The Science and Technology Park of Montenegro is one of five partners in the ABBA – Adriatic-Ionian Sustainable Blue Economy Alliance international project, which aims to strengthen innovation and the development of the blue economy in the Adriatic-Ionian region by supporting startups, SMEs, and research teams.

Significant steps have already been taken toward achieving the set objectives, and the following will present the key activities carried out as well as the results.

The project was officially launched at the Kick-off meeting in Chios, Greece, in October 2024. On this occasion, representatives of institutions, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, as well as researchers, came together to align common objectives, define roles, and establish work plans. Due to its critical importance for the progress of the project, special emphasis was placed on financial management and project visibility, aiming to support the sustainable growth of the blue economy and increase the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Between March and October 2025, the ABBA Project partners held meetings in Sarajevo, Rijeka, and Zadar to review project progress, improve the planning of pilot activities, and strengthen cooperation among partners. Within the project, “Open Days” events were organised in Montenegro, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Croatia. These gatherings brought together innovators, institutional representatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises, creating a space for exchanging ideas and fostering collaboration. Through the establishment of innovation hubs and the organisation of focus groups, participants worked together to design and develop sustainable solutions in the blue economy, connecting knowledge, experience, and market needs. In the next phase, the ABBA project will implement two innovation support programmes aimed at enhancing innovation capacities, enabling scaling, and increasing market readiness of early-stage deep-tech solutions in the blue economy sector through a network of regional innovation hubs.

The “Support for the Development of Deep-Tech Innovators” program will include 30 selected participants, who will receive comprehensive support—from assessing their innovation potential, through mentor-led development, to access to funding and networking with relevant partners and markets.

The second program, Proof of Concept (PoC), is designed for 12 innovators who are ready to test and develop their ideas through prototyping. This program will provide them with pilot sites, appropriate infrastructure, as well as expert mentoring and financial support to successfully bring their innovations closer to the market.

For more information, download the document via this link. The project involves partners from Greece, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a focus on developing innovative solutions in sectors such as maritime transport, ports and logistics, fisheries, shipbuilding, marine renewable energy, and the blue bioeconomy.

The ABBA project is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IPA ADRION program 2021–2027. Its implementation further strengthens the role of the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro in fostering innovation, supporting deep-tech entrepreneurship, and promoting international cooperation, while creating new opportunities for developing sustainable solutions in the blue economy sector.