Blue Champion Award press conference

Today, a press conference was held in Šibenik where the Prefect of Šibenik-Knin County, Marko Jelić, Deputy Mayor Danijel Mileta, Dean of the Polytechnic in Šibenik, Ljubo Runjić, and our CEO Mateo Ivanac spoke about the recognition for the Innovamare project – the Blue Champion award. This prestigious recognition is a strong support in realizing future ambitious plans that should strengthen the development of the blue economy in Croatia. The project was declared Blue Champion by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission (EC), competing against 70 applicants. Thanks to this recognition, a new and ambitious phase of further development for the InnovaMare project is starting. The goal, after building an innovation ecosystem in the blue economy sector, is to establish a Center of Competence in Marine Technologies in Šibenik and a Technology Park for Marine Technologies at the University of Zadar.

The Dean of the Polytechnic of Šibenik, Mr. Runjić, said that the Polytechnic is an integral part of the project, in line with its mission and vision, and that as an educational institution, they are a driving force for the development of the city and the county. The Polytechnic will continue to support the project because education and the development of new technological solutions are very important segments and are gaining more importance in the development of the blue economy in our county.

Our CEO Mateo Ivanac emphasized that the Innovamare project has a mission of directing excellence in Croatia to bring greater economic value. Blue economy activities depend on the use of natural resources, and economic activities must be sustainable. This can be achieved with the use of green and blue technologies, which are key to the blue economy. Cooperation between stakeholders is essential for success – this is the pillar of the Innovamare innovation ecosystem. By receiving this award, we have received recognition that we are doing good work.

The City of Šibenik has successfully implemented many projects, and we see the cooperation and support of the City of Šibenik for the Innovamare project as a perfect synergy of completed, ongoing, and future projects, said Deputy Mayor Mr. Mileta. The City is happy to support the project with the necessary help to keep this initiative as successful as it has been.

County Prefect Mr. Jelić, together with other partners, as a founder of the DIH, is proud of the results and success achieved! In only a year since its establishment, DIH and its members have had 12 million euros of EU projects approved. We are eager to continue supporting this project that is leading us towards a bright blue future – to become the center of Europe in underwater robotics and technology, thanks to the Technology Park in Zadar and the Centre of Excellence in Šibenik that we are planning to establish. We aim to restore freshwater and marine ecosystems, prevent pollution, and we will achieve this thanks to the technologies we will develop. In this way, we will continue to develop the Innovamare ecosystem and become more competitive.

With this support and cooperation, we can be a pioneer in the area, and thus a leader in the development of technologies that will protect marine ecosystems and their biodiversity.