2025 – transformative year – an overview of results and achievements

2025 was a transformative year for DIH Innovamare in which ideas turned into action, partnerships into impact, and innovation into real-world change for our seas, coastlines, communities, and industries. As the leading regional hub dedicated to advancing marine and maritime technologies, we strengthened our international network, accelerated breakthrough innovations, and brought the blue economy closer to citizens than ever before. From expanding transnational cooperation to launching hands-on initiatives that brought children, scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators together, DIH Innovamare continues to set new standards for how technology can improve the health, sustainability, and resilience of our marine environment.

Here are the highlights of our most significant achievements, strategic activities, and stories of impact from the past year.

 2025 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2025, DIH Innovamare:

• Coordinated or supported nine international innovation projects.
• Expanded its Living Lab network to 15+ testing sites across the Adriatic.
• Co-founded EUROCEAN, linking test arenas in Norway, Croatia, the Netherlands, and Greece.
• Established a spin-off Innovamare Technologies.
• Launched ADRIA TECH, the first specialised marine and autonomous tech park in Šibenik.
• Advanced Faust V through real-environment demonstrations, including governmental and international events.
• Educated 170+ children through the Happy Sea / Sretno more initiative.
• Delivered Innovamare Academy 3.0, strengthening the talent pipeline for the blue economy.
• Increased international visibility through events in Doha, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Opatija, Zagreb, and more.

Together, these activities strengthened DIH Innovamare’s role as both a technology enabler and a societal catalyst.

DIH Innovamare now acts simultaneously as:

• a technology testbed for autonomous maritime systems,
• a European scale Living Lab coordinator,
• an education and talent pipeline for the blue economy,
• a social-impact platform connecting citizens, youth, academia and industry,
• a policy and regulatory pilot space for future marine technologies.

With operational technologies, permanent infrastructure, and strong international positioning now in place, 2026 will focus on commercialization, scale-up, and long-term financial sustainability.

PROJECT PORTFOLIO

In 2025, DIH Innovamare coordinated or supported a diversified portfolio of EU-funded and national projects, positioning the Hub as a reliable implementation partner for blue-economy innovation.

Innovablue – flagship ADRION project

As lead partner of the Interreg ADRION project INNOVABLUE, DIH Innovamare coordinates a 30-month initiative with nine partners from seven countries (Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Greece), focused on enabling real-life testing of innovative marine technologies through Living Labs.

In 2025 we:

• organised working meetings in Portorož, Venice and Šibenik with more than 50 stakeholders, decision-makers, entrepreneurs and scientists to co-create recommendations for regulatory and operational frameworks that enable testing of new technologies in real environments;
• signed Memorandum of Understanding with Living Labs in Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro, thus expanding the cross-border testing ecosystem;
• implemented Living Lab testing activities at locations in Croatia and Montenegro;
• hosted two conferences in Šibenik in June 2025, including “Advancing Innovation Through Regional Collaboration in the Blue Economy”, with over 50 participants from seven ADRION countries, where the Technical Secretariat, a permanent structure emerging from INNOVABLUE and DIH Innovamare, was presented as a mechanism that will continue to connect stakeholders beyond the project lifetime;
• supported organisation of the INNOVABLUE Conference in Crete 2025, dedicated to future support services and funding opportunities for technology providers in the blue economy across the ADRION region.

Through INNOVABLUE, DIH Innovamare is increasingly recognised as a regional leader who guides cooperation and sets standards for Living Lab-based innovation in marine technologies.

Supporting ongoing and upcoming cross-border projects

In parallel, DIH Innovamare contributed as a partner or supporting organisation to several Interreg Italy–Croatia projects (MareSkill, Eccentric, TransH2, LEAP TO BLUE), the Interreg HR–BIH–CG project ROBONETCBC, and the Interreg Euro-MED project BLUE ECOSYSTEM.

Within BLUE ECOSYSTEM, DIH Innovamare:

• designed and facilitated two local workshops in Zadar County to identify challenges and opportunities in the blue sustainable economy;
• supported the testing of a transformative co-creation lab methodology, including the preparation and promotion of a call for transformative innovation solutions;
• co-designed and implemented the Train Labs acceleration programme for six Croatian teams in the blue-economy sector, combining regular mentoring meetings, thematic sessions and pitch events, and connecting teams with partners and potential funders.

In the i3-4-BLUE-GROWTH project, Innovamare developed a Sustainability Plan with clear policy recommendations and investment directions for future phases, supporting the long-term continuity of blue-economy value-chain investments.

New proposals

In 2025 DIH Innovamare also developed new project proposals under the Interreg Italy–Croatia Programme, including:

• AdMare – Adriatic Maritime Academy for strengthening cross-border innovation capacities, skills and technology transfer in the sustainable blue economy;
• DroneAID, aimed at establishing a cross-border network of 5.0 dockyards equipped with automated drone platforms for maritime first aid and coastal resilience;
• BLUENAVE, focused on strengthening cross-border R&I capacities, foresight and skills for green and digital transitions in the blue-economy sectors.

All of these projects demonstrate that DIH Innovamare is not only implementing, but also shaping the next generation of cross-border blue-economy initiatives.

TECHNOLOGY, LIVING LABS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAUST V, REGULATORY AND STRATEGIC ADVANCEMENTS

A central technological achievement in 2025 was the consolidation and demonstration of Faust V, Croatia’s fully autonomous surface vessel, developed through a spin-off company Innovamare Technologies originating from DIH Innovamare and its partners.

Faust V is a fifth-generation autonomous maritime platform integrating artificial intelligence, advanced sensors and digital connectivity to:

• monitor maritime traffic (speeding, illegal anchoring, unauthorised boating in protected areas) and automatically alert authorities;
• continuously monitor water quality and pollution, providing early-warning data to prevent environmental incidents;
• support long-term monitoring of coastal ecosystems and the impacts of nautical tourism

The vessel is field-tested in a network of more than 15 Living Lab sites across the Adriatic, making Innovamare’s ecosystem a reference environment for autonomous surface vehicles and marine monitoring.

In 2025, Faust V and its underlying technology were showcased in several high-visibility contexts:

• during the Norwegian delegation’s study visit to Rijeka within the AGATI project (January 2025), where stakeholders from Norway and Croatia attended the conference “Autonomous Systems at Sea and Their Implementation in the Adriatic Sea” and observed a live demonstration of Faust V at the Educational Workshop “Torpedo”
• at the Norway Grants final conference in Opatija, where Faust V was remotely operated after sailing from Rijeka to Opatija, illustrating real-world deployment of autonomous systems for a high-level audience from ministries, innovation agencies and the Norwegian Embassy;
• in multiple public-facing events (Greencajt Festival, Weekend Media Festival, Blue Natural Capital Summit, Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona), where Faust V was used as a concrete example of how advanced marine technology can serve environmental protection and smart coastal management.

Through Faust V and the associated Living Lab network, Innovamare has moved from concepts to operational technology, reinforcing its position as a European testbed for autonomous, data-driven coastal management solutions.

In 2025, DIH Innovamare also established the first Adriatic Working Group on Autonomous Vessels, bringing together ministries, universities, port authorities, local government, and private-sector experts. This group defined core regulatory, operational, and technical requirements for future autonomous-vessel testing corridors in the Adriatic Sea, positioning Innovamare at the forefront of shaping future maritime governance.

Working Group for Autonomous Vessels and Testing Corridors (Adriatic) fisrt meeting was held on 20 March 2025, in Zadar and it was dedicated to:

• designing testing corridors for autonomous navigation,
• addressing regulatory and legal issues,
• defining operational and technical requirements,
• integrating autonomous vessels into existing maritime traffic,
• identifying financing models,
• exploring international cooperation frameworks.

This meeting was a first step in supporting the progress toward future regulated autonomous operations in the Adriatic Sea.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN THE BLUE ECONOMY

Beyond technology, DIH Innovamare significantly expanded its societal and environmental impact in 2025.

 “Happy Sea / Sretno more” initiative

The “Sretno more” (Happy Sea) initiative, launched in collaboration with Telemach Croatia and the Ruđer Bošković Institute, combines youth education, underwater and coastal cleanup activities, and the use of advanced technology, including Faust V and underwater drones connected via 5G.

In 2025 the initiative organised four educational eco-actions in Zadar, Krilo Jesenice, Rovinj and Šibenik. Working with local diving centres and elementary schools, the partners collected over 4.5 tonnes of marine litter and educated more than 170 children on marine protection and the impacts of pollution.

“Sretno more” illustrates Innovamare’s approach: using cutting-edge autonomous technologies not as an end in themselves, but as tools for mobilising communities and changing behaviour.

Blue Natural Capital Summit and global outreach

At the Blue Natural Capital Summit in Dubrovnik, organised with national partners and attended by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, DIH Innovamare and Faust V were presented in the context of blue-capital investments, ocean finance and regenerative coastal development. The summit brought together global thought leaders, innovators and policymakers to discuss how blue natural capital and ocean innovation can drive sustainable economic growth.

Participation in the Blue Impact Programme and panel activities in Doha further increased Innovamare’s visibility in worldwide discussions on ocean restoration and clean marine technologies.

Public awareness and cross-sector dialogues

Throughout 2025, DIH Innovamare actively promoted the blue-economy transition and ESG topics at major regional events, including:

• Greencajt Festival – one of the largest ESG events in the region – where Innovamare presented its projects, network and the Faust V solution as examples of practical responses to EU sustainability regulations;
• Weekend Media Festival, where Innovamare showcased the “Sretno more” initiative and placed blue-economy innovation in front of a broader media and communications audience;
• Tech4Blue workshop in Šibenik, which linked Innovamare Academy students and companies from different blue-economy sectors to concrete technology use-cases;
• Blue Tech Pitch Šibenik 2025, where Innovamare academy participants and Blue Ecosystem teams pitched solutions to expert juries, strengthening the next generation of blue-tech entrepreneurs.

Through these activities, DIH Innovamare is normalising blue-economy innovation as part of mainstream business and policy conversations, far beyond the traditional research and maritime communities.

EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL POSITIONING

EUROCEAN – connecting leading test arenas

In 2025, DIH Innovamare became a founding partner of the EUROCEAN network, alongside Ocean Autonomy Cluster (Norway), DronePort Rotterdam (Netherlands) and the Intelligent Transportation Systems Lab – Smart Move (Greece).

EUROCEAN connects leading test arenas and innovation ecosystems for ocean autonomy across Europe, with the goal of:

• providing SMEs with access to shared test infrastructure, pilot customers and investors;
• aligning regulatory frameworks and standards for autonomous and remotely-operated systems at sea;

creating a continuum of aerial, surface and subsea testing environments, turning Europe’s maritime regions, including the Adriatic, into interconnected platforms for innovation and commercialisation.

Innovamare’s role in EUROCEAN confirms its status as a key Adriatic node in a pan-European ocean-autonomy ecosystem.

EIT Water and the KIC Allwaters consortium

The launch of EIT Water, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for water, marine and maritime sectors, represented a major development in 2025. The winning Allwaters consortium brings together 50 partners from 24 countries to tackle water scarcity, ecosystem degradation and circular blue-economy challenges.

Through its innovation ecosystem and thematic focus, and as one of the Co-Location Centre (CLC), DIH Innovamare is well positioned to engage with EIT Water’s agenda, contributing its expertise in marine technologies, Living Labs and entrepreneurship support for blue-economy SMEs.

Strategic visits and defence / security dimension

The visit of the Military Diplomatic Corps to the Martinska site showcased DIH Innovamare’s capabilities and the potential defence and security applications of autonomous maritime systems such as Faust V. Representatives from Croatia, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Serbia, China, Bulgaria and others were introduced to Innovamare’s projects, research capacities and vision for future developments in maritime security and surveillance.

Participation in the seminar “Shipbuilding Horizons: Innovation, Sustainability & Strategy”, hosted by the Norwegian Embassy in Zagreb, positioned DIH Innovamare in high-level discussions on advanced ships and dual-use innovation with Norwegian and Croatian industrial stakeholders.

Presence at global innovation platforms

Attendance at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 in Barcelona allowed DIH Innovamare to present blue-economy innovation and the ADRION community within the global smart-city and urban-innovation ecosystem, exploring new partnerships around coastal resilience, digital twins and data-driven marine management.

These engagements strengthened Innovamare’s profile as a bridge between marine innovation, urban policy, security, and climate resilience.

TALENT DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE ADRIA TECH TECHNOLOGY PARK

Innovamare Academy 3.0

The third edition of Innovamare Academy (13–18 October 2025) focused on:

• commercialisation of marine technology;
• development of regenerative “Blue-as-a-Service” business models;
• investor readiness (financial planning, pitching);
• research–industry collaboration and regulatory frameworks.

Students from Croatia, Italy and Montenegro received training on marine-tech trends, IP and maritime regulation, financial instruments and value-proposition design, and participated in hands-on workshops on smart-coast solutions. Working in teams with mentors, they developed business ideas and pitched them to an expert jury, followed by participation in a beach cleanup under the Happy Sea initiative, linking entrepreneurship with concrete environmental action.

Innovamare Academy is now a recognised talent source for the blue-economy sector in the Adriatic.

 Innovamare Technologies

Innovamare Technologies was founded in 2025 as a spin-off of the Digital Innovation Hub Innovamare, with a mission to revolutionize marine operations through sustainable innovation. With roots in Croatia’s maritime tradition and a vision for the future, IT develops autonomous surface vessels and advanced monitoring systems that help protect our oceans and empower the Blue Economy. Its multidisciplinary team works at the intersection of AI, robotics, and marine science -driven by purpose, proven through real-world testing, and committed to long-term impact. Innovamare Technologies is focused on developing the autonomous vessel Faust II and on advancing and optimising Faust V. This includes improving technical performance, enhancing system reliability, and preparing the platforms for further demonstrations and applications.

 ADRIA TECH Technology Park

On 6 October 2025, DIH Innovamare, the Croatian Chamber of Economy and Šibenik-Knin County founded the ADRIA TECH Technology Park – the first specialised centre in Šibenik dedicated to marine and autonomous technologies.

The park provides:

• private offices and coworking spaces;
• technical workshops;
• a sea testing zone for prototype development, system integration and real-world trials.

ADRIA TECH serves as a physical centre for the Innovamare ecosystem, connecting research institutions, businesses and startups and strengthening the innovation and economic potential of Šibenik-Knin County and the wider Adriatic region.

PROGRESS OVERVIEW WITHIN STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Strategic objective 1: Strengthening cross-border and transnational cooperation in marine technologies for sustainable seas and oceans

In 2025 we:

• led the INNOVABLUE project and expanded Living Lab cooperation across seven ADRION countries,
• hosted cross-border conferences and study visits with partners from Norway, the ADRION region and beyond,
• co-founded the EUROCEAN network to link Adriatic test arenas with leading European hubs in Norway and the Netherlands,
• established working group for autonomous vessels and testing corridors in the Adriatic Sea.

Strategic objective 2: Creating greater social impact in the blue-economy sector and transferring knowledge and lessons learned

In 2025 we:

• implemented the “Sretno more / Happy Sea” initiative, combining youth education, clean-up actions and 5G-enabled autonomous technologies,
• engaged thousands of citizens, experts and decision-makers through festivals, conferences and media events,
• used Innovamare Academy and Blue Tech Pitch Šibenik to translate research and ideas into entrepreneurial solutions with social and environmental impact.

Strategic objective 3: Developing cooperation with similar organisations and initiatives at EU level

In 2025 we:

• became a founding member of EUROCEAN, connecting Innovamare to leading European test arenas and innovation ecosystems in ocean autonomy,
• aligned our activities and became core partner of the consortium with emerging European initiative EIT Water,
• strengthened partnership and collaboration with Norwegian, Dutch and Greek partners in ocean autonomy and drone systems,
• presented Innovamare’s work in international events such as Smart City Expo World Congress and Blue Natural Capital Summit.