- Finnova highlights innovation and EU funding as drivers of a stronger European Blue Economy
Brussels, 6 February 2026 — On the 3rd of February, Finnova Foundation took part in the Third European Blue Economy Conference, held in Brussels. This event brought together policymakers, industry, innovators, civil society and representatives from the European Parliament and European Commission to discuss how to strengthen Europe’s blue economy.
Key topics included ocean protection, clean energy, access to scientific data, maritime transport decarbonisation and Europe’s competitiveness, addressed from both policy and technical perspectives.
Finnova joined the conference to promote cooperation, innovation, and the use of EU funding to develop sustainable projects. The foundation contributed to the session “Building a competitive, resilient and sustainable European waterborne sector”, moderated by Pilar Santamaría, Director of Communications at Finnova. The panel included Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, Member of the European Parliament and vice-chair of the delegation for relations with South-Africa; Jaap Gebraad, Secretary General of the Waterborne Technology Platform; and Carles Rua, Head of Innovation at the Port of Barcelona.
EU projects supporting a sustainable maritime future
Finnova also showcased several ongoing European projects including Horizon Europe OneBlue, which promotes cooperation and innovation for the sustainable development of oceans; LIFE Costa Adapta, focused on climate adaptation in coastal areas through sustainable solutions; and Erasmus+ Reeskills, supporting training and reskilling of workers to advance towards a clean, circular, energy-efficient, climate-neutral and climate-resilient economy.
Commitment to a more sustainable and innovative Europe
Through its participation, Finnova reaffirmed its commitment to innovation, European cooperation, and the development of projects that contribute to environmental sustainability and a stronger blue economy across Europe.