On May 26th, 2022, the Emporia 4KT international bootcamp was held in La Palma. This event, organized by La Palma Research Centre together with Campus de Excelencia Internacional Global del Mar (CEIMAR) and Centro de Nuevas Tecnologías del Agua (CENTA), is part of the Emporia 4KT project, and is funded by the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund. Its objective is to foster cooperation between universities, companies and government for knowledge transfer, as well as the promotion of the Blue Economy.
The Bootcamp was inaugurated by Mr. Francisco Raúl Camacho Sosa, delegate in charge of Tourism and Sports of the Cabildo de La Palma, Mr. Carlos Andrés Navarro Martínez, director of the Agencia Canaria de Investigación, Innovación y Sociedad de la Información (ACIISI), Mr. Ernesto Pereda de Pablo, Vice Rector for Research, Knowledge Transfer and Campus Santa Cruz y Sur of the University of La Laguna, Mr. Aridane González González, director of Research and Technological Development, on behalf of the Vice Rector of Research and Knowledge Transfer of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ms. Mónica Quesada Peña, Project Manager of the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and Mr. Alfonso Montes de Oca Acosta, president of the La Palma Isla Azul Association.
Representatives from 15 organizations from the Canary Islands in the field of blue economy worked together to identify barriers and solutions, sharing their experience in innovation and knowledge transfer with Emporia4kt partners, who represented 14 institutions and 5 countries of the Atlantic area. The aim is to bring members of the triple helix together and promote the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy. Furthermore, the event was streamed, allowing the participation of 30 attendants online.
During the event, the potential of the Canary Islands as a hub for this type of economy, related to the oceans, seas, and encompassing activities such as fishing, shipyards, tourism and tidal energy, was highlighted.
As a result of this project, a joint action plan will be created. In addition, the Innovation Enhancer Tool Academy, a learning program that has already been tested in other countries, will be implemented in the Canary Islands as of September of this year.
EMPORIA4KT Logo and Funding