Blue biotechnology is a sector that has great potential as Europe moves towards a biobased economy. It can be tapped for products such as new drugs, biofuels, food and supplements. It also promises to play a key role in the development of ecosystem services related to clean water. This potential is impressive but – to date – remains largely untapped, realisation is still in its infancy.

One great difficulty in getting blue biotech products market ready is that not each and every Baltic Sea Region (BSR) country considered by itself can provide all the resources and expertise necessary to complete the journey from idea to finished product. The Baltic Blue Biotechnology Alliance aims to bridge this gap by developing and implementing optimal transnational product development chains. These will enable efficient use of and comprehensive access to the whole variety of facilities, (bio-)resources and expertise available within the region and beyond, therefore pooling national capabilities.

Alliance experts know the structure and specific disciplines of the sector and can respond to its demands. We are working to create a functioning network of actors whilst working with our first “client” cases. We follow a needs-based approach and are developing a genuinely useful service offer. One of our overall objectives is the development of blue biotechnology products through integrated, transnational value chains.

To do so, we match our users to the services, facilities and experts they need to take their idea to the next level. Not only do we look for the right partners to advance a project, we also help to create the necessary financial, legal and organisational conditions for the project to be realised within the transnational product development chain.

We aim to present at least five successful cases in which partners have helped a case gain what it needs in order to progress to a fully developed product. These cases will serve as models of how blue biotechnology value chains can work across the BSR.

On the basis of the experience gained with the concrete cases, we will streamline the overall service offer, connecting the right actors and resources throughout the BSR in the right way for the specific product to be developed. This offer will include case mentoring, finding suitable partners, marketing, legal and financial advice. The Alliance will also keep public and private decision-makers informed about developing trends and help them to prioritise actions and investments to meet future demands within the sector.

The service shall be continuously available to blue biotechnology actors in the BSR through a self-sustaining network we hope to create in the course of the next three years. Working closely with our cases in a needs-oriented way will help us achieve this goal.