Applications are officially open for the "Call For Innovation - Lo sport nella blue economy", the new initiative dedicated to start-ups and SMEs developing innovative solutions in the field of marine sustainability and water sports.

The call is promoted by the City of Genoa (Italy) and developed by Job Centre, with the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and in collaboration with I3P, in the framework of the project "Towards The Ocean Race. Innovation, Sustainability, Enterprise". The project aims to use the global reach of The Ocean Race as a lever of innovation to generate products, services, and new business activities, capable of measuring up to the sustainable use of the sea while promoting its liveability, accessibility, and usability for all.

The call for proposals, fully available on genovabluedistrict.com, has a total budget of €800,000 and was created in collaboration with the team of The Ocean Race Genova - The Grand Finale 2022-23, which has the task of organising the final stage of the most famous and toughest round-the-world crewed race, which will arrive in Genoa, for the first time in Italy, at the end of June 2023, after six months of sailing and some 32,000 miles covered.

The areas of interest

The call is aimed at companies proposing innovative solutions related to the Blue Economy, within the framework of the values of The Ocean Race and sea sports. The initiative is looking for proposals for processes, products or services that make available innovations that facilitate access to and optimal use of resources, the participation of sportsmen and women in safeguarding and restoring the environment, the use of renewable energies and the reduction of the impact of materials used through design, natural composites or secondary or easily recyclable materials.

Three specific areas are considered to be of particular interest:

• wellbeing, accessibility, usability, with the identification of systems that favour the widespread and balanced use and valorisation of the resources of the coast and the sea;
• materials, design, reuse, with a focus on innovative and sustainable materials that can be used in the nautical sector and the circular economy in the construction of nautical and sports vehicles and equipment;
• energy, with a focus on innovative and green propulsion systems, including in the field of sea sports.

Support for the winning projects

Applicant projects that successfully pass the selection phase will have the opportunity to access the support provided by the initiative, which consists of the following four types of awards:

• a grant of up to €200,000 for the implementation of the proposed project;
• an entrepreneurial development program by I3P;
• an accompanying service by Job Centre for the participation in the Innovation Village in Genoa;
• support for project communication within the Innovation Village.

Who can apply

The initiative is aimed at incorporated companies that fall into four categories: SMEs (registered in the business register of an Italian Chamber of Commerce), innovative SMEs, innovative start-ups and innovative start-ups with a social vocation. Those interested in participating must apply individually and by submitting a single application. To be eligible for the call, the projects must be in one of two possible stages of development: "Ready to market" or "Validated prototype". In the public notice of the call, available on the initiative's official webpage, you will find all the details on the eligibility requirements of applicants and the criteria for the evaluation and selection of candidate projects.

The call for proposals is already open and will close on September 4, 2022. Companies with an entrepreneurial project in line with the research to be applied for can visit the call's website (in Italian language), consult the notice, prepare the necessary documents and fill in the application form.