OLH04 - From data to value: unlocking the potential of marine by-products

Every year, fisheries, aquaculture farms and seafood processing companies generate large quantities of marine by-products such as heads, viscera, skins, bones, shells and trimmings. Although these materials contain valuable compounds with potential applications in food, feed, cosmetics, biotechnology and other sectors, they are often discarded or directed towards low-value uses. One of the main challenges faced by producers and processors is identifying which valorization opportunities are most suitable for each by-product stream. What products could be developed? Which industries could use them? What is their potential value? This challenge invites participants to develop a digital solution capable of helping stakeholders identify and explore new opportunities for marine by-products. Using production and processing data, teams will create tools that support decision-making, connect biomass streams with potential applications and help unlock new circular business opportunities. The goal is to reduce waste, increase resource efficiency and support the transition towards a more sustainable and circular blue economy.

Participants will develop a prototype digital solution capable of helping stakeholders identify valorization opportunities for marine by-products generated by fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing activities.

Depending on the team's approach, the prototype may take the form of an interactive dashboard, recommendation engine, decision-support platform, resource marketplace or other innovative digital tool capable of matching by-product streams with potential products, technologies, markets and business opportunities.

The objective is to support better decision-making, increase resource efficiency and accelerate the transition towards a circular blue economy.

Aquaculture specialists
Fisheries specialists
Seafood processing specialists
Marine biologists
Circular economy experts
Data analysts and data scientists
Software developers
Database specialists (SQL)
Python/R programmers
UX/UI designers
Business innovation specialists