BlueTech Week to Integrate UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, Innovation Clusters and the Triple Helix

Attendees at BlueTech Week 2019 in San Diego California 18-22 November 2019 will not only be exposed to opportunities via the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they can exchange ideas with representatives from academia, industry, and policymakers about how to develop innovation clusters that support this agenda.

Sustainable Development with a Triple Helix Twist

Maintaining healthy oceans is a fundamental precondition for business to operate in the long-term, and addressing this challenge provides a significant business opportunity for those who are willing to engage. One framework for engagement is the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted in 2015, and which will continue to drive innovation via related initiatives. One of the things the Agenda does is provide a framework for identifying which sustainability goals match an organization’s mission.

In this context, while representing themselves at BlueTech Week 2019, organizations from each strand of the Triple Helix—Academia, Industry, and Policymakers—will be encouraged to identify which of the 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) fit their own mission.

These could include SDG6: Clean Water & Sanitation, SDG7: Affordable & Clean Energy, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG14: Life below Water, or SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals. Displaying the relevant SDG symbol, encourages networking opportunities.

Two of BlueTech Week’s keynote speakers—Ariel Troisi, Chair of the IOC (International Oceanographic Commission, part of UNESCO) and Erik Giercksky, Head of the UN Global Compact’s Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business—should have plenty of insight when it comes to this exciting agenda. Numerous agenda items for other speakers will touch on related topics, such as how the Triple Helix model (university-industry-government relationships) can support innovation clusters and initiatives, building a workforce, and more.

Other Topics

Of course, that’s not all, it’s just the framework. Within this framework will be an entire agenda of speakers and presentations including:

• Aquaculture/BioMarine/Biomimicry/Fishing Technologies
• Blue Economy Workforce of Tomorrow; Defense, Security & Robotics
• Offshore Renewable Energy
• Smart Ports, Smart Transportation and Ocean Protection
• Water/Wastewater Technology
• UN Decade of Ocean Science

Also, Green Connections 2019 will be co-located with BlueTech Week 2019 for the very first time and Thursday registration to the BTW2019 BlueTech Summit & Tech Expo includes registration to GC2019.

Plan Your Networking with the App

If you want to get the most out of this event, you need the app. Aside from a personal event agenda, interactive map, document sharing, note taking, and other logistics, it includes networking options, attendee profiles, and messages. Of course, it also allows you to interact with event activities through comments, ratings, live polling, tweeting, and more. It even provides access to information about ridesharing and local attractions through the app’s Community Board. All of this makes the official app of BlueTech Week and Green Connections an essential download.

Attendees and Exhibitors

The event’s organizers are expecting 700+ attendees from 18-20 countries including representatives of 150+ companies and investment groups and 45-50 tabletop exhibitors showing innovative BlueTech technologies and services at BTW2019.

BTW2019 also includes a 2-day Tech Expo as part of the BlueTech Summit, on Wednesday, November 20th and Thursday, November 21st. BlueTech Week is not a trade show, but the tech expo provides an opportunity for 40-50 table-top exhibitors to showcase their organization during breaks, lunches and networking sessions among key participants.

For more information about how to attend, exhibit at or sponsor BlueTech Week, visit bluetechweek.org.