The BlueTech Competition is an international startup acceleration program that aims to support innovative technological solutions which are applied in sectors of the Blue Economy. The main objective of BlueTech Competition is to revitalize the blue ecosystem in Europe and the Mediterranean. It is like a lighthouse guiding ships in the dark – but instead of ships, it is for people with innovative ideas who want to do good for the oceans and the seas while making money.

Since the 1980s, lots of ideas have come up about how businesses can be profitable without hurting the planet. Industrial Ecology, Ecological Modernization, Triple Bottom Line, Cradle-to-Cradle Design, are some that became quite popular from time to time. But not all those ideas have become real. Some organisations say they care about the environment, but they do not do much about it. We think it is time to change that. Solving big problems like climate change means business managers cannot just keep doing things the same old way. They need to think differently, do things differently, and innovate towards sustainability.

The BlueTech Competition programme combines knowledge, industry best practices, marketable guidance, and targeted networking. During their journey in our accelerator, the startups validate their solutions, businesses, and markets, and get prepared to ask for and receive investments. The programme’s structure is hybrid, with many of its components to be offered online, and demo days and finals to take place in Thessaloniki, Greece. The BlueTech Competition 2024 has four tracks:

• General track
• Port Operations track
• Security Robotics track
• Seabed Exploration track

Sustainability, once a buzzword, it is something every business has to think about. Laws are changing, and people want to buy from companies that care about the planet. But being sustainable is not just about making money – it is about making sure we can keep making money for a long time, and making sure everyone benefits.

Innovation is a big part of making that happen. There is no one right way to be sustainable – we need to try lots of things and work together to find what works best. That is what BlueTech Competition is all about: bringing people together to share ideas and make progress together.

Stay tuned and let your ideas set sail!