Deadline Date: March 23, 2026
The MED-Hubs is now accepting applications from startups to join its Acceleration Program and advance high-potential ventures in the blue economy.
The focus areas and priorities of the program include sustainable fisheries, green maritime transport, aquaculture and fish farming, marine renewable energy, scalable solutions with international growth potential, marketable products or services with income-generating capacity, founders’ skills and expertise, and participation by eligible countries.
Selected startups will receive tailored mentoring, business and investment support, and opportunities to pilot their solutions between Spain and Italy. The program provides customized one-on-one advisory and mentoring delivered by international experts to help ventures navigate scaling challenges and prepare for success. Participants will have access to European R&D and growth funding, enabling further development of innovative solutions.
Minimum Viable Products will be piloted at partner sites in Spain and Italy, supported with scientific and technical guidance. Startups will benefit from comprehensive business development support to expand into international markets, develop new sales channels, and boost growth. The program also offers introductions to equity investors, helping ventures refine business propositions and pitch decks, and showcase solutions to a global network during one-to-one meetings and Demo Day.
Post-program support continues with investor negotiations, public funding applications, and ongoing MVP pilots. The program culminates in a Demo Day held as part of the MED-Hubs International Conference in Naples, Italy, in September 2027. Participants will also access an international network of corporates, public sector entities, SMEs, and academia for joint projects and R&D collaborations. Exclusive workshops cover topics such as intellectual property, commercialization, fundraising strategies, and public funding. Additionally, startups have the opportunity to showcase their solutions at the Global Sustainable Island Summit in Gran Canaria in April 2026, engaging directly with key stakeholders and government representatives from island states worldwide.
Eligibility requires ventures to have a Technology Readiness Level between 4 and 8, be incorporated from 2019 onwards, and originate from eligible countries including EU member states, non-EU countries part of EU sea basin strategies such as Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Overseas Countries and Territories.
For more information, visit MED-Hubs.
