The journalist Javier Ruiz, head of Economy at Cadena Ser, opened the event and after the official opening gave way to the intervention of the environmental popularizer, granddaughter of the legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.
The delegate of the Free Trade Zone, Fran González, and the rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantel, accompanied by the Councilor for Innovation of the Board, the coordinator of the CEI-Mar and the mayor of Cádiz, have inaugurated the Blue Zone Forum. Innovazul 2024 before authorities, business representatives and numerous students
Successful participation of companies, administrations and the scientific community in the first day of the event, which has offered a wide range of topics in its program, from the relevance of blue carbon ecosystems to the strategy of change and adaptation to the Blue Economy
Today, ThinkInAzul Andalucía was presented: Complementary Plan in Marine Sciences of Andalusia
One of the speakers was Jesús Herrero, general director of Red.es, who spoke about the importance of the digitalization of companies
In the afternoon, Artificial Intelligence in the round table on smart oceans, eco-design of ships and water management have focused the debates
“We have the obligation and responsibility to communicate, to inform about what is happening, that if the fish eat plastic we will also eat plastic. If we do not act now, we will not have a chance for the future.” This was stated by the environmental activist, filmmaker, explorer and committed defender of the protection of the oceans Celine Cousteau, granddaughter of the legendary researcher and oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, who today opened the Blue Zone Forum-Innovazul 2024, the great event of the Economy Azul that is celebrated from today until Friday at the Cádiz Congress Palace, organized by the Zona Franca, Incubazul, University of Cádiz and CEI-Mar. Cousteau's participation in the Blue Zone Forum-Innovazul 2024 is part of the Iberobio Project, in which the Cádiz Consortium participates and which is aimed at startups linked to biotechnology within the framework of the Blue Economy, a collaboration framed in the project 0041_IBERO_BIO_6_E , co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund FEDER within the framework of the Interreg VI program A Spain – Portugal (POCTEP) 2021-2027.
Celine Cousteau, who has also defended the role of women by appealing to her own experience, has insisted on the importance of interconnection. “Everything is connected, the economy, nature and health, and we must seek global interest,” he said, highlighting the importance of recycling and using creativity.
Led by the journalist, Javier Ruiz, head of Economy at Cadena Ser, the State delegate in the Free Trade Zone, Fran González, and the rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantel, have inaugurated the event accompanied by the Minister of University, Research and Innovation, José Carlos Villamandos; the coordinator of CEI-Mar, Carmen Garrido; and the mayor of Cádiz, Bruno García.
Fran González welcomed all attendees and was “doubly excited since this year we repeat the event with the strength that the union with the University of Cádiz gives us. We turn Cádiz into an important center of reflection that shows us that we are moving forward to become the hub of the Blue Economy. We believe that the ecosystem is already consolidating and that we only have to continue connecting points and promoting synergies so that all the key pieces of this sector work together and complement each other to continue moving forward."
The rector of the UCA, for his part, has pointed out that the Blue Zone Forum-Innovazul 2024 is an example of collaboration and in his speech he has highlighted the potential of the University of Cádiz, teaching and research in studies related to the Blue Economy and It has been announced that new degrees will be implemented together with the European University of the Seas in this area.
After the institutional inauguration and the presentation by Celine Cousteau, the authorities toured the stand area, where they greeted the exhibitors and were able to attend some demonstrations by the startups and entities located there.
The day has been full of spaces of knowledge for all tastes. One of the most applauded was the round table entitled “Relevance of blue carbon ecosystems: agents, management and future”, in which the doctor in Biology from the University of Seville, David León, participated; the specialist in Consumption and Sustainable Products Chiara Scalabrino; and the scientific coordinator of Arrels Marins Gigi Torras. The speakers have explained the importance and responsibility of offsetting the carbon footprint, one of the projects that the Cádiz Free Trade Zone has underway in its industry 4.0 strategy.
In addition, this first day includes the institutional presentation of ThinkInAzul Andalucía: Complementary Plan in Marine Sciences of Andalusia, whose scientific management project is coordinated by the CEI·Mar Foundation and which foresees the presence of more than 400 researchers from 40 universities and research centers. different research. This is the most relevant scientific event scheduled within the activities of BZF-InnovAzul 2024 and will allow the progress of a project to be presented where half a thousand researchers carry out their specialized scientific activity through 49 research projects linked to the Blue Economy. During the three days and within the framework of ThinkInAzul, scientists from CEIM·ar universities and research institutes throughout Spain will address different topics related to the blue territory, entrepreneurship, health and the sea, the blue ecosystem, the importance of management and protection of flood zones, blue tourism, the remains of research and conservation of underwater cultural heritage, sustainable and precision aquaculture and innovation in fishing or the observation and monitoring of the marine and coastal environment, among others.
Jesús Herrero, general director of Red.es, a public business entity attached to the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, through the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, has given a presentation on the importance of the digitalization of the companies.
Another of the spaces that has aroused enormous interest today is the one dedicated to Health and the Sea, whose presentation was given by the vice-rector of Health Sciences and Well-being of the University Community, Isabel Benavente Fernández. Scientists from the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation of Cádiz (INIBICA) have presented an innovative co-development project, together with the University of Cádiz, of therapeutic molecules based on chemical structures present in invasive seaweed from our province. Furthermore, in two subsequent round tables, experts debated the development of therapies inspired by and linked to the sea and the relationship between the blue diet and healthy habits.
Today's intense day concluded in the afternoon with spaces dedicated to the management of flood zones, water management and smart oceans, in addition to the forum on Biotechnology and blue tourism.
