The Barcelona Nautical Cluster attended the BlueNetCat kick-off session, where the 2026–2028 roadmap of this key platform for promoting knowledge transfer to the blue economy was presented.
The meeting addressed issues such as what we understand by impactful research and how to respond to the challenges of the natural and socio-economic ecosystem. In this context, the importance of networking and public-private collaboration was highlighted as essential elements for transforming knowledge into real impact.
The meeting, held on February 10, brought together around fifty representatives from the 19 institutions that make up BlueNetCat – Maritime Network of Catalonia. Lourdes Reig, Director, and Pablo Bou Mira Bou, General Manager, presented the positioning and the main planned actions, which include advisory and tailored training services, as well as networking opportunities for research groups.
The session featured a conversation between Emma Cobos, Director of Innovation and Business Strategy at the Port of Barcelona, and Esteve Mogas, Professor in the Department of General Management and Strategy at ESADE, as well as institutional representatives from the Government of Catalonia and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
This new stage reinforces the importance of collaboration to move towards an innovative blue economy, knowledge-based and with real impact.