PRE-FINALISTS PITCH AND CONFERENCE DAY
The FAM Foundation Grant 2024/25 Pre-Finalists Pitch Day event, focusing on SDG 14 (Life Below Water), will bring together 20 pre-finalists from various prestigious research centers from universities to Lisbon for an exciting day of project pitches and networking. These selected proposals, which aim to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources, reflect the commitment to advancing environmental solutions through innovative research.
On October 22nd, participants will present their projects to the FAM Foundation Board and evaluators at the Aquário Vasco da Gama Auditorium. The event will feature a series of 15-minute pitches, with topics ranging from marine biodiversity conservation to the impact of climate change on ocean ecosystems. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear cutting-edge proposals from leading researchers across diverse fields, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The agenda will include networking opportunities, allowing researchers to connect and explore potential partnerships for future projects. Additionally, after lunch, there will be a presentation session showcasing preliminary results from projects funded in the 2023/24 grant cycle, which will function as a conference.
This event underscores the FAM Foundation’s dedication to supporting sustainable ocean management and empowering the next generation of scientists to protect marine ecosystems.
SUBMITTED PROJECTS
A total of 48 projects have been submitted for evaluation, originating from 9 research centers that specialize in marine studies. These research centers represent some of the most prominent Portuguese universities, each contributing cutting-edge proposals aimed at advancing the understanding and preservation of marine ecosystems. The submissions reflect a broad spectrum of expertise, ranging from marine biology, oceanography, and marine conservation, to sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and marine pollution studies. Collectively, these projects underscore the robust scientific capacity of Portugal's academic institutions and their commitment to addressing the challenges outlined in SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
PRE-FINALISTS PITCH AGENDA
The Pre-Finalists Pitch Day event will bring together 20 pre-finalists from various prestigious research centers and universities across Portugal to Lisbon for an exciting day of project presentations and networking opportunities. These projects, all focused on advancing marine science and conservation under SDG 14, will be pitched to a panel of evaluators, showcasing innovative approaches to ocean sustainability. After lunch, the event will feature a special presentation session where four projects funded in the 2023/24 grant cycle will present their preliminary results. This session will function as a mini-conference, providing a opportunity for knowledge exchange and discussion among leading researchers and stakeholders.
TIME | ACTIVITY | ORGANIZATION | PROJECT | RESEARCHERS |
8h30 | Welcome | |||
9h00 | Introduction | FAM Foundation | ||
9h30 | Pitch 1 | MARE | MIMESIS - NATURE-INSPIRED BIOADHESIVE FOR BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS. | Romana Santos |
9h45 | Pitch 2 | IPMA & CCMAR | WIMPRO - WILDFIRE IMPACTS IN THE IBERIAN MARGIN: CHEMICAL PROXY ASSESSMENT AND MARINE PRIMARY PRODUCTION | Livia Cordeiro Fátima Abrantes |
10h00 | Pitch 3 | MARE | KIDSDIVE - BRIDGING COASTAL AND INLAND COMMUNITIES FOR CLIMATE ACTION | Frederico Almada |
10h15 | Pitch 4 | OKEANOS | METALGAE - METAGENOMICS ANALYSES OF INVASIVE ALGAE SPECIES IN THE AZORES | Raul Bettencourt |
10h30 | Pitch 5 | MARE | BLUE - BIOTELEMETRY FOR LIFE UNDERWATER AND EDUCATION | Filipe Alves |
10h45 | Pitch 6 | OKEANOS | THE AZORES - A CORAL BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT AND A COLDSPOT OF GENOMIC INFORMATION | Teresa Cerqueira |
11h00 | Pitch 7 | MARE | LIVING SURFACES - DESIGN AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR SEA URCHIN RESTOCKING | Sílvia Lourenço Renato Bispo |
11h15 | Pitch 8 | MARE | ALL4SALMON - FOSTERING TRANSBOUNDARY PARTNERSHIPS TOWARDS AN EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION OF THE SOUTHERNMOST POPULATIONS OF ATLANTIC SALMON | Carlos Alexandre |
11h30 | Pitch 9 | MARE | GREEN STOMACHS - DEEP-LEARNING IMAGING AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY FOR SARDINE FISHERY MANAGEMENT | Guilherme Ferreira |
11h45 | Pitch 10 | CI VASCO DA GAMA | OLIVEµALGAE - BIOREMEDIATION OF OLIVE OIL MILL WASTEWATER WITH MICROALGAE | Ludgero Tavares Tiago Verdelhos |
12h00 | Pitch 11 | MARE | FIRESEA - FROM SEA TO LAND: UTILIZING INVASIVE SEAWEED AGAINST FIRE BLIGHT | Carina Félix |
12h15 | Pitch 12 | CCMAR | MAPPING CRITICAL HABITATS OF THREATENED SHARK SPECIES IN THE ALGARVE COAST | David Abecassis Miguel Gandra |
12h30 | Pitch 13 | CCMAR | OCEANO ABERTO – RAISING AWARENESS OF PORTUGAL’S MARINE HABITATS AND SPECIES | Rita Abecasis Mathilde Courtès |
12h45 | Lunch and Networking | |||
13h30 | FAM Granted Project 2023_2024 | CMMAR | MICROFISH PROJECT | Patrícia Pinto Federico Clementoni |
13h50 | FAM Granted Project 2023_2024 | CEF | MACROALGAE AND HALOPHYTES APPROACH TO TACKLE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE | Elsa Rodrigues Isabel Salomé |
14h10 | FAM Granted Project 2023_2024 | CMMAR | BLUE CARBON IN ALGARVE PROJECT | Carmen Santos |
14h30 | FAM Granted Project 2023_2024 | CESAM | NUTRIMO AQUACULTURE PROJECT | Amadeu Soares |
14h50 | Invited Organization | WWF | NO DEEP SEABED MINING INITIATIVE - CAPACITY BUILDING IN KEY AFRICAN COUNTRIES | Jessica Battle |
15h15 | Pitch 14 | CIIMAR | EMPHATIC - NON-INVASIVE TECHNIQUES TO STUDY CETACEAN POPULATIONS | Luís Afonso |
15h30 | Pitch 15 | CFE | PEARL - UNRAVELING RISKS OF PLASTIC PELLETS THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE AND AI | Filipa Bessa |
15h45 | Pitch 16 | CIIMAR | MOLECULAR MECHANISMS THAT RULE FISH IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO THE PARASITE INFECTION OF MUSSEL LARVAE | André Santos |
16h00 | Pitch 17 | CBMA | RECOVERY UNIT FOR VULNERABLE MARINE HABITATS | Pedro Teixeira Gomes |
16h15 | Pitch 18 | CIIMAR | ACTINALGAE - NOVEL NATURAL PRODUCTS FROM MACROALGAE-ASSOCIATED ACTINOBACTERIA | Mariana Girão Fátima Carvalho |
16h30 | Pitch 19 | CESAM | AMBIENCE II - ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF ANTHROPOGENIC PARTICLES: IMPACT ON THE RESILIENCE OF COASTAL MARINE SYSTEMS | Regina Duarte |
16h45 | Pitch 20 | CIIMAR | SEAWEED BLUE CARBON | Débora Borges |
17h00 | Closing Remarks | FAM Foundation |
PANEL OF EVALUATORS
The evaluators for the Pre-Finalists Pitch Day event will be represented by Board Members:
Ana Menéres Mendonça, FAM Foundation Founder & Board of Directors;
Luís Vasconcelos, FAM Foundation Board of Directors;
Joana Meireles, FAM Foundation Board of Directors;
José Archer, FAM Foundation Board of Trustees;
Ricardo Arcos, FAM Foundation Board of Trustees.
The expert evaluators are composed by, the impact investment operational expert's from FAM Foundation complemented by other evaluator expert in marine science and conservation:
Nuno Frazão, FAM Foundation Operational Manager & Positive Benefits Founder;
Mafalda Sarmento, FAM Foundation Operational Manager, Católica Lisbon & NOVA-SBE;
Catarina Grilo, ANP/WWF Director of Conservation and Policy;
Raquel Gaião Silva, Faber Ocean /Climate Tech Associate, BlueBio Alliance Executive Board Member.
FAM Foundation is committed with the sustainable development goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.