BlueInvest Day 2025 brought together innovators, investors, and members of the mission-ocean community to drive sustainable growth and transformative impact.
BlueInvest 2025 Day 2 opened with a clear signal from the new Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis: 2025 is a defining year for Europe’s relationship with the ocean. Central to this is the Ocean Pact, which aims to bring greater coherence to ocean-related policies while positioning the blue economy as a driver of European competitiveness. With global competition intensifying and the EU’s Green Deal and Competitiveness Agenda advancing, the Commissioner emphasised that investment and innovation in blue sectors are essential to securing Europe’s competitiveness and leadership in areas like clean tech and AI-driven maritime solutions.
Driving investment through Blue Champions and innovative finance
This ambition in the blue economy is embodied by the European Blue Champions – a group of 20 high-potential companies selected for their innovative work across sectors including environmental regeneration, aquaculture, and offshore renewable energy. Each was chosen not only for their commercial promise but also for their potential to contribute directly to the objectives of Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters.
These Champions reflect the growing maturity of Europe's blue economy, supported by BlueInvest and with significant backing from the European Investment Bank. With €10.5 billion invested in the sustainable blue economy over the last five years, and a record €8 billion in blue economy deals last year, the sector is attracting unprecedented levels of private investment
From start-up to scale-up: closing the funding gap
Despite this momentum, Europe’s blue economy faces a familiar challenge: the struggle to scale. While early-stage innovation is thriving, growth-stage companies often face a shortage of funding options, forcing some to look beyond Europe.
The BlueInvest Impact Report 2025 highlighted gaps in financing for companies needing large-scale investment to commercialise technologies. Solutions proposed include expanding blended finance, increasing venture debt, and introducing public anchor contracts to help de-risk investments. Regulatory simplification, skills development, and stronger regional blue economy strategies were also identified as essential to support long-term growth.
Looking ahead: Europe’s ocean and waters as catalyst for competitiveness and growth
Andreea Strachinescu, the Head of Unit A1 in DG MARE, highlighted that Mission Ocean and Waters plays a critical role in building a strong pipeline of innovative, investment-ready projects that support Europe's sustainability and competitiveness goals. By advancing solutions in areas like ecosystem restoration, and decarbonisation, the Mission helps de-risk early-stage innovation to attract the larger-scale financing needed.
As the panel discussion concluded, attention returned to the European Ocean Pact as a vital opportunity to connect fragmented efforts across policy, funding, and innovation. It is expected to send a strong signal that the ocean economy is a strategic priority for Europe’s future and competitiveness, helping to create the conditions for blue economy companies to scale and thrive. Looking ahead, the challenge identified by the panel is clear: Europe must strengthen its capacity to support companies beyond start-up, providing the right mix of financing to help them scale and stay competitive.