Calling All Researchers: Hack the Blue Economy!

Estonian Business School (EBS) invites colleagues to participate in ‘Blue Horizon’, a three-day solution hacking event dedicated to developing future solutions for the blue economy. As a part of the Estonian BUP Presidency, the BUP (Baltic University Programme) will cover the participation fee for up to 25 colleagues from BUP participating universities.

This event intends to foster interdisciplinary partnerships that can address sustainability challenges in the Baltic Sea Region, particularly in the themes of:

• Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: Innovations in low-impact fisheries and circular aquaculture models.

• Marine Renewable Energy: Exploring offshore wind, tidal, and wave energy potentials in the Baltic Sea.

• Sustainable Tourism and Coastal Development: Strategies for eco-tourism, marine spatial planning, and reducing the environmental footprint of coastal infrastructure.

• Blue Bioeconomy and Biotechnology: Utilizing marine resources for pharmaceuticals, food, and bio-based materials.

Whether you are already working on an existing project or have the next big idea in mind, this is your opportunity to get insights from technical experts and practitioners and implement entrepreneurial solutions to solve blue economy challenges.

Quick information

Dates: 28 - 30 May 2025

Location: Tallinn, Estonia (on site only)

Participant profile: Researchers and PhD students working on themes indicated above

Participation and costs

There will be a total of 50 places for attending the event. 25 colleagues from BUP participating universities will have their program and registration costs covered by the BUP. The remaining 25 participants will have to pay a program and registration cost of € 150.

Meals and accommodation (on twin sharing basis) from arrival in Tallinn on 28 May to departure on 30 May will be covered by the program. Travel costs to and from Tallinn are not covered. 

The criteria for selection will be based on the quality of the application. An independent panel will score responses to the registration form. These scores will determine a list/ranking of applicants.

Deadline to apply is 31 March 2025.

Apply to attend 'Blue Horizon'.
 

Preliminary program for 'Blue Horizon'.

Day 1: May 28, 2025 
14:00 -16:00      Opening Session: Introduction to Sustainable Blue Economy 
16:00 – 18:00     Tour of Tallinn Old Town 
18:00 onwards     Networking Dinner 

Day 2: May 29, 2025 
08:00 – 09:00     Breakfast 
09:00 – 10:30     Economic Opportunities and Environmental Stewardship in the Baltic Sea   
10:30 – 11:00     Coffee Break 
11:00 – 12:45     Hackathon Session 1: Identifying Challenges and Opportunities  
12:45 – 13:30     Lunch Break 
13:30 – 15:00     Hackathon Session 2: Co-creating Sustainable Blue Economy Solutions  
15:00 – 15:30     Coffee Break 
15:30 – 16:30     Mentoring with Industry Experts and Practitioners 
16:30 – 1700     Wrapping Up 

Day 3: May 30, 2025 
08:00 – 09:00     Breakfast 
09:00 – 11:00      Hackathon Session 3: Presentation of Solutions 
11:00 – 11:30     Coffee Break 
11:30 – 13:30     Hackathon Session 4: Action Planning – Identifying Grants and Partnerships for Collaboration 
13:30 – 14:00     Closing Session: Shaping the Future of the Baltic Blue Economy  
14:00 onwards     Lunch and Departures 
 
Contact Person: Hira Wajahat Malik (hira.malik@ebs.ee)