Verimpact, in collaboration with the Institute of Oceanography – Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) and the Institute for Sustainable Development – EPLO, co-organized an in-person meeting of the Innovation Hub for the Protection of the Marine Environment on 16 December in Athens. The event was held within the framework of the BLUEMISSIONMED and BLUE ECOSYSTEM programmes.
The meeting aimed to highlight national prospects and available tools for the implementation of the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters,” strengthen the connection between science, innovation, and sustainable development, and foster constructive dialogue among research, business, and institutional stakeholders. Through this exchange, participants sought to identify potential synergies supporting the transition to a smart and resilient economy, while contributing to the protection and restoration of the marine environment.
Within this framework, Spyros Kouvelis, Chairman of Verimpact and Board Member of the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters,” and Christina Deligianni, Chief Executive Officer of Verimpact and European Commission Expert in the Blue Economy, presented the Mission Ocean and Waters and funding opportunities respectively, and thus contributed to strengthening alignment with European initiatives, policy frameworks, and financing tools.
The active participation of professionals from across research, policy, finance, and industry proved instrumental in advancing these efforts, bringing expertise and practical insights to the protection and sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems through a comprehensive source-to-sea approach.
Together, these collective efforts contributed to shaping a dynamic and innovative blue future for Greece and Europe.