The 30 supported SMEs of Space2Waves, have launched their international missions program to develop business and contacts in the four target markets of Australia, Canada, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. The European SMEs all offer technologies or services in earth observation targeted at the blue growth sector including areas such as fisheries, aquaculture, EEZ surveillance, climate change, port infrastructure and maritime transport.

The first Space2Waves mission has already taken place, to the UAE, with 5 SMEs visiting Dubai 24^th-25^th March 2022. The mission was held in conjunction with the Expo Dubai ‘Water Week’; a week-long event that brought together numerous events around the theme of water including

the blue economy and the management of water resources. Space2Waves partner DTA with assistance from Planetek Italia, accompanied the European SMEs and arranged B2B meetings with relevant stakeholders and investors as well as a visit to the Sharjah Technopark and Strata aerospace manufacturing. Participants also took part in a thematic session, ‘Technologies and best practices for sustainable coastal development’ to discuss how space technologies and applications can assist in global marine challenges. The event concluded with a round table session focusing on ‘Climate change and the challenges for coastal management.’ For more information please click here.

The Space2Waves Canadian group will be embarking on a trade mission to Halifax in Canada from 13^th-17^th June 2022 to introduce the SMEs to businesses and organisations at the H2O Conference. The Canadian cohort includes 8 European SMEs from France, UK, Spain and Greece providing space applications and services dedicated to aquaculture, coastline management, water quality, oil spills, climate risks and marina management systems. To support their development of new business in the Canadian market, the SMEs have undertaken a number of online B2B meetings, assisted by experts in the market, to develop initial contacts. The second step of the program is the physical mission to the H2O conference in Halifax. To see the EU SMEs taking part in the Canadian Mission click here. The H2O; Homes to Overseas Conference is organised by the Ocean Council of Nova Scotia in partnership with the Government of Canada, the Province of Novia Scotia and the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship. Atlantic Canada and Nova Scotia, in particular, is home to a strong cluster of ocean industries and to ground-breaking ocean research. This region is quickly becoming a globally recognized hub of oceans expertise with the potential to be a significant contributor to a number of Global Value Chains associated with the oceans sector, including, but not limited to, Marine Defence, Marine Energy, Marine Observation, Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Marine Tourism and Marine Transportation. This mission will enable the SMEs to deepen their first contacts and sign business agreements with Canadian partners in the blue growth sector. For more information about the Space2Waves mission to Canada please contact Adeline Verdier at Aerospace Valley; verdier@aerospace-valley.com

Now that Australia has re-opened its borders to foreign travellers, Space2Waves will accompany the 6 SMEs of the Australia group on a physical mission to Sydney 7^th-9^th June 2022. While Australia is a relative newcomer to the space sector, with the creation of the Australian Space Agency, it is proving to have high ambitions for the growth of the sector, with the goal of doubling the size of the sector and creating 20,000 additional jobs by 2030. With Space2Waves having already benefited from the support of Austrade and the Australian Space Agency, the mission will seek to introduce the SMEs to the local ecosystem and confirm business opportunities. To view the SMEs interested in the Australian market please click here. For more information on the Australian mission please contact Fanny Moutin from Pôle Mer Méditerranée; moutin@polemermediterranee.com

Due to the ongoing Covid situation in South Africa, the team responsible have decided that a ‘hybrid virtual mission’ will be organised for this market with the 5 SMEs receiving dedicated and specific support from the country experts who have two colleagues ‘in-country’. The virtual mission, which will take place in May, is planned to take the form of personal email introductions to pre-selected relevant South African organisations, possible video footage of their facilities and capabilities and then moderated one to one meetings between the Space2Waves SMEs (see the participants here) and the identified South African leads in the Blue Growth sector. The size of the South African market also favours the format of a hybrid virtual mission. For more information about the South African virtual mission please contact David Rea from MSE International; dr@mseuk.org

Earth Observation technologies represent a solution to many of the issues the maritime environment is currently facing. They contribute to the implementation of a sustainable blue economy as they are one of the most available, effective and cost-efficient technologies to explore, monitor, control and study the exploitation of oceans and their resources.

The SMEs have already received a comprehensive support package of workshops and webinars focusing on space and blue growth markets and opportunities, specific country webinars lookingat business challenges and opportunities,  as well as individual coaching sessions as part of the internationalisation programme of this EU funded project.

For more information about Space2Waves please visit the website here and sign up to the project Interest Group to be kept informed of activities, events and opportunities here.

To contact the project leader please email space2waves@polemermediterranee.com .

For media enquiries please contact Sarah Johnson sj@mseuk.org