Marine and Maritime Research, Innovation, Technology Centre of Excellence

Project Information

MARITEC-X

Grant agreement ID: 763815

DOI

10.3030/763815

Project closed

EC signature date 7 July 2017

Start date 1 September 2017

End date 31 August 2018

Funded under

• Teaming of excellent research institutions and low performing RDI regions

Total cost

€ 399 691,25

EU contribution

€ 399 691,25

Coordinated by

LARNAKA MUNICIPALITY
Cyprus

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MARITEC-X (Marine and Maritime Research, Innovation, Technology Centre of Excellence)

Reporting period: 2017-09-01 to 2018-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

With the economic recession behind it, the economy of Cyprus is expanding at a rate comparable to that of the global economy. Despite this welcoming trend, the investment landscape in research, technology development, and innovation (RTDI), a key factor in the economic competitiveness and sustainability of Cyprus — remains stagnant, with bottom-up initiatives towards a change remaining fragmented and underutilised. As a direct result, the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem of Cyprus remains at an embryonic stage, leaving Cyprus as a low-performing RTDI country within the European Union.Innovation activities cannot proceed without a solid scientific and research and technology development foundation. Despite Cyprus hosting three state universities (and a number of private ones) with a wealth of excellent research and scientific expertise, this significant resource remains untapped and rarely exploited beyond the confines of academia. To reverse this ultimately detrimental relation between research and innovation, Cyprus is in dire need of an intermediary to help the country rise out of its RTDI slumber. This proposal seeks the European Union’s support to establish in Cyprus a Centre of Excellence that fosters world-class research, technology development, and innovation activities. This will not be another academic entity but an institution developing practical solutions/products addressing the needs of the economy, and society, in Cyprus, the EU and the rest of the world in activities related to the marine and maritime sector.
The proposed project, Marine and Maritime Research, Innovation, Technology Centre of Excellence (MARiTeC-X), seeks to play a key role in the country’s economic and social transformation through RTDI transformation, by setting up the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI). The objectives that will be completed with the end of Teaming phase 1 of the project have been closely related to the specific work packages and deliverables of the project. The overall aim of teaming phase 1 of MaRITeC-X has been firstly to define scientifically the future innovation and research strategy of the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI) and most importantly deliver a holistic business plan that will enable the Centre to materialize in a sustainable way.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The consortium during the reporting period achieved all project objectives and produced significant results that will enable a competitive proposal for the Phase 2 of the Teaming CSA action

The work carried out within the two tasks of WP2 during the reporting period can be summarized in the section below:
• Mapping of all relevant national science and innovation initiatives, recording of research and innovation capacity and launch of a detailed gap analysis.
• Refining and updating the overall innovation and research vision of the MaRITeC-X Centre of Excellence to the latest priorities and developments of the Smart Specialisation Strategy of Cyprus. In the roadmap, the objectives, vision and activities of the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI) were fully aligned with this Strategy, taking into consideration the aims as well as the sectoral and horizontal priorities of the Strategy
• Drafting of a science and innovation priorities roadmap that will guide the scientific vision, innovation character and focal points of the Centre in terms of sectors and technologies to be developed. The roadmap was elaborated by the Marine Institute and was further developed in cooperation with MarInEM, GEO and SG.
• Identifying promising examples (real case scenarios) within the Centre’s focal sectors.
• Organizing 2 knowledge transfer/demo events.

The work has been done in the framework of WP3 was dedicated for the successful completion of the following results:
• Conducting of a detailed market research on the economic outlook and prospects, market needs and value offering of the new CoE
• Defining the current positioning and competitive advantages.
• Defining a business strategy with a growth plan that exceeds Teaming Phase 2.
• Drawing an effective Management structure.
• Establishing a detailed financial plan and conduction of a profit and loss forecast.
• Definition of the sustainability activities and mechanisms that CMMI needs to participate in, both with regard to revenue generation, and positioning, to secure its long-term future and to create a critical mass of academics, researchers and specialised professionals that can unlock and diffuse the existing and new scientific potential.
• Definition of mechanisms for monitoring the performance of the sustainability and its assessment with regard to positioning and revenue generating activities. R
• Drafting a realistic scenario for variable income generation and staffing of CMMI.

During the whole duration of the project dissemination and exploitation activities exceeded the initial expectation of the project partners and a lot of effort was invested as project results were getting more robust and reliable.

Finally, the consortium implemented all drafted procedures within the “Ethics” WP

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

• Teaming partners working together on the MaRITeC-X objectives has generated side research and business links
• A completed gap analysis has recorded existing infrastructure and the current situation in research and innovation initiatives in marine and maritime sectors
• Established contacts with local start-ups, local industry partners, academia, government officials and international companies in Cyprus
• Project information has been made publicly available through dissemination activities and events involving national and local government bodies which has garnered political support
• MaRITeC-X has made contacts with national and international organisations to establish links with the CMMI
• MaRITeC-X several attended events at local and national levels e.g. POSIDONIA 2018, an international shipping exhibition; the Maritime Forum Day in Frederick’s University; Digital Ship Maritime CIO Forums of 2018 in Limassol, Cyprus; MARINA Mobilization and Mutual Learning (MML) Workshop in Nicosia, Cyprus; Annual Meeting of Marine Technology at the Hellenic Institute of Marine Technology.
• MaRITeC-X organised two knowledge transfer workshops held in the advanced partners organisations, Marine Institute & SmartBay Ireland in Galway, Ireland and the Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute of the University of Southampton including the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, UK, which included presentations and tours of state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories which enabled knowledge transfer of best practices to local institutions.
• The activities and objectives of CMMI (both in research and innovation) will have two common goals: creating social return and helping CMMI become a self-sustaining entity.
• The successful delivery of the MaRITeC-X Business Plan; Sustainability Plan and Roadmap to Excellence. A summary of the Roadmap and Business Plan (D4.5) will be circulated to local and national institutions to promote the CMMI.
• Dissemination activities e.g. newsletters, promotional material, radio interviews and promotional videos including the organisation of “Our Ocean Space Odyssey” event, which presented the plan for the establishment of the CMMI to Government officials and local and international Blue Economy stakeholders in Larnaka, Cyprus has created a general awareness of the project.

MARITEC-X Official Logo