The Blue & You Series: The Blue Ecosystem

Rhode Island Innovates 2.0 was released at the state’s economic development strategy in 2020 and clearly focused on the Blue Economy as the largest opportunity. The state’s geographical characteristics are a critical component, but the ecosystem which includes industry, academia and government partners now have the tools to take advantage of our natural resources, build a workforce pipeline and accelerate our economic growth.

*Lead Presenter:

Christian Cowan; COO; URI Research Foundation

4-5 p.m.: Presentation & Q&A

5-5:30 pm.: Networking

“The Blue & You: Understanding Our Blue Economy” summer speaker series will run for a second year in a row. These educational sessions, led by panels of experts, are offered to the general public. Considering Rhode Island has 400 miles of coastline, the blue economy has always been a vital component of the state and Greater Newport’s economy. In recent years, there has been a renewed focus on redefining the term and reenergizing efforts around making Rhode Island a regional hub for blue economy and blue tech. These sessions provide information that will help residents understand what the blue economy is and how it impacts them.