Results

Tech Secretariat will be ensuring the sustainability and continuity of the achievements of the project, during and after the project ends. Establishing the Tech Secretariat The Tech Secretariat is formally established as a part of the INNOVABLE community, positioned within the legal framework of DIH Innovamare. This body will serve as the central hub for the ADRION region's innovation ecosystem, acting as a key instrument for fostering collaboration, networking, and innovation. Through the partnership of 9 project partners and 7 associated partners, we will institutionalize the Tech Secretariat's role, ensuring its long-term sustainability. 1. Digital Innovation Hub Innovamare Hrvatska (HR) DIH Innovamare - LP + AP HAMAG BICRO- Hrvatska agencija za malo gospodarstvo, inovacije i investicije 2. Croatian Chamber of Economy Hrvatska (HR) CCE 3. University of Trieste Italia (IT) UniTS PP + AP Area di Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica di Trieste 4. Regional Union of Chambers of Commerce of Veneto Region Italia (IT) UCV PP 5. Technology Park Ljubljana Ltd. Slovenija (SI) TPLJ PP + AP Ministrstvo za kohezijo in regionalni razvoj + AP Javni sklad Republike Slovenije za podjetništvo 6. Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University Severna Makedonija (MK) FEEIT PP + AP INNOFEIT 7. Innovation Fund of Montenegro Crna Gora (ME) (IFM) PP 8. Region of Crete (RoC) PP + AP Team4U 9. Innovation Center of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Belgrade Serbia (RS) ICMF + AP Ministarstvo nauke, tehnološkog razvoja i inovacija It was established during the event that we will organize in June 2025. - final working meeting and Roundtable. All PPs and APs are members. Role and responsibilities of the Tech Secretariat The Tech Secretariat will work on: 1. Strengthening and expanding innovation networks: It will be instrumental in continuing to grow and strengthen the INNOVABLE community by bringing together various stakeholders, including new members of the Innovablue ecosystem who will join during the project. The Secretariat will help facilitate collaboration among various players in the blue economy, including research institutions, businesses, and government bodies. 2. Formalizing partnerships and cooperation: Through the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs), we will formalize the ongoing collaboration between partners. This will not only allow for an organized structure of cooperation but will also establish the Secretariat’s role as a central body for coordinating future initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional goals, and integrating new stakeholders. 3. Operational oversight and guidance: The Tech Secretariat will be governed by a clear operational rulebook and manifesto that will include: • Defined roles and responsibilities for all partners involved. • Job descriptions for key personnel within the Secretariat. • Clear guidelines for day-to-day operations, ensuring that all partners are aligned and that the project’s outputs are maintained and disseminated effectively. 4. Promoting sustainability and continuity: The long-term sustainability of the Tech Secretariat is a priority and we will ensure its integration into the regular operational structures of DIH Innovamare, embedding its costs (including human resources, office, and administrative costs) into the yearly budgets of participating organizations. Furthermore, the Secretariat will oversee the ongoing maintenance of living labs, the digital solutions, and the interactive web network that will support the innovation ecosystem. 5. Supporting transnational collaboration: The Secretariat will also facilitate ongoing negotiations and collaborations with key stakeholders at the institutional level. These include entities such as DG Regio, Mare, and R&I. By positioning the Secretariat as a key player in these negotiations, we aim to empower investments and enhance the innovation climate for blue marine technologies within the ADRION region and beyond. After the project While the immediate project work focuses on innovation and development, the Tech Secretariat’s role extends beyond the project's completion: • Project sustainability: The MoUs we are signing with our partners will ensure that the collaboration continues after the project ends. This means the Secretariat will remain operational, continuing to facilitate cooperation, sharing knowledge, and supporting new initiatives. • Replicability and transferability of results: The project will produce results that can be replicated in other contexts. The Secretariat will be the key body driving the transfer of innovation across the region, ensuring that the knowledge and technologies developed during the project are disseminated effectively. • Adapting to new needs and trends: The Tech Secretariat will adapt to emerging needs and opportunities in the blue economy and will work to integrate cutting-edge technologies into the regional ecosystem. The establishment of the Tech Secretariat will ensure a long-term commitment to innovation, collaboration, and sustainability. With the continued support of all partners, the Secretariat will work on the development of the blue economy across the ADRION region.

The INNOVABLUE Community is a transnational Blue Economy innovation network in the Adriatic–Ionian (ADRION) region, born from merging the Interreg BlueAIR and Innovamare innovation communities. Its vision is to create a blue economy that thrives, where innovation leads the way, in the Adriatic–Ionian region, and its mission is to foster an inclusive, innovation-driven, sustainable marine ecosystem benefiting present and future generations. To achieve this, the community will implement a strategic action plan aligning with EU policy (Green Deal, EUSAIR, RIS3) and ADRION Programme priorities. Key outputs will include an enhanced innovation network, regulatory recommendations, a new “ADRION Blue Fund” for marine tech, and structures for technology transfer. The roadmap outlines concrete objectives (e.g. quadruple-helix collaboration, regulatory sandboxes, funding mechanisms) and a stepwise plan (short-, medium-, long-term actions) to realize them. A robust governance (Technical Secretariat) and a monitoring framework will ensure effective implementation. This strategy builds on results and lessons from INNOVAMARE and BLUEAIR (e.g. living lab pilots, policy workshops) to avoid duplication and maximize impact. Alignment with the EU Green Deal and EUSAIR Blue Economy Pillar is emphasized throughout. The roadmap is supported by a risk mitigation plan and long-term sustainability vision to secure the community’s lasting role in Adriatic–Ionian blue innovation. D.1.3.2 Roadmap for the upgrade and further development of the INNOVABLUE community

Innovablue is a collaborative initiative aimed at strengthening the blue economy innovation community in the Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) region. To effectively coordinate this transnational effort and implement the Innovablue Innovation Strategy and Action Plan, a Technical Secretariat (TS) has been established. Housed within the existing DIH Innovamare structure (the project’s Lead Partner), the TS serves as the sole governance body for Innovablue. It combines both strategic leadership and operational management roles within a single entity. This governance model document outlines the structure, responsibilities, and processes by which the TS will guide the Innovablue community, and describes additional governance mechanisms that can be activated as needed. D.1.3.1 Operational rulebook including manifesto update

The consortium conducted five transnational working meetings to develop a supportive regulatory framework for testing innovative blue economy technologies. Each two-day (or one-day) session brought together project partners and stakeholders (from research institutions, universities, ministries, agencies, and industry) to address regulatory barriers and share insights. The ultimate goal was to synthesize these meetings’ outcomes into a comprehensive Action Plan that establishes an effective regulatory solution for testing new blue technologies by identifying the most suitable models for innovation testing and funding. By drawing on collective insights from all sessions, the final deliverable provides a roadmap for a supportive regulatory environment – one that fosters real- environment experimentation, promotes cross-border collaboration across the ADRION macro-region, and drives sustainable growth in the blue economy. D.2.2.1 5 two-day working meetings with minutes and conclusions in form of an action paper (1)

This document focuses on analyzing and comparing regulatory frameworks across participating countries to identify barriers and gaps affecting the testing of new technologies. Special attention was given to regulations governing living labs and international projects, using desk research and expert input to map the current landscape. The goal is to benchmark best practices in regulatory sandbox policies and gather insights through national and EU-level meetings. The activity ultimately aims to create a more supportive regulatory environment for innovation. D.2.1.1 Comparative analysis of Adrion regional _national regulatory framework challenges (1)

The project team has made significant progress in enriching the Map of Excellence, with 33 new stakeholder profiles already added to the DIH Innovamare platform – https://mairos.org/map-of-excellence/. These profiles represent a diverse range of actors in the blue economy, contributing to a more comprehensive and inclusive innovation ecosystem. The ongoing coordination among partners and the iterative update process ensures that the Map remains relevant and reflective of the region’s evolving capacities and opportunities. The upcoming iterations will further strengthen the network and support informed collaboration among stakeholders. With a target of 50 new profiles by the project’s conclusion, the Map of Excellence is well on its way to becoming a key resource for regional and transnational innovation in blue technologies. D.1.1.2 Map of Excellence of Adrion region for stakeholders involved in Blue tech and Blue Economy (1st iteration) (1)