BlueInvest is a European Commission initiative launched in 2019 with the aim to accelerate new ocean-based technologies and solutions to unlock innovation and investment opportunities in the sustainable blue economy. It is funded by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
BlueInvest works closely with start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, scale-ups, investors and stakeholders in the blue economy. It works with community-building, organising events, providing investment readiness and fundraising assistance to companies, coaching and matchmaking, investor capacity building and providing market intelligence.
Objectives
The objectives of BlueInvest is to
- support investment readiness and access to finance for innovative start-ups, SMEs, and scale-ups in the blue economy
- provide a market path through technical assistance, visibility, matchmaking and opportunity-building for investors and companies
- guide investors to specialise their investment strategies into blue economy related areas and to maximise their related investments
- foster a community and investment ecosystem to help finance the go-to-market and scale-up and to fuel the transition to more sustainable finance and impact investment
Actions
BlueInvest community
BlueInvest is a community of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and innovation stakeholders interested in the blue economy. It offers concrete help with investment and growth prospects in the sector, network opportunities to meet potential partners and investors, access to exclusive events, market intelligence and learning opportunities.
BlueInvest readiness assistance
BlueInvest readiness assistance is an exclusive coaching programme for high potential EU start-ups and SMEs with innovative products and solutions for the sustainable blue economy.
Businesses and projects selected for the investment readiness assistance will receive coaching packages tailored to their readiness levels and business objectives. The programme is impact-driven, providing business support to help start-ups and SMEs build capacities for growth and attract investment.
BlueInvest fundraising assistance
BlueInvest fundraising assistance is a new coaching programme aiming to support equity rounds closures for 20 high potential EU start-ups with innovative blue economy solutions.
Companies will receive a tailored set of up to 20 days of 1:1 advisory service by investors and investment-readiness experts with a proven track-record of preparing start-ups for negotiations with investors at the seed-level, as well as for A- and B-series financing.
BlueInvest investor capacity building
Limited awareness of market opportunities in the blue economy curbs investment in this sector. BlueInvest aims to address this via an investor capacity building programme. Through a series of four highly structured training sessions, BlueInvest will help investors discover blue economy investment opportunities and develop fundraising and investment strategies to leverage them.
BlueInvest project pipeline
The BlueInvest project pipeline is a showcase of start-ups and SMEs with qualified, innovative sustainable products and solutions for the blue economy.
If you are an investor looking to expand your portfolio with solutions contributing to the healthy oceans and resilient coasts, the BlueInvest project pipeline will help you find your next investment opportunity.
If you are a start-up or an SME with solutions for sustainable blue you can submit your application to establish relationships with investors, corporates and key stakeholders.
BlueInvest events
BlueInvest events are aimed at increasing your business impact. Events feature learning opportunities, knowledge exchange, networking and B2B matchmaking in formats designed to transform your business and identify your next investment opportunity.
BlueInvest knowledge centre
Open to members of the BlueInvest community, the knowledge centre offers capacity-building courses, training events and exclusive webinars to accelerate business for investment, market access and international expansion in the blue economy.
Related links
BlueInvest on the Maritime Forum website
Join the BlueInvest Community on this website designed for the Community
News
Arctic Reflections is on a mission to protect Arctic Sea ice, which functions as a natural heat shield and plays a significant role in cooling the planet. Led by an innovative team, this project from the Netherlands combines smart technology, indigenous collaboration, and a deep commitment to
D-ICE Engineering, a French company, brings cutting-edge solutions to the maritime and offshore sectors. Their flagship product, OCEANiCS, is a disruptive navigation system designed to improve the efficiency and safety of marine operations.
Dutch start-up Reefy is at the forefront of restoring underwater ecosystems, tackling the alarming decline of marine life. With support from BlueInvest, Reefy secured €500,000 to pioneer their technology: stable modular reefs that help restore the environment and act as living breakwaters