Innovative wave energy converter wins BluAct 2023 final
Innovative wave energy converter wins BluAct 2023 final
Snacks for dogs and cats based on fish and water purification through microalgae complete the podium of the program organized by the Municipality of Matosinhos, in partnership with UPTEC
Rotating wave energy converter, fish-based dog and cat snacks, and water purification process through microalgae. These are the ideas that won the first three places in the 3rd 2023 edition of BluAct, the program to support the growth of the blue economy that encourages startups with innovative business ideas.
The programme promoted by the Municipality of Matosinhos, in partnership with UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of the U.Porto, culminated with the holding of the pitch day, disputed on November 13 by eight startups, in the building of the municipality of Matosinhos.
The big winner was the idea of the rotating wave energy converter, economically viable and validated for the Portuguese coast, based on the concept of oscillating float and scientific optimization. Gianmaria Giannini, researcher at the Faculty of Engineering of the U.Porto (FEUP), received a prize awarded by the company Indaqua-Matosinhos in the pecuniary value of €5,000.
Bake My Dog Happy, from Apetitus, alumni of the University of Algarve, developed innovative snacks for dogs and cats that use waste and by-products from fish processing, especially those resulting from the activity of canning industries in the Algarve, and came in second place, also receiving the monetary value of €2,500 from the company Conservas Portugal Norte, for proving to be the project with the greatest impact on the canning industry, promoting the circular economy and sustainability.
The third place was Inovamulti Tech’s water purification process in a natural method of biological treatment of waste from the fish cultivation and processing process, through the cultivation of microalgae, using only sunlight, and which, along with the two other winning ideas, will benefit from a year of incubation at UPTEC Mar, to be able to participate in the business acceleration program promoted by UPTEC, also having exemption from the membership fee of Fórum Oceano in the first two years.
This pitch-day for the presentation of ideas was evaluated by a jury composed of representatives of UPTEC, Indaqua and Conservas Portugal Norte, and was held after the mentoring sessions to support the development of the business model and preparation of the public presentation of the projects, which took place on 9 and 10 November.
This edition of BluAct was looking for ideas and/or business projects related to fishing, processing, conservation and marketing of fish; aquaculture, bioresources and blue biotechnology; ports, transport and logistics; marine industries and marine energies; and nautical tourism, as long as they have an effect on the economy of the sea.
In addition to the three winners of BluAct 2023, the business ideas of Pinktech Plus – creation of bioactive compounds from marine bacteria with medicinal benefits, Boardie – online platform for renting surfboards to surf schools and shops, the production of shrimp in air-conditioned units in a breeding and fattening matrix system, participated in the production of shrimp in a breeding and fattening system, a sustainable oleophilic cleaning kit based on new technologies for the containment of oil spills, and Mermaid’s Cellar, which aims to create artificial reefs to age wine underwater.
November 14th 2023