Together with Digital innovation HUB Innovamare in Croatia, Ocean Autonomy Cluster (OAC) have established the Croatia Norway Marine Technology Innovation network - MATIN.
In November the Croatians was visiting Norway. First step on the programme was notable companies in the Norwegian marine innovation landscape, including OceanTech Innovation AS, Ocean Access, Blueye Robotics, Zeabuz, and NTNU's Sea Control Lab. There was also time for a refreshing cruise with the autonomus ferry milliAmpere2.
Throughout this project we will facilitate collaborations between companies in Croatia and Norway, particularly in the development, testing, and validation of ocean technologies. Our goals include increasing joint investments in the blue economy, fostering common patents, and advancing applied research. This visit allows both teams to explore collaborative possibilities and learn from each other's experiences.
As part of the Croatia Norway Marine Technology Innovation Network - MATIN, a group of enthusiastic Croatians has visited the technology hub in Vanvikan. MATIN was established by the Digital innovation HUB Innovamare Croatia in collaboration with the Ocean Autonomy Cluster in Trøndelag.
"MATIN will strengthen the collaboration between ocean tech companies in Norway and Croatia", says Frode Halvorsen from Ocean Autonomy Cluster.
"This is the first step in what we hope will be a larger and longer partnership between Ocean Autonomy Cluster and Innovamare. So, in the current phase, we are looking into companies from both countries that have shown interest in collaboration and to create common projects", says Halvorsen.
"The purpose of MATIN project is to enable companies from Croatia and Norway to cooperate and work on the development, testing, and validation of innovative marine technologies with the goal of increasing joint investments in the blue economy, developing common patents, and applied research", says Jan Laszowski. He is the project coordinator for Digital Innovation Hub Innovamare in Croatia.
"The purpose of the visit to Norway was for Croatian partners to visit Norwegian partners and to start exploring collaborative possibilities and learn from each other."
"The outcome of this visit was that the partners that were brought from Croatia got insight of different projects that Norwegian partners are working on, and trough one-on-one meetings with them (B2B) they were able to exchange more detailed information on their own individual work, as well as talk about possible cooperation on existing or future projects. The next step is to do the same with Norwegian partners in Croatia, where they will be able to meet new potential partners in cooperative projects from different sectors", Laszowski says.
"Innovamare and companies from Croatia have been visiting Trondheim, and companies have allready made connections. In April, Norwegian companies will go to Croatia, where they will look into concrete projects where their tecnology can provide solutions", Halvorsen says.