On 17 July, the University of Patras will host the launch of the stakeholder engagement process for BLUE TECH – Blue Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainable Innovation of SMEs, the strategic project co-funded by the Interreg Greece-Italy Programme 2021–2027, led by ARTI.

The first Capacity Building Workshop, organised by the Economic Chamber of Greece, will bring together representatives from institutions, the research sector, universities, businesses, chambers of commerce and innovation support bodies from Greece and Italy. The aim is to launch a structured discussion on the needs of Blue Economy businesses and to develop, together with local stakeholders, the project’s future pilot initiatives.

During the day, the objectives of BLUE TECH will be presented, along with the strategy and tools to be developed to support the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the cooperation area, drawing on innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twin, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles and technology transfer mechanisms.

The workshop represents a key milestone in the project: through participatory activities, stakeholders will be involved in identifying the sector’s main needs, priorities and opportunities for development, helping to define concrete, shared solutions based on the actual needs of the local areas.

This first event marks the emergence of a cross-border innovation community that will support BLUE TECH throughout the project’s duration, pooling expertise, experience and needs to foster more competitive and sustainable growth for Blue Economy businesses in the Greece-Italy cooperation area.

Please find the workshop programme attached.