BlueTech needs bold ideas – here’s how Sploro is helping startups build them
Through EmpoWomen, Open Horizons, and strong partnerships, Sploro is helping ocean startups turn bold ideas into real-world impact
Startups in the maritime and ocean innovation sectors often have powerful, science-backed solutions — but lack access to the industry, funding, and partnerships needed to scale.
At the Oeiras Bluetech Ocean Forum 2025 (21–23 July), this became more than clear.
“We’re great at throwing money at technology, but not yet great at making money with that technology.”
That’s exactly where Sploro steps in — helping bridge that gap between innovation and market access.
Representing Sploro at the event was our Startup Portfolio & Partnership Manager, Timi Graubina, who spent three high-impact days in Lisbon connecting with founders, corporates, researchers and ecosystem builders. From pitching sessions to poolside chats, she highlighted how Sploro is enabling BlueTech startups to move from bold ideas to scalable impact.
One of the standout moments during the forum was seeing Georgia Kalantzi, founder of AlongRoute and part of the EmpoWomen programme, pitch her solution for sustainable maritime routing during the Innovation Prize Competition.
Her presentation received excellent feedback, showcasing the relevance of female-led innovation in tackling urgent challenges like decarbonisation in shipping.
Another key highlight was the introduction of Sploro’s Open Horizons initiative — a cascade funding programme that connects startups with corporates to co-create real solutions in maritime and climate tech.
At Oeiras, Timi presented the programme to corporates seeking agile, high-impact collaborations and to startups looking for funding, pilots, and validation.
These are exactly the kinds of EU-backed mechanisms that can help close the gap between brilliant prototypes and market-ready solutions.
From expert panels and workshops to networking sessions by the water, one message resonated throughout the event:
Startups can’t scale alone — and corporates can’t innovate in silos.
Sploro is working to bring those worlds together, whether through EmpoWomen’s support for female founders, Open Horizons’ funding and challenge-matching, or by simply being present where bold ideas are born.
Special thanks to Platform Zero for making our participation possible. Thanks to a connection through one of our EmpoWomen startups, we had the chance to join the forum and connect in person with the Platform Zero team for the first time.
Their support opened the door for Sploro to engage directly with the BlueTech ecosystem, and to spotlight how EU-funded initiatives like EmpoWomen and Open Horizons are helping startups scale real-world solutions for ocean innovation.
Are you a corporate in the Blue Economy or startup building the future of the ocean?
Let’s collaborate. Submit your challenge, match with a startup, and access EU-backed support to build something real.
Learn more about the Open Horizons project:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 101193231.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
