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The Blue Bio Value Acceleration is an acceleration programme promoted by the Oceano Azul Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Committed to accelerate the transition to a global and sustainable blue bioeconomy, the programme will help entrepreneurs create commercially viable and sustainable businesses. Most specifically, the Blue Bio Value Acceleration seeks solutions in the marine bioresources value chain that can scale-up to market applications in different industries and help tackle global societal challenges.

Yes, every initiative should have at least one startup member attending. The programme is not fulltime, and we are mindful you need time to work on your daily company topics. Our commitment to you is making these 10 weeks with you truly count.

In the final 3 weeks of the programme, all participating startups are expected to be represented in person in Portugal for a minimum of 2 weeks, by a maximum of 2 team members, where at least one must be a company founder. A stipend for travel and accommodation costs will be provided to the participants (see below for further info on the amounts available).

• Access to the internet;
• 1 computer with camera and audio.

• A 10-week acceleration programme that represents a unique growth opportunity, structured in a tailor-made approach focused on access to funding, overcoming legal barriers, overhaul business models, user research and journey, product development, sales and marketing, amongst others.
• Workshops and thematic discussions with experts from different sectors and backgrounds, including CEOs, entrepreneurs, opinion leaders, investors, professors and many others.
• Individual pitch practice.
• Access to Blue Bio Value high-level network that will be guiding you on specific aspects of your business and helping you reach your company’s goals, including 1-to-1 investor and mentorship sessions. Learn more about our mentors here.
• Network of commercial partners, within processing and manufacturing industries and some of the best research and technology centres in Europe.
• Access to a set of perks, including the 1-year membership in BlueBio Alliance, the Portuguese Network of marine bioresources and blue biotechnology, which gives you access to several benefits.
• Up to 3 weeks in Portugal to participate field trips amongst key local ecosystem players and attend the Blue Bio Value Final Pitch Day (expenses covered by stipend).
• The programme will award the best startups with a total prize corresponding to 45.000€, which the winners will be able to spend in the Blue Demo Network.
• Ongoing support for 12 weeks after the end of the programme to support you overcome your business growth challenges.
• Additional details to the programme offer may be updated until launch.

Blue Bio Value Acceleration follows a hybrid model. The first 7 weeks will be held remotely [September 25th to November 10th], while the final weeks [November 13th to November 30th] will encompass in-person visits of the startups’ founders to Portugal, allowing participants to explore and build relations with the local blue bio ecosystem.

Each startup participant will receive a scholarship to cover the travelling and accommodation costs of the in-person weeks in Portugal. The amounts provided depend on the geographical location of the teams and cover a maximum of two people per startup. The payment will be done as an individual training scholarship to each participant:

• Portuguese-based teams: 800€ (eight hundred euros) per person
• EU-based teams: 1 200€ (one thousand and two hundred euros) per person
• Non-EU based teams: 2 100€ (two thousand and one hundred euros) per person

In the impossibility of hosting founders in Portugal, the Blue Bio Value will activate a contingency plan to replicate the initiatives in an online format.

Blue Bio Value 2023 comprises 7 (seven) phases:

1. Applications: between April 19th and June 5th 11:59pm GMT+1
2. Selection and interviews: between June 7th and July 20th
3. Decision and communication of participants: July 31st
4. Acceleration support (remote): between September 25th and November 10th
5. Acceleration support (in Lisbon): between November 20th and December 7th
6. Final Pitch Day: November 29th
7. Ongoing support: between December 11st and March 1st

The Blue Demo Network brings together, in a single and easy access point, a series of Portuguese infrastructures and services, suitable for blue tech-based startups and SMEs. Its main goal is to promote and make accessible to startups all over the world the means to test and demonstrate the functionalities of their solutions and boost the Portuguese blue bioeconomy.

Even though the Blue Bio Value Acceleration is a 10-week programme, after the end of the programme we will be here to support you overcome your business growth challenges for the following 12 weeks after the end of the acceleration period. All participating startups will join the Blue Bio Value Alumni Community and will have a BlueBio Alliance Membership, including access to the BlueBio Alliance benefits for 1 year.

The monetary prize of Blue Bio Value Acceleration shall be used in services provided under the Blue Demo Network, that can range from access to ponds, labs and office spaces, to technical and scientific studies or even support services such as IP, legal and business advice. The winners just need to contact BlueBio Alliance with their planned needs and BlueBio Alliance will analyse the request and mediate contact with the appropriate infrastructures/service providers. BlueBio Alliance will be responsible for negotiating the terms and for all administrative related work, the winners just need to focus on growing their startup! BlueBio Alliance can also provide extra support in matching Blue Bio Value companies with local partners in order to boost their market reach through its extensive national and international networks.

We encourage that a team participates with a minimum of 2 (two) and a maximum of 4 (four) elements, however, we are open to accepting exceptions when relevant. One of the team members actively participating needs to be a founder of the project.

We will help you with everything you need, but in return we ask for total dedication to the programme. That means you will need to attend all initiatives, including the final pitch day.

Not directly. However, throughout the programme you will be exposed to a wide network of potential investors, and if you are one the Blue Bio Value Acceleration winners you will earn a prize that can go up to 45,000€ to be used in the Blue Demo Network.

No, we just need your commitment and energy to make a difference in the world. There is also no equity taken.

Blue Bio Value Acceleration looks for aspiring and committed entrepreneurs that are able to develop commercially viable projects along the value chain of marine bioresources. Companies applying must comply with the following criteria:

• Intentionally aiming to create positive impact in the marine world through the usage of sustainable and responsible sourcing and/or production methods;
• Preferably using high/deep (bio) technologies;
• Preferably leading to scalable high value/high tech-based products/services/solutions;
• Targeted for the global market;
• Established company prepared to enter the market or already in the market;
• Having a fulltime team, with at least one of the co-founders working full time;
• Projects with TRL 5 or superior that can demonstrate high potential to rapidly scale up to viable market applications. [TRL: Technology Readiness Level, read more about it here.]

No. Your startup may have any viable market application; however, we are looking for marine bioresources-based solutions which ensure and/or promote a sustainable use of the ocean.

Yes. The Blue Bio Value Acceleration Programme believes that the blue bioeconomy can help tackle different global societal challenges by promoting sustainable food systems; contribute to mitigate and adapt to climate change; preserve natural ecosystems; improve health and human well-being; reduce plastic pollution; create sustainable and inclusive jobs and enhance a circular bioeconomy growth model, among others that you are welcome to show us.

Blue Bio Value Acceleration aims at attracting entrepreneurs with innovative projects that represent a business opportunity along the value chain of marine bioresources, including, but not limited to, biotechnology-based projects. By marine bioresources, we mean marine based biomaterials and processes which are naturally and sustainably renewable and biodegradable and that include a wide range of technologies and elements such as biomass, biological treatment, bioenergy, biotransformation, bioremediation, among others.

This is what you are looking for, Blue Bio Value Ideation.

Yes. Blue Bio Value is a global-oriented programme, and we accept citizens from all nationalities and companies based anywhere in the world. However, we strive to have a cohort with a time zone span no wider than 6 hours (GMT+1).

Of course. By joining our programme with some previous experience, you will understand our value and will help us to tailor-made our offer according to your needs.

We communicate the results to all candidates until July 31st 2023.