The blue economy as a strategic driver for the Canary Islands
Last Tuesday, April 29, MNX Online actively participated in the second technical meeting of the RIS3CAN Community, this time focused on the Blue Economy Industry. This session followed up on the one held on April 7, dedicated to the sectors of astrophysics, space, and aeronautics, in which we also contributed our technological vision on the role of data spaces as a strategic technological approach for high-potential sectors.
The April 29 online session, organized by the Canary Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI) and facilitated by Plan B Group, brought together representatives from universities, research centers, tech companies, public administrations, and other key players in the Canary Islands’ innovation ecosystem connected to the marine and maritime environment.
This session was part of the deployment of the Extended Smart and Sustainable Specialization Strategy (RIS3) of the Government of the Canary Islands, which aims to strengthen strategic sectors through public-private collaboration, applied innovation, and knowledge transfer to the productive fabric.
Cross-cutting technology to foster real-time collaboration
Although MNX Online is not a marine research organization, we have participated in smart port projects. This experience allowed us to contribute a key cross-cutting perspective: how the technologies we promote —such as data spaces, FIWARE, and digital governance— can complement scientific, business, and social developments within the blue economy.
During our intervention, we highlighted that any long-term R&D&I strategy must incorporate a solid technological approach to enable real collaboration between diverse actors. And for this collaboration to be effective, secure, standardized, and scalable data exchange is essential, under the principles currently promoted by Europe for the data economy: interoperability, sustainability, sovereignty, trust, control, and standardization.
Data spaces: key to the blue economy strategy
We emphasized that the European Commission is supporting sector-specific data spaces as an enabling element to transform key sectors, and the blue economy is no exception. In fact, among the priority projects included in the extended RIS3, the creation of a blue economy data space in the Canary Islands is already being considered, aimed at integrating scientific, technical, and socioeconomic information for better decision-making.
At MNX Online, we believe these types of strategies must be designed with the reality of our territory in mind. It’s not enough to apply generic definitions: they must be adapted, tested, and made useful for public and private stakeholders operating in the archipelago’s marine and maritime environment.
We also shared that we are currently part of the CTN UNE 71/SC43, the national committee working on data space standardization in Spain. This experience allows us to contribute a perspective aligned with Europe, yet realistic and coherent with local challenges.
A community with talent, commitment, and future-oriented projects
The session was also an opportunity to meet numerous stakeholders from the Canary Islands’ innovation ecosystem, from universities and centers of excellence like PLOCAN, to private companies, clusters, and public sector representatives. The technical level and commitment of the participants were remarkable, and a collective willingness to bring value to the Canary Islands was evident—even at the cost of personal time and effort.
Among the challenges discussed were the need to streamline bureaucracy, improve public and private funding instruments, enhance the transfer of knowledge to the market, and strengthen the connection between science, business, and society.
Some of the flagship projects proposed in the extended RIS3 for the sector were also mentioned, including:
- Living Labs and blue economy accelerators.
- Digitalization and electrification of ports (Ports 4.0).
- Marine surveillance systems based on data and artificial intelligence.
- Ocean education and culture for generational renewal.
A forward-looking perspective: shared innovation with purpose
MNX Online’s participation in this session reinforces our commitment to technological innovation that is not only cutting-edge, but also aligned with the values of sustainability, equity, and regional collaboration.
Our vision connects directly with the Canary Islands Blue Economy Strategy 2021–2030, which aims to position the Canary Islands as an international benchmark in sustainable marine development. Currently, the blue economy already represents 7.1% of the regional GDP, with an estimated economic impact of €3.5 billion and more than 45,000 jobs generated, highlighting its strategic role in diversifying the archipelago’s economic model.
In this context, data spaces emerge as a critical technology to scale projects, enable cross-sector collaboration, and support decision-making based on real and contextual data. At MNX Online and TOURiLab, we support their implementation from a local and realistic perspective, connected to European standards but also adapted to the unique nature of outermost regions like the Canary Islands.
We believe that advancing toward a smart and sustainable blue economy is not just about technology; it’s about building a governance model based on trust, shared knowledge, and data interoperability between stakeholders. We will continue working to connect capabilities, generate alliances, and open pathways toward a digital transformation with its own identity.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
