Laboratório MAREFOZ celebrated seven years in the best company

According to Nuno Gomes, coordinator of INOVC+, a project that supported the commemorative event, "MAREFOZ is a case study in the regional development of the blue economy."

The indicators launched by the manager of the MAREFOZ laboratory, Carla Garcia, justify the statement. For a team that started only with five persons, the results are clear and positive: in the last seven years "about seven million euros were raised" for projects to enhance marine resources, conservation, literacy and environmental education and provision of services . The laboratory has grown in terms of human resources that support research work, but also in terms of funding raised and the number of collaborations. It is this collaborative work that distinguishes MAREFOZ. Above all, it is assumed as an interface unit between academic knowledge and companies.

It is no wonder that the event brought together entities such as the CIM-Region of Coimbra, the Municipality of Figueira da Foz, the University of Coimbra, the Business Council of the Region of Coimbra, Porto da Figueira da Foz, Seapower, +Atlântico Colab in Figueira da Foz , EMEPC, Fórum Oceano, PO Center 2020, DRAP-Centro, ANI, GET2c, ISISE and IPMA.

Of the various debates that took place throughout the day, we retain one argument, which insisted on appearing repeatedly: Portugal has a lot of scientific potential, but we lack scale, and we need to improve the relationship with the private sector, even though the path done so far that is positive.

Those responsible for the laboratory believe that we’re entering a new phase and that the new Campus of the University of Coimbra in Figueira da Foz, the laboratory's mother house, will also be a lever, together with the long-awaited Hub Azul on the Atlantic Coast. Results that are also possible thanks to the support of the entire structure of MARE and its various Regional Research Units.