Last Wednesday, 29th January 2025, TWINNEDbySTARS participated in the launch meeting of the new A3MAtlantic project, led by the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and funded by the Interreg MAC 2021-2027 programme with a budget of 3 million euros. This ambitious project brings together 19 international entities of the quadruple helix with the aim of boosting innovation, internationalisation, and sustainable growth of SMEs linked to the blue economy in the mid-Atlantic.
TWINNEDbySTARS stood out as one of the sister alliances, sharing its objectives and progress in the promotion of innovative and collaborative tourism in the outermost regions. Together with the ATLAZUL project, synergies were explored to further strengthen the collaborative network between the participating entities. Its presence at this event reaffirms its commitment to the blue economy and the generation of new opportunities in the maritime-tourism sector, consolidating its role within the region’s innovation ecosystem.
In the European strategy to transform the blue economy into a sustainable model, the European Commission requires operators in the sector to adopt the principles of the European Green Pact. The transition to a sustainable future depends on closer cooperation between businesses, administrations, local communities, and citizens. In this context, the Macaronesian Marine-Maritime Alliance (A3M) plays a key role since its creation in 2013, promoting sustainable investment and growth based on scientific and technical knowledge.
A3MAtlantic’s mission is to strengthen this alliance and extend its scope beyond the territories of Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands in order to strategically position the blue economy in European and international decision-making centres. To this end, it will develop actions focused on awareness-raising and support for SMEs, the implementation of pilot projects, and training in new skills. It will also promote the internationalisation of traditional sectors such as fishing, maritime transport, and coastal tourism, as well as emerging sectors such as blue biotechnology, marine robotics, and ocean renewable energies.
By participating in A3MAtlantic, TWINNEDbySTARS joins an initiative that seeks not only to boost the competitiveness of SMEs in the blue economy but also to contribute to the implementation of EU maritime policies and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 14 on underwater life. This collaboration reinforces its commitment to innovation and international cooperation for more sustainable development in the maritime sector.