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4.3 Specific objective 1: Enhance cooperation between research, SMEs and upscale businesses at an EU level 4.3.1 Preliminary analysis of objective 1 Research institutes, private enterprises and businesses in charge of up-scaling play an equally important role in the sector. The enterprises incorporate both multinational actors under the pharma, cosmetic, food and energy sectors as well as SMEs. The latter are to a large extent focused on the earlier stages of the value chain and may be absent from industrial production due to the high capital expenditure. Research and academia tend to be involved mostly in the first stages of the value chain and are likely to have – through public and private financing – access to state of the art infrastructure including laboratories and research vessels. The successful commercialisation of a product or an idea requires scientists and SMEs to differentiate their products from the competition and to understand the strength and weaknesses of their products as well as the development process. Information on the value chain and the product development process are crucial in attracting upscale businesses investors who are willing to follow a longer commercialisation process. It is essential that the key stakeholder groups interact and collaborate with each other and at the same time encourage and facilitate the involvement of new SMEs thereby ensuring that new initiatives, ideas and start-up potential is utilised and supported to its full extent. Literature review and stakeholder consultation both indicate that there is a significant amount of coordination and connection at the research stage of the value chain (through various networks and clusters as presented in Section 3.1.8) but this tends to decrease as one moves along the value chain and there appears to be a lack of collaboration between the research and private sectors (particularly SMEs) through the various network and initiatives. 4.3.2 Overview of possible policy actions The key linkages which would require further strengthening are between the SMEs and the businesses that facilitate the commercial up-scaling of products. An example is referred to under Section 3.1.5: CIESM now have initiatives between SMEs, venture and related capital funds and commercial up-scalers. Similar initiatives promoting information exchange and workshops between the stakeholder groups with particular attention to start-ups could be facilitated using the financial instruments of the European Commission including Horizon 2020. Furthermore, the promotion of a live register recording companies active in Blue Biotechnology including start-ups and SMEs and their lines of products could further facilitate collaboration not only between research enterprises but also with potential commercial partners. Such a live register and connecting promotional campaigns and workshops could be commissioned by the European Commission using the existing financial support schemes. The following possible policy actions are foreseen under objective 1: 1. Create a register of SMEs active in Blue Biotechnology and their products; 2. Facilitate events such as exchange programmes, workshops, seminars between SMEs, investors and commercial companies; 3. Promote the use of Blue Initiatives under Horizon 2020 by SMEs, and address barriers that prevent the uptake; Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology 63

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