European funding and Blue Digital Platforms marked PBDH’s participation in SIM Conference 2026
May 21, 2026
The Portugal Blue Digital Hub (PBDH) took part in SIM Conference 2026 with two workshops dedicated to strategic topics for startups, SMEs and Blue Economy entities, reinforcing its role in promoting digital innovation, collaboration and access to growth opportunities in the blue sector.
PBDH’s participation included two complementary sessions focused on key areas for the competitiveness of the Blue Economy: the strategic use of European funding and the potential of digital platforms to support the development of ecosystems, territories and new business opportunities.
In the session Smart Money: Turning European Funding into Competitive Advantage, Filipe Ribeiro, Senior Consultant at Magellan Circle, the entity responsible for PBDH’s communication and dissemination, explored how European funding can be strategically integrated into the growth of startups and SMEs. The workshop addressed the role of funding instruments as a lever for different stages of business development, from product validation to market entry and international scaling.
The session highlighted the importance of aligning funding opportunities with innovation, growth and internationalisation objectives, contributing to a more effective use of European funds by companies and ecosystem entities.
The second workshop, Scaling the Blue Economy: Nautical Stations Meet Digital Platform, was led by Carlos Pinho, Project Leader of PBDH, and Gisela Sousa, from Fórum Oceano, the project’s coordinating entity. The session presented the digital platform of the Portuguese Nautical Stations, developed within the scope of PBDH, as a tool designed to strengthen the digital presence of nautical stations and their partners.
This digital solution aims to contribute to greater visibility for the national nautical offer, acting as a promotion platform, information management tool and catalyst for new business opportunities in the Blue Economy. By supporting the digitalisation of the Nautical Stations Network, the platform strengthens the connection between territory, nautical tourism, innovation and sustainability.
With significant participation and strong interest from the audience, the workshops highlighted the relevance of PBDH as a facilitator of the digital and environmental transition of the Blue Economy. Its presence at SIM Conference 2026 also reinforced the importance of linking European funding, digital tools and strategic collaboration to accelerate innovation and competitiveness in the sector.
Portugal Blue Digital Hub present at the SIM Conference '25 to discuss blue investments
The Portugal Blue Digital Hub (PBDH) attended the 2025 edition of the SIM Conference, which took place at Alfândega do Porto from 6 to 8 May.