This year's Blue Bioeconomy Symposium (11-13 September 2023), organised by Bioökonomie auf Marinen Strandorten (BaMS) e.V. and the University of Oldenburg, offered around 130 scientific and economic experts from all over Germany the opportunity for insights into current research, in-depth discussions, an intensive exchange of ideas and impetus for new ideas and co-operation.

A special item on the programme, organised by AQUATOR, was the Blue.Awards - a competition for particularly innovative approaches in the categories "scientific contribution", "student contribution" and "start-up". In the start-up category, six impressive and highly motivated teams took to the stage to present their innovative ideas in the blue bioeconomy to the audience. The individual topics were just as diverse as the start-ups presenting, ranging from a spirulina farm for the home kitchen to virtual knowledge transfer. The symposium participants voted for their favourite start-up directly on site. The BaMS Board of Directors decided on the awards in the other two categories. The award ceremony took place at the end of the three-day event. The first prize of the Blue.Awards in the start-up category went to VYLD, a start-up from Berlin that utilises the special properties of algae to combine radical sustainability, closeness to nature and empowerment.

The event was organised by the University of Oldenburg's AQUATOR project team (AG Technische Chemie/Michael Wark and COAST/Juliane Köller-Gontermann and Thomas Klenke). Mrs Thiel, representing the Presidential Board, gave the welcoming address at the opening of the symposium. Prof Hillebrand (WG Planktology) provided an interesting and appealing keynote speech with his presentation on marine biodiversity.