Écrit par Vida Láctea

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy is defined as a development model that sustainably harnesses the resources of the sea, rivers, and coastal areas to generate economic growth and employment. It promotes innovation, environmental conservation, and a balance between productive activity and the protection of marine ecosystems.

Écrit par EDNA

(Article en anglais) This article presents user-centred design as an approach that places users’ needs, behaviours and pain points at the centre of the design process. It explains how tools such as observation, user journeys, interviews, personas and empathy maps help identify real problems and improve usability, relevance and adoption. The article argues that effective innovation depends on understanding people in context, so that solutions respond to practical and emotional needs rather than assumptions or technical ambition alone.

Écrit par EDNA

(Article en anglais) This article describes the InnoBlue Lab methodology used in ATLIC to support project development through three connected phases. Ideation, Maker and Scale. It shows how participants move from exploring a challenge, to prototyping early ideas, to strengthening projects for real-world application and longer-term relevance. The article highlights experimentation, mentoring, collaboration and iteration as central features of a non-linear framework designed to build confidence, practical skills and project impact over time.

Écrit par EDNA

(Article en anglais) This article explains the Double Diamond as a structured yet flexible design methodology for moving from an initial challenge to a concrete solution. It outlines the four main stages. Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver, showing how teams alternate between broad exploration and focused decision-making. The piece emphasises the value of research, iteration and co-creation in ensuring that innovation is not only creative, but also relevant, feasible and grounded in users’ real contexts.

Écrit par Vida Láctea

(Article en anglais) This article focuses on an event organised under the Atlantic project, where young people aged 16 to 30 from various Atlantic countries —together with experts and mentors— gathered in the Azores to take part in hands-on workshops, team challenges, and mentoring sessions.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy, as a strategic model of sustainable development, is characterised by high levels of complexity, uncertainty and dependence on natural ecosystems. In this context, organisations are required to develop advanced capabilities for adaptation, learning and informed decision-making. The concept of smart organisations emerges as particularly relevant in responding to these challenges, by integrating knowledge management, organisational learning, environmental scanning and organisational intelligence.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy has emerged as a central strategic axis of European and national policies for sustainable development, by promoting the economic valorisation of marine, fluvial and coastal resources in balance with ecosystem preservation. The inherent complexity of these sectors requires integrated strategic management approaches capable of articulating vision, business model, performance, sustainability and governance.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) Open Innovation has increasingly established itself as a fundamental strategic instrument to accelerate the transition of the Blue Economy towards more sustainable, resilient and competitive models. In a context marked by pressure on marine ecosystems, digitalisation and the need for cross-sectoral cooperation, Open Innovation enables the integration of external knowledge, emerging technologies and new financing models.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) Projects associated with the Blue Economy are characterised by high levels of complexity, uncertainty and interdependence between economic, environmental and regulatory dimensions, requiring robust and integrated project management approaches.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy faces complex challenges related to innovation, knowledge transfer and human capital qualification. In this context, senior entrepreneurship emerges as a strategic instrument to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of Blue Economy sectors, particularly through mentoring.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The growing digitalisation of the economy has profoundly transformed the business models of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with e-commerce assuming a central role in organisational competitiveness. In the context of the Blue Economy, oriented towards the sustainable valorisation of marine and aquatic resources, electronic commerce emerges as a strategic instrument for market expansion, internationalisation and the promotion of sustainable growth models.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy has emerged as a strategic model for sustainable development, based on the responsible valorisation of marine and aquatic resources, innovation and international competitiveness. In this context, commercial diagnosis and the definition of strategies for approaching international markets play a decisive role in the success of organisations operating in coastal and river tourism, the marine economy, environmental services and value chains associated with aquatic ecosystems. This article proposes a conceptual framework for commercial diagnosis and internationalisation in the Blue Economy.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy, as a model of sustainable development based on the responsible valorisation of aquatic resources, requires innovative approaches capable of addressing complex economic, environmental and social challenges. In this context, methodologies such as Design Thinking and Open Innovation models play a strategic role in the Blue Economy with regard to the creation of products, services and processes oriented towards sustainability, efficiency and real user needs.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy has emerged as a strategic paradigm for sustainable development, integrating economic growth, environmental protection and territorial cohesion, in alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and European green and digital transition policies. In this context, business internationalisation, digital transformation, the circular economy and efficient territorial management constitute fundamental pillars for the competitiveness and sustainability of economic ecosystems linked to the sea, rivers and water resources.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The digitalisation of the economy has profoundly transformed business models, with e-commerce assuming a central role in the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In the context of the Blue Economy, oriented towards the sustainable valorisation of marine and aquatic resources, e-commerce emerges as a strategic instrument to expand markets, reduce territorial asymmetries and promote sustainable growth models. This article analyses the challenges and opportunities of e-commerce in SMEs, linking them to Blue Economy sectors and the digital transition, based on empirical evidence collected from Portuguese companies.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) In the context of the Blue Economy, characterised by the sustainable valorisation of aquatic resources and the development of economic activities based on seas, rivers and associated ecosystems, customer experience (CX) plays a strategic role in the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Sectors such as coastal and river tourism, the marine economy, environmental services and recreational activities depend heavily on customer perception, service quality and the lived experience. This article analyses the concept of customer experience and its application to Blue Economy SMEs, highlighting CX as an instrument for differentiation, loyalty and the creation of sustainable value.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) Entrepreneurial culture is a determining factor for economic development, innovation and territorial competitiveness. In the current context, marked by the green transition and the emergence of the Blue Economy as a model of sustainable growth, understanding the cultural dimensions that influence entrepreneurship becomes particularly relevant. This article synthesises the literature on entrepreneurial culture, articulating it with the institutional perspective and the challenges posed by the Blue Economy, analysing the role of cultural dimensions in the creation of new sustainable businesses.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) This document examines the implementation of Nature Tourism clusters in Portugal's Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) as a strategy to support the Blue Economy. The model seeks to create economic value from aquatic resources, including in inland regions where water resources are vital for tourism and economic activity, while ensuring environmental protection.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) Growing urbanisation, increasing pressure on natural resources and the challenges posed by climate change require new models of urban and territorial development. In this context, the concept of Smart and Sustainable Cities gains particular relevance as an instrument for operationalising the Blue Economy, by promoting efficient water resource management, technological innovation, environmental sustainability and quality of life for populations. This article analyses the conceptual framework of smart and sustainable cities and their articulation with the Blue Economy, highlighting the main pillars, benefits and challenges, without recourse to empirical case studies.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) The Blue Economy, focused on sustainable aquatic resource use, faces structural challenges in attracting and retaining qualified human capital. The industry's growth is constrained by shortages in technical, digital, and environmental skills. Additionally, the globalisation of work and the rise of remote working have intensified competition for talent.

Écrit par CMST

(Article en anglais) Reverse innovation has increasingly emerged as a relevant strategic model for the sustainable transition of the Blue Economy, by enabling solutions developed in emerging markets to be adapted and implemented in developed economies. In a context of growing pressure on marine and freshwater ecosystems, this approach proves particularly relevant for promoting operational efficiency, cost reduction and social inclusion.

Écrit par Eduardo Ulloa

Janvier 2026

(Article en anglais) A grounded account of how artificial intelligence can help reduce territorial imbalances across Atlantic Europe. Drawing on hands-on experience with businesses, cooperatives, and public bodies, the article shows how AI can strengthen local economies, support small municipalities, and ease pressure on large hubs by redistributing capabilities rather than concentrating them.

Écrit par Nerea Abalde

Novembre 2025

(Article en anglais) A concise introduction to the often-overlooked link between psychology and the Blue Economy. The article explains how marine environments support mental well-being, and how psychological factors shape people’s willingness to adopt more sustainable practices. It argues that lasting change depends not only on policy and innovation, but on values, motivation, and how individuals and organisations relate to the sea.

Écrit par Mila Rivadas - Blue Leader and Atlantic Innoblue Communities participant

Novembre 2025

(Article en anglais) A personal reflection on teaching rooted in place, where learning flows between classroom, countryside, and coast. Drawing on rural life and children’s everyday questions, the article shows how education connected to the sea nurtures care, responsibility, and hope, planting early awareness of our shared relationship with water, nature, and the future.

Écrit par Xosé L. Garza | Vida Láctea

Octobre 2025

(Article en anglais) A short reflection on how non-formal education and the Blue Economy are helping Atlantic villages re-imagine their futures. By valuing local knowledge, shared learning, and place-based innovation, communities find new ways for young people to stay, create, and lead without leaving home.