute with insights, opinions and project perceptions. “Sea pollution as an economic problem” led and moderated by Ruđer Bošković Institute and National Research Council - Institute of Marine Sciences, tackled the most problematic types of sea pollution that impacts the Adriatic Sea and the measures that can be placed in action to mitigate, reduce and eliminate them. “Technology Transfer as Key Element For Innovation”, moderated by University of Rijeka and University of Trieste, overviewed the main dynamics and purposes of this process with the roles of the actors involved, highlighting the importance of technology transfer not only on RDI purposes but even on the potential in terms of sustainability and environment safeguarding. “Creating innovation ecosystem for a stronger quadruple helix”, moderated by Croatian Chamber of Economy and Regional Union of the Chambers of Commerce of Veneto Region, underlined the importance of involving researchers, policy makers, investments of companies and participation of the civil society in order to make connections, explore problems and solve them.
The two European Members States territories overlooking the Adriatic sea will collaborate to face significant challenges with impact on important sectors in Italy and Croatia: fisheries, sea traffic, aquaculture and tourism, in order to establish a Digital Innovation Hub for innovative underwater robotics and sensors, develop a strategy and an action plan for a model of innovation ecosystem, create a prototype of innovative robotic and sensors solution and an interactive web platform for collaboration.
InnovaMare project worth is 5,6 milions euro, and is managed by a consortium of 14 partners from both Croatia and Italy: Croatian Chamber of Economy, Regional Union of the Chambers of Commerce of Veneto Region, University of Trieste, ARTI - Apulia Regional Agency for Technology and Innovation, National Research Council - Institute of Marine Sciences – CNR ISMAR, Maritime Technology Cluster FVG, Communication Technology Srl, National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing – University of Zagreb, University of Dubrovnik, University of Rijeka, Geomar Ltd, Šibenik Knin County.
The project is part of the Interreg Italy – Croatia CBC Programme , the European Union financial instrument supporting the cooperation among the two European Members States territories overlooking the Adriatic sea. With 236,8 M € of total budget, the Programme enables regional and local stakeholders to exchange knowledge and experiences, to develop and implement pilot action products and services, to support investments by creation of new business models, to test the feasibility of new policies, having as the final aim the improvement of the life quality and conditions of more than 12,4 M citizens living in the Area. The project InnovaMare as a part of Interreg Italy-Croatia is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
