Twelve blue economy start-ups from around the world have presented their innovative solutions in Malta during a recent Blue Economy Accelerator Demo Day. The activity, organised by the ClimAccelerator Malta together with the Malta Digital Innovation Authority and supported by MeDirect, was the culmination of an intensive programme which began in January. Through this programme, these start-ups have been given the opportunity to access mentoring, funding and other support to develop and test their products and services.
The Demo Day saw companies from the EU, UK, Turkey, UAE and Canada pitch solutions which, among others, tackle plastic pollution in the oceans, the carbon emissions of ships, pollution in ports and marinas, the use of wastewater in aquaculture, desalination and ocean data collection.
At the end of the event, three winners were announced. 0gyre, a project which aims to convert plastic waster collected by fishermen into a resource, came out on top in the Impact category. AlgaeScope, which uses seaweed to replace chemicals used in textile manufacturing and Planetixx which provides global ocean monitoring through satellite imagery jointly won the Hyper Growth category. All winners received various prizes, including the opportunity to take part in the semi-finals of the Start-up World Cup 2025. These prizes were over and above the up to €4 million equity investment available to selected startups, and support in accessing up to €1 million in public funding.
Cressida Galea, Head of Sustainability & Regulatory Affairs at MeDirect, said, “Developing the blue economy means creating sustainable jobs and prosperity while also protecting our seas and oceans. As a commercial organisation which is also fully committed to sustainability, events such as this Demo Day are an excellent opportunity for MeDirect to support the innovation we need in our economy. The sea has always played a vital role in Malta’s development and programmes like Malta ClimAccelerator show that it can continue to do so well into the future.”
The ClimAccelerator Malta supports start-ups and entrepreneurs developing breakthrough digital and climate-tech solutions, playing a key role in developing the innovation ecosystem in Malta and internationally. In partnership with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, its mission is to contribute to a more sustainable and more digital tomorrow. For more information visit https://www.maltaccelerate.com/
