Meet the experts joining our “Blue Economy: Ocean-Focused Innovation Making Big Waves” panel at the EU-Startups Summit 2025!

On April 24-25, 2025, the EU-Startups Summit returns to Malta for an unmissable two-day event bringing together around 2,400 founders, startup enthusiasts, and investors for inspiring talks, networking, and industry-leading discussions.

The blue economy is gaining momentum as startups and innovators explore sustainable solutions for marine conservation, ocean energy, aquaculture, and maritime technology. But what does it take to build a successful venture in this space? What are the opportunities and challenges for ocean-focused innovation?

To dive into these questions, we’re bringing together three experts at the forefront of blue economy innovation for a dynamic panel discussion. Meet the speakers:

Audrey Caruana – Malta Enterprise
Audrey Caruana leads startup support at Malta Enterprise, playing a key role in nurturing early-stage businesses and fostering innovation within the blue economy. With a deep understanding of marine-focused startups, she provides strategic guidance, funding opportunities, and critical insights to help entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of ocean sustainability and economic growth. Audrey is also actively involved in mentoring and business management education, further strengthening Malta’s position as a hub for blue economy innovation.

David Halvorsen Røisland – Smart Ocean
David Halvorsen Røisland is the Co-founder and Chief Corporate Development Officer of Smart Ocean, a technology-driven company tackling major ocean challenges through IoT and AI-powered solutions. With a focus on sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and ocean data verification, he has played a pivotal role in developing smart buoys that enhance marine monitoring and reduce environmental impact. Recognised as one of the EU’s Blue Champions, David is a key figure in advancing data-driven innovation within the blue economy.

Saloua Sadok – Institute for Marine Science and Technology
With over 25 years of experience in marine science, Saloua Sadok is a professor at Tunisia’s National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM) and leads the B3Aqua Laboratory, a national hub for blue biotechnology and aquatic bioproducts. Her research focuses on marine sustainability, biotechnology applications, and the development of innovative solutions for the blue economy. Saloua will take part in this panel discussion as part of the Blue Economy Partnership Forum, co-organised by ANIMA and Malta Enterprise in the frame of the EU-funded CallMeBLUE project.

Join us in Malta to be part of this exciting discussion! Secure your ticket today, and stay tuned for more exciting speaker announcements and event updates on our event page!

OUR HEADLINE SPONSOR

Malta Enterprise is Malta’s economic development agency, facilitating economic growth, investment, and innovation, by offering a range of support services for local and foreign enterprises setting up a productive presence in Malta. As a key player in Malta’s economic landscape, it contributes to the nation’s prosperity by attracting investments, supporting businesses, and driving innovation, thereby reinforcing Malta’s position as an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Malta Enterprise actively cultivates a vibrant startup ecosystem, playing a pivotal role in fostering a conducive environment for startups and offering tailored support and incentives to empower emerging businesses.

OUR SPONSORS

Scytale helps startups get compliant and stay compliant with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat.

Airwallex is a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, offering trusted solutions to manage everything from payments, treasury, and spend management to embedded finance. With their proprietary infrastructure, Airwallex takes the friction out of global payments and financial operations, empowering businesses of all sizes to unlock new opportunities and grow beyond borders. Proudly founded in Melbourne, Airwallex supports over 100,000 businesses globally and is trusted by brands such as Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more.

EUROCROWD is an independent network organisation aiming to support and promote crowdfunding as an alternative funding mechanism for small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative projects. EUROCROWD promotes and supports the development of Crowdfunding mechanisms as a viable funding source to European entrepreneurs and funders.

The M. Demajo Group is a leading business player in Malta, with a successful history spanning 115 years. The Group’s growth and diversification have resulted in a wide coverage of business sectors through a commitment to long-term results. M. Demajo Group’s workforce is 500 strong and their various activities have been developed through organic growth, acquisitions, partnerships, and startups. Its strong financial situation and ethical standards, its business reputation, and its renowned track record as a business partner are all key factors in its continued expansion.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a flagship initiative of the European Commission to turn disruptive European science into groundbreaking commercial propositions and accelerate the scale-up of “game-changing” innovations. It is a key building bloc of a reinforced European ecosystem and the New European Innovation Agenda, filling the gap between R&D support, private investors, and the market. With a budget of over €10 billion under the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027) it seeks to position Europe as a global leader in the current wave of deep tech innovation.

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