The Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government of the Azores, through the Regional Science and Technology Fund, joins the consortium of the A3MAtlantic and RedBEAM projects, cofinanced by the INTERREG Cooperation Programme for Macaronesia 2021-2027.

A3MAtlantic and RedBEAM are initiatives that will provide services aimed at promoting technological innovation and internationalising small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Azorean marine-maritime sector.

These projects, which began in January 2025, have a duration of four years and a total budget of more than five million euros. They involve all the regions of Macaronesia and also other countries of the African continent, promoting international cooperation in the Atlantic.

Although they share common objectives, the projects have different approaches: A3MAtlantic will enable local SMEs to position themselves on the global market through multidisciplinary pilot actions adapted to regional specificities.

RedBEAM, on the other hand, will create a hub of specialised services available to local entities where they can test and validate technologies aimed at developing new solutions for ocean sustainability.

The projects will also involve other regional entities such as the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies, the Association for the Development and Training of the Azores Sea (ADFMA), through the School of the Sea, the Association for the Development of the International Atlantic Research Centre (AD AIR CENTRE) and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo and Horta.

The FRCT will play a crucial role in the areas of internationalization and innovation, contributing on designing a joint strategy for the Blue Economy in Macaronesia and collaborating with the Azores Sea School on implementing the Marine Technology Test Bank in the Azores.

The kick-off meetings of the projects were held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, from January 27 to 31, bringing together all the partners to outline the first stages and ensure the success of the initiatives.