The main goal of the SeaTecHub project is to strengthen Croatian and Cyprus place-based innovation ecosystems and improve access to excellence for R&I actors by cross-border collaboration on a common strategy and alongside value adding chains within the area of eco-innovative technologies for healthy and productive seas, focusing on sectors 1. Aquaculture and fisheries, 2. Smart ports, 3. Maritime security and protection, 4. Research and Education, and 5. Maritime technologies, which are aligned with Croatian and Cypriot Smart Specialization Strategies and have been identified as emerging and established sectors in the EU Blue Economy Report 2021 . The objectives of the SeaTecHub project are: 1) to facilitate long-term cross border and inter-sectoral collaboration to advance eco-innovative technologies for healthy and productive seas, 2) to perform joint research work to close knowledge gaps, consolidate and reinforce quadruple-helix linkages, and validate strategy and action and investment plans (AIPs), 3) to implement a set of mutual learning and skills development measures, and 4) to raise visibility of Croatian-Cyprus innovation ecosystems by implementing strategic measures in the form of organizing networking, knowledge and experience transfer events. These objectives will be reached through a set of measures that include a) development of the strategy and AIPs and their digitalization through an innovative platform utilizing blockchain-based tokenization, b) R&I projects selected considering cross-border and cross-sectoral needs within, c) conceptual design and pre-planning for pilots and demonstrators, and d) a set of accompanying measures and outreach activities. The SeaTecHub consortium covers the quadruple helix of Croatian and Cyprus ecosystems: 2 research organizations, 4 public authorities, 5 business actors, and 3 NGOs. Strong willingness to actively participate has also been expressed by 49 institutions who have provided Letter of Support.

The MARITEC-X consortium aims to create a Marine and Maritime Research Innovation and Technology Centre of Excellence based in Cyprus to act as an enabler of scientific and business excellence in Marine and Maritime issues in the Eastern and broader South-eastern Mediterranean. The Centre will be aligned to the overall Smart Specialization Strategy for Cyprus (S3CY) and the European priorities on specific pillars with competitive advantages to the Cypriot economy. Focusing on key priority sectors identified within the Smart Specialization Strategy for Cyprus such as energy, tourism, transport and shipping, MARITEC-X Centre of Excellence will seek partnering relationships with well-known European institutions that will assist to the transfer of knowledge, co-develop sustainability and research programs, handover best practices and consult towards the creation of a critical mass of infrastructure and human capital in the region.