On 12 October 2016, the ERA-MBT Research and Innovation Roadmap has been launched at the Hotel Marivaux, Brussels. Following the launch of the Marine Biotechnology Research and Innovation Roadmap, a stakeholder meeting washeld built on the key elements of the Roadmap and featured a wide range of speakers from international industry and the research community. EMBRIC was numerously represented at this stakeholder meeting with keynote talks and panel participation.
The ERA-MBT research and innovation roadmap highlights research and innovation as spanning scientific, technological, economic and societal challenges and sets a marine biotechnology research and innovation agenda to 2030. The roadmap identifies five thematic areas; the first three enable exploration of the marine environment; support biomass production and processing; and contribute to product innovation and differentiation. Two other themes, policy support and stimulation; and the provision of enabling technologies and infrastructure; provide the foundation to support growth in the Blue Bioeconomy. National and European policy organisations can use the roadmap in developing measures to maximise the contribution of the Ocean's bioresources to the bioeconomy and societal welfare, and funding agencies can use it to identify marine biotechnology related research themes.