Press release: ProtoAtlantic backs 10 international start-ups to test maritime technologies

The ProtoAtlantic project has selected 10 international start-ups to test their maritime technologies free of charge at a number of world-renowned test facilities as part of the Fast Tracked Product Development phase of the project, which is being led by EMEC, in Orkney.

The successful projects have been selected due to the standard of their innovative concepts from a variety of blue growth sectors including renewable energy, biotechnology, marine robotics, marine transport, aquaculture and conditioning monitoring. Testing will start this year and run through until October 2020.

ProtoAtlantic, which is coordinated by Innovalia Association as lead partner, is funded by Interreg Atlantic Area and aims to develop and validate a model for the prototyping and exploitation of innovative ideas in the maritime sector.

Over 30 applications from across Europe were submitted for the Fast Tracked Product Development phase of ProtoAtlantic. The following developers were selected by the ProtoAtlantic Review Panel:

• ARQ Asset Solutions Ltd, (Ireland)
• Exceedence Ltd, (Ireland)
• Fazzini Meccanica s.n.c (Italy)
• Impact9 Energy and Marine Ltd, (Ireland)
• OCEOMIC, Marine Bio and Technology, S.L. (Spain)
• Pure Marine Gen Ltd, (Northern Ireland)
• Sea Wave Energy Ltd, (UK)
• SealSpear Technologies Ltd, (Ireland)
• A.Silva Matos Metalomecânica S.A. (Portugal)
• Subsea Mechnatronics, (Spain)

EMEC, Innovalia Association, INESC TEC, University College Cork, EMERGE, Cork County Council, and Technopõle Brest Iroise are working in partnership to deliver the ProtoAtlantic project, with testing available at the following test facilities:

• European Marine Energy Centre in Scotland
• Lir National Ocean Test Facility, MaREI Centre in Ireland
• Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science in Portugal
• Marine Park in Spain

The Fast Tracked Product Development programme utilises the expertise within the project partnership to offer marine start-ups a product development process that runs from concept through to pre-commercial trials. This process will be underpinned by an approved verification process which will ensure the credibility of technologies, which could transform and increase efficiency within the blue growth sectors.

Myles Heward, Performance Test Engineer at EMEC, who is leading the Fast Tracked Product Development phase of the project explained:

“We were delighted with the variety and quality of innovative marine start-ups applying to the Fast Tracked Product Development phase of the programme, all of which were keen to utilise the facilities and expertise offered by the project partners.

“We are looking forward to supporting the developers as they progress with the testing of their technology, ultimately progressing their TRL level moving them a step closer to commercial roll out.”

Jorge Galvan, Project Manager at Innovalia and lead partner of ProtoAtlantic, said:

“Product development for technology in the marine environment is very expensive. The funding support that Interreg Atlantic Area is providing has resulted in developers from France, Spain, UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Portugal, gaining free access to world class testing facilities, which is such a fantastic opportunity.”

Further information on the companies supported by ProtoAtlantic through the Fast Tracked Product Development programme can be found here: http://www.protoatlantic.eu/content/fast-tracked-product-development-supported-companies.