As part of the Inno2Mare project activities, project partners and participants gathered on 8 May 2026 for an online Best Practice Webinar dedicated to De Blauwe Cluster, a leading network of innovative organisations active in the sustainable blue economy and one of the key associated partners of the project.
The webinar, titled “Behind the Scenes of De Blauwe Cluster”, brought together participants interested in innovation, collaboration, and the sustainable development of the blue economy. It offered a unique opportunity to explore practical approaches, experiences, and collaborative models within the framework of De Blauwe Cluster, highlighting how stakeholders work together to strengthen marine and maritime ecosystems.
De Blauwe Cluster plays an important role in fostering sustainable blue growth in Flanders through networking, innovation support, and strategic cooperation. By bringing together more than 200 quadruple-helix members, the organisation has become a recognised partner for companies and institutions developing innovative activities and expertise within the blue economy sector.
Rather than focusing solely on project outputs, the webinar provided participants with a “behind the scenes” perspective on how a mature and successful innovation ecosystem operates in practice. The discussion explored organisational structures, management approaches, and cooperation mechanisms that enable long-term innovation development and sustained stakeholder engagement.
Understanding how such ecosystems are coordinated and managed represents an important source of knowledge and inspiration for the further development of Slovenian and Croatian maritime innovation ecosystems.
The session explored several key topics related to the internal functioning and strategic activities of De Blauwe Cluster, including:
- the structure and functioning of the back office and internal coordination mechanisms
- engagement and relationship management with public stakeholders
- interactions with government bodies and policy-level actors
- approaches to securing, managing, and leveraging public funding in a strategic and sustainable way
The webinar was designed as an informal and interactive session, encouraging active participation, open dialogue, and exchange of experiences among project partners and stakeholders. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions, discuss challenges, and reflect on how good practices could be transferred into their own organisational and regional contexts.
By gaining insight into real-world implementation practices, participants better understood how collaborative frameworks can accelerate innovation and support the sustainable development of marine environments.
De Blauwe Cluster is a collaborative initiative focused on advancing the blue economy through innovation, sustainability, and knowledge sharing. It brings together partners from industry, research, and government to develop solutions for marine and maritime challenges.
The webinar once again confirmed the importance of international cooperation, peer learning, and knowledge sharing in strengthening innovation ecosystems and supporting the sustainable and digital transformation of maritime regions. By opening up practical insights into its internal functioning, De Blauwe Cluster provided valuable inspiration and strengthened cooperation within the Inno2Mare partnership.
A special thank you goes to Mr. Piet Opstaele for his openness and willingness to share De Blauwe Cluster’s experience, expertise, and best practices with the consortium. His contribution provided valuable practical insights and further reinforced collaboration within the project.
