The UNIDO-WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026

The UNIDO - WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026 aims to identify and promote readily deployable and scalable solutions and innovative technologies from the private sector contributing to an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development of the Blue Economy. Particular attention will be paid to high impact solutions for Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.

The Global Call encompasses six strategic categories related to innovative solutions in Blue Economy.

The Blue Economy

According to the OECD, the Blue Economy accounted for 1.5 trillion dollars in 2010 and it is expected to double in 2030, while reaching the 5 trillion dollars of gross value added in 2050. Aside from the economic features, it is estimated that over 3 billion people worldwide depend directly from Blue Economy related activities. Furthermore, oceans and inland freshwater have a central role in climate balance and life conservation, which makes of paramount importance to balance economic growth with ocean and water reserve health.

The sustainable development of the Blue Economy leverage on innovation, inclusive governance, and nature-based solutions. Aside of mainstream activities like fishery, tourism, and shipping & port activities, the Blue Economy presents emerging sectors like renewable energy, marine biotechnology, desalination, and ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and coastal protection. All these applications are currently transitioning toward a more interconnected and digitalized functioning, a feature that will cover a central role in the future.

Against this background, startups and innovators are emerging with solutions aimed at restoring ocean and water reserve & streams health while promoting a sustainable development. These innovations, spanning a wide range of interconnected and interdependent sectors, have the potential to drive a systemic transformation of the Blue Economy.

Scope

The UNIDO WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026 scope is to promote the sustainable development of the Blue Economy by supporting and scaling up innovative ideas and companies. The Call will identify and award one ready deployable, innovative, and scalable solution for each of the six strategic categories (refer to Section 4). The winning ideas will enter an acceleration program under the UNIDO-WTCA umbrella and benefit from the UNIDO and WTCA expertise, network, and high-level mentoring. Supported by UNIDO’s technical cooperation, selected projects will receive potential pilot opportunities in partner countries, while through the WTCA’s business development platforms, companies will access business programs, new markets and expand worldwide. Both institutions will provide direct support for scaling up and matchmaking services to enhance start-ups impact and success.

Structure & Timeline

The UNIDO WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026 is divided in three key components: the Call for Innovators, the Evaluation & Selection Period, and the Award Ceremony & Showcase.

1. The Call for Innovators consists in a global call on innovative blue economy solutions, inviting on-line applications from micro, small, medium, large companies and startups, but also public-private projects and initiatives. The call will prioritize women- and youth-led initiatives and projects focusing on developing countries, as well as small island developing states. Applications will be open from 20th April 2026 to 19th June 2026.
2. The Evaluation & Selection Period will take place in June/July 2026. During this time, the jury will evaluate applications and select the winners of the Global Call.
3. The Award Ceremony & Showcase will take place in Italy at the Euro Mediterranean Water Forum from the 29th September 2026 to 2nd October 2026.

Target Group

The call for proposals will target the following groups for participation in the competition:

• Micro, small, medium, and large enterprises (MSMEs);
• Start-up companies;
• Academic institutions and centers;
• Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives;
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs); public and private foundations linked to the business world and international development cooperation;
• Individual researchers and innovators.

The organizers encourage the submission of proposals at any level of development, from early-stage ideas to scaling-up projects, but also innovative technologies under testing and evidence collection.

Eligibility criteria

Proposals are required to meet a set of minimum eligibility criteria in order to be able to be considered for evaluation in the context of this call.

The eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Each individual submission should clearly state the focus area by selecting the most applicable category in the application form (Section 4). Candidates may select up to two categories.
• The description of the business project should not be written in a promotional tone, but use neutral, factual language.
• The applications sent by admissible candidates will be submitted for an initial screening phase and will be considered only if complete in all their parts and coherent with the call for proposal’s objectives and themes.
• Only the admissible proposals, following a verification of their feasibility and credibility requirements of the proposal, will enter the evaluation process.

How to participate

Applications can be submitted through external form (JotForm.com). Deadline for submission is 19 June 2026 at 23:59 (CEST).  Applications further than this date will not be considered.

The Jury and the Scientific Committee

The Jury shell comprise around 12 members, selected for their outstanding leadership and distinguished contributions to the promotion of a sustainable development of the Blue Economy. Its composition has been redacted merging different background and expertise, with particular attention to ensuring both geographical balance and gender diversity.

Jury members will be in charge of the evaluation and rating of applications -according to the evaluation criteria, and the ultimate selection of the best innovative technologies and ideas in the context of the UNIDO-WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026.

The Scientific Committee serves as an independent technical body entrusted with ensuring the quality, coherence, and credibility of the evaluation process, focusing on the assessment of the applications received during the Call for Innovators. Composed of recognized experts across the various sectors of the blue economy, the Scientific Committee provides the specialized knowledge needed to analyze the highly technical, innovative, or sector‑specific aspects of applications. Its members support the organizers by reviewing the admissible applications, examining the soundness of the proposed solutions, and validating their relevance within the six strategic categories of the Call. Through a rigorous and impartial approach, the Committee helps ensure that each submission is evaluated against objective criteria, that innovation claims are substantiated, and that the technical merit and potential impact of each solution are properly understood. Beyond individual assessments, the Scientific Committee contributes to safeguarding the overall integrity and transparency of the process. It offers authoritative guidance to the jury by clarifying complex cases, interpreting technical evidence, and ensuring that decisions about shortlisting and final selection are grounded in solid scientific judgement. In doing so, it strengthens the legitimacy of the outcomes and reassures all stakeholders—applicants, partners, and the broader public—that the Global Call adheres to high standards of neutrality, expertise, and due diligence.

Ultimately, the presence of the Scientific Committee reinforces the credibility of the initiative and enhances the value of the winning solutions. Its contribution ensures that the awarded innovations are not only aligned with the objectives of the Call but also represent technically robust, scalable, and meaningful contributions to the sustainable development of the Blue Economy.

Evaluation criteria

Applications with demonstrated compliance and alignment with call requirements will be evaluated by the support team and the international jury through a fair, transparent process based on to the following criteria: