From Offer and Needs to Proof of Concept: Co-Creating the Future of Blue Technologies

The Innovation Fund of Montenegro is organising a joint international workshop within the INNOVABLUE (Interreg IPA ADRION) and ROBONETCBC (Interreg IPA Croatia–Bosnia and Herzegovina–Montenegro) projects titled: “From Offer and Needs to Proof of Concept: Co-Creating the Future of Blue Technologies.”

The workshop will take place on 26 March 2026, from 09:00 to 16:00, at Hotel Ramada (Lesendro Hall, 5th floor), Podgorica, Montenegro. The working language of the event is English.

This joint event aims to connect scientific knowledge, technological capacities, and real user needs in order to develop innovative and applicable solutions in the field of blue technologies. By bringing together representatives from public institutions, academia, NGOs, industry, and the technology sector, the workshop will provide a collaborative space to align challenges in marine and freshwater ecosystem protection with emerging technological solutions.

The discussions will build on key analytical outputs developed within the ROBONETCBC project, including reports on marine and freshwater ecosystem status and technological insight analyses, which identify priority environmental challenges and technological gaps across the region. The workshop will focus on translating these findings into user-driven innovation pathways and early Proof-of-Concept (PoC) ideas for future blue technology solutions.

Workshop programme highlights

Participants will engage in a full-day interactive programme including:

• Opening session and introduction to the workshop objectives

• Presentations of the INNOVABLUE and ROBONETCBC projects and their key results

• A session showcasing successful blue-technology applications developed within European projects

• A joint panel discussion focusing on validating technological needs and identifying priority challenges

• Thematic co-creation working groups, where participants will collaboratively develop early Proof-of-Concept concepts for innovative blue technologies

• A final PoC pitch session presenting the outcomes of the working groups and outlining next steps for innovation development.

Through this collaborative approach, the workshop supports cross-border cooperation, technology transfer, and innovation uptake in the blue economy, helping transform ecosystem challenges into practical technological solutions.

Registration

Participants are invited to register their attendance before 18 March 2026 via the following LINK.

The event represents an important opportunity for stakeholders interested in innovation, marine and freshwater ecosystem protection, and blue technology development to exchange knowledge, identify collaboration opportunities, and jointly shape the future of the blue economy in the region.