MED-Hubs – Mediterranean Blue Economy Hubs, a flagship project funded by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) and coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT), was officially kicked off in Cartagena, Spain, on 10–11 November 2025.
The kick-off meeting brought together project partners from across the Mediterranean, marking the start of a two-year collaborative initiative aimed at strengthening maritime innovation, smart specialisation, and interregional cooperation in the Western Mediterranean.
MED-Hubs seeks to accelerate the development and uptake of innovative blue economy solutions by establishing interconnected innovation hubs that connect research organisations, industry, public authorities, and coastal communities. The project focuses on key strategic sectors including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine renewable energy, and the blue circular economy, supporting the transition from pilot concepts to market-ready and replicable solutions.
A core pillar of MED-Hubs is the development of interregional blue economy testbeds, conceived as real-life environments where innovations can be tested, validated, and scaled in close cooperation with public procurers, ports, SMEs, and local stakeholders. These testbeds are designed to respond to concrete territorial needs while ensuring alignment with regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3).
Within this framework, Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (VLPF) plays a strategic role as co-leader of Work Package 2 (Interregional Partnerships on Blue Economy Testbeds) and Work Package 5 (Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation). Drawing on its extensive experience in community-based innovation, marine litter remediation, and EU Mission Ocean and Waters lighthouse projects and initiatives, VLPF contributes to strengthening the connection between local living labs and the East Mediterranean-scale cooperation.
VLPF is also responsible for establishing and coordinating the MED-Hubs Observatory Panel, a knowledge-exchange platform designed to facilitate peer learning, share best practices, and support the replication and long-term sustainability of the MED-Hubs model beyond the project’s lifetime. Through synergies with EU Mission Ocean & Waters initiatives and cross-basin projects, the Observatory Panel will help translate project results into actionable and policy-relevant outcomes.
The kick-off meeting in Cartagena laid the foundations for a collaborative and impact-oriented implementation phase, confirming MED-Hubs’ ambition to strengthen the EU policy enacting framework for blue economy innovation and smart specialisation in the Mediterranean.
