On 27th and 28th November, the TWINNEDbySTARS consortium met on the island of Faial, Azores, at the Azores Marine Observatory (OMA) to hold its project meeting and the last co-creation workshop of this project dedicated to fostering collaboration in maritime and coastal tourism between European outermost regions.
The event counted with the special participation of Agnieszka Kempny, Project Manager at CINEA—European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency, who provided her strategic vision and made a keynote presentation on the objectives of the European Commission in international cooperation projects.
First day: project progress and strategic planning
The day started with the arrival of the participants and the welcoming words of the host, Gilberto MP. Carreira, Direção Regional de Políticas Marítimas (DRPM Azores). Throughout the day, the progress of the different work packages of the project was presented. Aspects of project management and coordination and communication and dissemination strategies were also discussed.
The meeting concluded with a monitoring session in which the partners assessed the challenges overcomed, shared lessons learnt, and defined the next strategic steps.
Day two: co-creation workshop
On 28 November, the fourth co-creation workshop of the project took place. This face-to-face meeting brought together experts and local businesses to work together with invited companies from other regions and the project partners.
The day began with a welcome by DRPM-Azores and a general presentation of the project by Matías M. González Hernández (ULPGC-TIDES), followed by Xavier Martínez Sirvent (Nautic Ocean), who explained the objectives and expected results of the session.
During the morning, some companies shared their innovations and good practices. Some speakers were Gilles Marsal, CEO of Canopee Bleue, Ana Rodrigues (ADFMA), Gisela Dionísio (Naturalist), and Misael Morales Vargas (Biosean).
The slot was also dedicated to presenting the three new regional products that are being jointly designed by companies, with the ideas emerging from the previous workshops.
Participants then were immersed in a brainstorming session led by Gerard Martínez (Nautic Ocean), where alternative business ideas emerged. This step led to the organisation of thematic tables where companies from different regions discussed the viability, costs, prices, market potential, and environmental and social values of the product propositions using a triple-layered canvas tool. Then, each group presented their conclusions, agreements, and joint responsibilities.
The day continued with a session on business standardisation and certifications presented by Monica Quesada (CMC). This was followed by the presentation of the self-evaluation survey on circularity and digital maturity designed by the ULPGC, led by Matías M. González Hernández (ULPGC-TIDES), which allowed companies to assess their current situation and propose improvements. The last activity was dedicated to the collaborative design of training courses, a key task for the next steps of the project.
The day closed with a social program and a cocktail party, providing an informal networking space for the participants.
Next steps
With this fourth workshop, TWINNEDbySTARS unlocks the next steps, focused on promoting the training programs and the development of the joint products that best highlight the values of the Atlantic coasts and their companies.
The project team is grateful for the participation of all partners and companies involved, celebrating the achievements and looking forward to the next phases.
