West Sweden's future is blue

Over 200 people gathered in Trollhättan to participate in the Maritime Cluster's annual conference with the theme "How to scale up the blue bioeconomy". It was a packed day that offered many examples of how the industry can continue to grow and develop in the future.

- Aquaculture can become one of the most important industries. We can make it big and important. And I believe we must. The fact that we in Sweden can't produce our own protein in sufficient quantities is a scary thought. One of the most efficient ways to produce protein is from fish and other marine organisms," says Joel Oresten from the company Smögenlax.

Listen to fish farming entrepreneur Joel Oresten from Smögenlax AB on the potential for Swedish sustainable aquaculture

Increased use of aquatic resources

Society needs to increase its supply of food, energy and materials. Resources from the oceans and lakes can contribute to this supply and also to achieving the sustainability goals. To build up the biomarine industry, the entire chain from sea to product and market needs to be developed.

- For me, something is innovative when it has come in handy, when it has reached a consumer or made a difference somewhere. We still have some way to go, but so much is happening right now! We see that not least today here at the conference," says Susanne Ekstedt, Innovation Manager at Innovatum Science Park.

Hear from Jacob Oliw, a teacher in Marine Conservation, about his views on future job opportunities in the industry.

Scaling up and industrialization

The theme of this year's cluster conference was the upscaling and industrialization of the biomarine industries, seafood and marine biotechnology. The speakers' presentations covered new technologies, methods and innovations that can benefit the industry. From how AI, underwater robots and vision technology can be used in both seaweed and fish farms, to how industrial symbioses can work and how a blue biorefinery provides opportunities to utilize more of the fish caught.

Startups and students

The conference stage also saw several new companies presenting their innovative business ideas in biotechnology and cultivation. These included Mounid, which produces paint from microalgae, Swedish Algea Factory, which grows diatoms with many potential applications, and Musseljord, which uses discarded mussels as soil conditioners. Pond Fish and Greens not only talked about their aquaponics but also contributed their Floda-grown smoked Clarias to the lunch. Also present was a group of students from Lysekil and the program in marine ecology with a view to jobs in the future marine companies.

- If you have the right education, such as marine ecology, you have pretty good conditions to get a job afterwards. Skilled people get jobs. That's what I've experienced," says Jakob Oliw, a substitute teacher at the marine natural resources program in Lysekil.

More funds for the bio-based blue economy

During the conference, it was noted that West Sweden has the conditions and a good collaboration between research, business and public actors that facilitate the establishment and scaling up of companies in marine food and biotechnology. Conditions are also being created at national level through the strategies now being developed, including the food and bioeconomy strategies and research bills with proposals for additional funding for research on the bio-based economy," said Magnus Andersson , Secretary of State at the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation. Astrid Burhöi, a Brussels-based regional developer, spoke about the EU's Green Deal, where "Putting the Blue into the Green" is a sub-policy that is also expected to boost the blue economy in the future.

Susanne Ekstedt, Innovation Manager at Innovatum Science Park on how innovations can boost industry growth.