The European Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 funded EMBRIC (European Marine Biological Research Infrastructure Cluster) project held its kick-off meeting on the 17th and 18th of September 2015 in the Zamansky tower of the Jussieu campus of the Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris (UPMC). All 27 partners from academia, research institutes, non-for-profit organizations and industry were present. The main aim of the project is to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and innovation from marine bio-resources by connecting existing research infrastructures into an overarching long-term cluster in order to boost Europe’s blue bio-economy.
After an opening speech of Bertrand Meyer (UPMC Vice-President), Bernard Kloareg (EMBRIC coordinator) 
led the presentation of the six infrastructure partners (AquaExcel, EU-Openscreen, EMBRC, MIRRI, ELIXIR and RISIS) and opened the discussion around the strategic targets and implementation of the project. The second part of the morning was dedicated to the presentation of the three Joint Development Activities (JDAs), consisting of selected case studies to test and improve the workflow and the connectivity quality of the cluster. The afternoon session separated the cluster’s partners in working groups to address specific work package tasks regarding the timetable of actions and obligations for the proper and timely implementation of the project.
During the second day of the kick-off meeting, the partners presented their work package goals and discussed the management and implementation plan of the project's cross-cutting approach in terms of training, technology and knowledge transfer. Finally, strategic issues regarding interaction with main stakeholders and transnational access to the cluster's services were set forth during the last afternoon of the EMBRIC kick-off meeting.