MISTRAL - Mediterranean Innovation STRAtegy for transnational activity of clusters and networks of the bLue growth

Led by Emilia – Romagna Region (DG Knowledge, Labour and Enterprise Economy) this project aims at strengthening a transnational partnership among of 8 countries in the Med area (2 Ministries, 8 Regions, 5 Clusters, 3 RTOs and other organizations) in the Blue Growth sector, which is currently behind the EU average. General goals of the projects are:

•  To make marine knowledge and sustainable innovation the key drivers for Blue Growth,
• To support MED clusters to become an excellent intermediary of knowledge for increasing blue economy
•   To design and implement sustainable development trajectories harmonized with the MED regions Smart Specialization Strategies.

The strong partnership, thanks to the open innovation approach, will act as catalyzer for cooperative sustainable innovation actions, placing MISTRAL in a unique position to boost Blue Growth in the MED area, thus responding to the programme challenges. A clustering innovation service pack for Blue Growth clusters and operators will improve the innovation performance of at least 300 SMEs with at least 100 experts benefitting from the transnational activities and exchange programmes on capacity building. MISTRAL has the ambition to develop a wider governance vision towards 2020 in the BG sector as well as assuring the effective policy mainstreaming. In conclusion, MISTRAL will be the Blue Innovation wind in the MED area unlocking the innovation potential of the coastal and marine ecosystem.

 The following needs will be tackled:

•   increasing the innovation level and capacities promoting both the empowerment of the MED ecosystem and higher investments in R&D within the BG;
•  strengthen the competitiveness through a transnational cooperation;
•  avoiding silos and remove the barriers that hamper the exploitation of the innovation potential, by of creating stronger connections between the actors of the quadruple helix;
•  ensuring the policy mainstreaming.

In accordance with the BLUEMED initiative, MISTRAL will:

• limit the fragmentation of actions and regional policies in the sea sector;
• strengthen the transnational cooperation creating the critical mass for succeeding in the R&D actions;
• support the development of a favourable ecosystem for a BG governance and common vision;
• build a competitive, sustainable and innovative maritime economy supported by a new cross sectoral multi-nodal “value nets” providing high quality jobs.

MISTRAL will tackle the many technical challenges of the different BG sectors through increasing the share of knowledge of:

• Blue Energy: know-how/spill-over between blue and oil&gas energy sectors or developing policies for the use of renewable energies sources within ports;
• Fishing & Aquaculture: breeding methods to achieve maximum diversification of the aquaculture species in a sustainable environment;
• Maritime Surveillance: share best available technologies for the remote O&M activities of the energy power plants;
• Biotechnologies: explore and exploit new bioproducts for application in nutraceutical, health, cosmetic;
• Coastal and Maritime tourism: development of norms and infrastructures for the sustainable cruising or planning systems for sustainable development of a land and sea continuum.

CAST had the responsibility to coordinate the University contribution in the project. Other Department involved are: Dicam - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Chimica, Ambientale e Dei Materiali; Chim - Dipartimento Di Chimica "Giacomo Ciamician"; Bigea - Dipartimento Di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche E Ambientali.

Period of the project: 2018-2021

Scientific Coordinator: Patrizia Battilani

Keywords: blue economy, mediterranean, marine and sustainable innovation, Smart Specialization Strategies

Funding programme: Interreg Mediterranean 2014-2020

Website: https://mistral.interreg-med.eu/