Blue Bio Value Ideation is a 6-week programme supporting innovative R&D projects that are using marine bioresources in a sustainable way, going from lab to market.

The programme offers a methodology to promote knowledge transfer to the market of the 10 selected projects, that combines in-person and remote dynamics. The participating teams will be paired with a mentor that may come from Nova School of Business and Economics and Porto Business School, who will bring business expertise to the R&D projects. The projects will have access to workshops, talks, individual hands-on working sessions, group dynamics, and networking moments.

The goal of Blue Bio Value Ideation is empowering the participating teams, with a national focus, to develop a business strategy and accelerate their market entrance journey.

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• A 6-week programme comprising structured training that will equip teams with a practical understanding of business and entrepreneurial concepts. It offers active and individual mentoring, as well as a variety of group activities and personalised hands-on sessions, aimed at supporting teams throughout their journey into the market.
• Workshops and group discussions with experts from different sectors and backgrounds, including CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors, professors, among others.
• Individual pitch practice.
• 3 in-person days to participate in group dynamics and networking moments, and the opportunity to attend the Final Pitch Day.
• Access to networking opportunities within the Blue Bio Value network.
• The programme will award the winning team(s) with a prize of 10.000€, which the winner(s) will be able to spend in the Blue Demo Network.
• Ongoing support for 6 weeks after the end of the programme to support teams overcoming market-entrance challenges.

No. Blue Bio Value Ideation follows a hybrid model, combining in-person and online moments.

The programme kicks-off with an in-person day (between October 7 and October 10), followed by 6-weeks online (between October 7 and November 15). The programme ends with 2 days in-person in Lisbon, between November 18 and November 29, where the teams will participate in the Final Pitch Day together with Blue Bio Value Acceleration cohort.

We encourage teams to participate in each session with 2 (two) to 6 (six) elements. However, we are open to accept exceptions if relevant.

Yes, every online initiative should have a minimum of 1 (one) member attending.

During the in-person days, all projects are expected to be represented by a minimum of one team member.

Even though Blue Bio Value Ideation lasts for 6 weeks, we are committed to supporting your project for an additional 6 weeks after, through active mentorship.

Each participant is required to have access to internet and one computer with audio and video specs.

We are conscious that you are not yet working full-time on your project, and as such you can expect us to be mindful about it. We will be flexible to schedule your individual moments, also, workshops and talks will be held after working hours (around 5pm GMT+1 time).

From your side, we expect full commitment and participation in all scheduled sessions, including the in-person moments.

1. Applications: between April 1 and July 14 by 23:59 GMT+1.
2. Selection and interviews: between July 14 and August 2.
3. Decision and communication of participants: August 2.
4. Warm up day: between October 14 and October 17.
5. Ideation support (online training course): between October 14 and November 22.
6. Pre-selection day (online): between October 18 and November 22.
7. Final in person days (Lisbon): December 3 and December 4.
8. Ongoing support: December 9 and January 17, 2025.

We will communicate the results to all applicants by August 2.

Blue Bio Value Ideation seeks scientific teams with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) background, or related fields, that are engaged in the development or planning of a blue biotechnology R&D project. We are specifically targeting highly skilled teams with strong technical expertise, driven to initiate or advance blue biotechnology innovations with significant potential as market applications, that intentionally aim to create positive impact in the marine world.

It is required that the R&D projects have at least 2 (two) team members.

No, the programme is industry-agnostic, and your project may have any viable market application. However, we are looking for marine bioresources-based solutions which ensure and/or promote a sustainable use of the ocean.

Yes. Blue Bio Value Ideation believes that the blue bioeconomy can help tackle different global societal challenges by promoting sustainable food systems; contributing to mitigate and adapt to climate change; preserving natural ecosystems; improving health and human well-being; reducing plastic pollution; creating sustainable and inclusive jobs and enhancing a circular bioeconomy growth model; among others that you are welcome to introduce.

Marine bioresources are marine-based biomaterials and processes, which are naturally and sustainably renewable and biodegradable, and that include a wide range of technologies and elements such as biomass, biological treatment, bioenergy, biotransformation, bioremediation, among others.

Blue Bio Value Ideation aims to attract researchers with innovative projects that represent a business opportunity along the value chain of marine bioresources, including, but not limited to, biotechnology-based projects.

Yes, however, the financial support will be the same as it is for national teams.

There is no fee to participate in the programme.

Each participant will receive an amount to support the in-person moments The amounts provided depend on the geographical location of the teams and cover a maximum of two people per team. The maximum payment contribution to each participant will be:

• Mainland Portugal participants: 250€ (two hundred and fifty euros) per person.
• Portugal’s autonomous regions (Azores and Madeira) participants: 500€ (five hundred euros) per person.

Yes. There will be a Final Pitch competition where the projects selected by the Jury in the pre-selection moment have the opportunity to pitch. These teams will be challenged to deliver a concise and compelling presentation that highlights the key aspects of their idea. The judges evaluating the final pitches will decide the winning team(s). The winner(s) will receive a prize to ignite the creation of a business solution.

There will be a pre-selection event online in which some R&D projects will be selected to pitch at the Final Pitch Competition. At the Final Pitch Competition, the winner(s) will receive a prize of 10 000€ voucher that must be used in services provided by the Blue Demo Network, to support the development and scale up of projects, ranging from access to ponds, labs, and office spaces, to technical and scientific studies, or even support services such as IP, legal, and business advice.

Additionally, the winning team(s) will have facilitated access to the selection process in the Blue Bio Value Acceleration programme.

No. Only the team(s) that win the Final Pitch competition will have access to a 10 000€ award to be spent in services within the Blue Demo Network.

The Blue Demo Network brings together, in a single and easy access point, a series of Portuguese infrastructures and services, suitable for blue tech-based startups and SMEs. Its main goal is to promote and make accessible to startups all over the world the means to test and demonstrate the functionalities of their solutions and boost the Portuguese blue bioeconomy.

Participating teams are solely responsible for protecting their intellectual property rights. Teams are responsible for selecting the information they consider essential to for successfully be supported in transferring their knowledge and research into the market/industry, and for the jury to evaluate the final pitches and select the winner(s).

Participants must commit to confidentiality and not misuse the accessible information and will be asked to sign a Non-disclosure Agreement.

Alongside this requisite, Business Mentors are expected not to have any conflict of interests and not to be driven by personal gains. Also, Business Mentors will take the necessary time to participate and, especially for the winning team(s), will commit to spending time and effort helping the R&D project towards building a successful venture.

It is each team’s responsibility to decide who holds the rights over the presented and developed ideas, and to secure the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) on their ideas, if they wish so.

You can apply through this link.

Yes. Applications will take place between April 1s 2024 and close on June 17 by 11:59pm GMT+1.

The ideas will be assessed considering the following criteria:

• • Innovation and novelty in the blue biotech sector: the level of uniqueness and disruptive potential in the blue biotech sector.
  • Feasibility and viability: the technical feasibility and viability of the implementation.
  • Market potential and impact: potential market size, target audience, and scalability factors.
  • Sustainability and environmental impact: the level of commitment to sustainability and positive environmental impact.
  • Team capability and expertise: experience, background, and team expertise.
  • Business potential: potential of moving from an idea to a business, into the market.
  • Alignment with programme goals: the alignment with the goals and focus areas of Blue Bio Value Ideation.

All 10 teams will participate in the pre-final pitch moment online, when some of them will be selected to pitch at the Final Pitch competition. The programme’s jury is composed of one representative of each partner of the organising committee, and up to one external member.

The jury will take into consideration the following criteria:

• Business model potential.
• Team composition and performance.
• Technology proposed.
• Performance throughout the Ideation programme.
• Attendance and engagement.
• Tasks completed.
• Performance in the Final Pitch.