On October 6th, 2026, the Maritime-Marine Cluster of Andalusia (CMMA) hosted a three-hour online National Capacity Building and Training Workshop under the RECONNECT project. Designed for SMEs across the fishery, aquaculture, artisanal, and creative industries, the session equipped regional blue stakeholders with practical tools for circular transformation and open innovation.
Empowering Local SMEs Through Open Innovation and Circularity
The workshop brought together SMEs from across Andalusia to explore practical strategies for adopting sustainable and circular practices. The session opened with an introduction to Open Innovation principles and Intellectual Property (IP) management, guiding artisanal and marine businesses on how to protect and commercialize innovative ideas.
The core of the session focused on developing Circular Business Models tailored to the fishery, aquaculture, and craft sectors. CMMA presented mechanisms for industrial symbiosis and value chain collaboration, showing how production waste and marine by-products can be upcycled into high-value bio-based resources. Crucially, this workshop aimed to ensure regional companies are fully prepared for the upcoming international session on October 9th, where over 130 SMEs from across the Mediterranean will gather to discover and explore the RECONNECT AI Matchmaking Tool. The event concluded with an interactive Q&A where participants discussed operational challenges and learned about the upcoming pilot support services available through the RECONNECT SME Journey.
Driving Sustainable Blue Growth in Andalusia
By providing actionable tools on circularity, IP management, and industrial symbiosis, CMMA reinforces its commitment to supporting regional SMEs in their green transition. The recorded training session and materials remain available to empower local businesses across the Mediterranean circular network.
“Capacity building is essential for bridging the gap between traditional blue economy practices and modern circular models. By empowering local SMEs in fishery, aquaculture, and artisanal craft with tools for open innovation and industrial symbiosis, we are turning environmental challenges into real economic opportunities across the Mediterranean.”
