Objectives of BlueUp

BlueUp is an initiative organized by the Socioeconomic Association Factoría de Cohesión Ciudad Puerto Islas Canarias. It is a competition for young people aged 18 and over, where innovative ideas are developed to address challenges related to the blue economy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Participant Profiles:

Tech: Final-year students, recent graduates, or vocational training (FP) in Engineering, Technology, Mathematics, etc.

Digital: Final-year students, recent graduates, or FP in Big Data, Digital Marketing, etc.

Creative: Final-year students, recent graduates, or FP in Design, Graphic Arts, etc.

Blue: Final-year students, recent graduates, or FP focused on the Blue Economy and maritime-port environments.

Business: Final-year students, recent graduates, or FP in Business, Economics, Finance, MBA, etc.

The format aims to develop skills such as communication, critical thinking, initiative, creativity, problem-solving, and autonomous learning.

Event Date and Location

The organization reserves the right to modify the event’s date, time, and location due to technical or logistical issues. Any changes will be announced on the official website: www.facocip.com/blueup

Online Preparatory Module

Before the event, participants must complete an online training module designed to align knowledge levels and provide key tools for project development during the hackathon. Access to the ESEA virtual campus will be provided weeks before the event, with a program covering:

Introduction to the Blue Economy
Design Thinking and Agile Methodologies
Business Model Development
Sustainability and Environmental Practices

This content will include interactive sessions, Q&A, and practical exercises, encouraging collaboration from the pre-event phase.

BlueUp Journey:

Fuerteventura (Sept 24, 2025): “Cultural Research” day with immersive, gamified activities, institutional welcome, workshops, and networking.

Gran Canaria (Sept 25, 2025): Hackathon Day 1 in coworking space with team-building, mentoring, and thematic workshops.

Tenerife (Sept 26-27, 2025): Final hackathon days with IA prototyping, funding, communication, storytelling, and project presentations.

All expenses (transportation, accommodation if needed, meals, and materials) are covered by Factoría de Cohesión.

Post-Event Mentoring

The top three winning teams will receive personalized mentoring for three months in:

Product/Service Development
Sustainability
Legal/IP Advice
Marketing & Communication
Funding & Business Launch

Participation in Academic & Professional Events

BlueUp will take part in two key events hosted by the University of La Laguna:
A knowledge transfer congress (Vision Meeting)
A nautical-sector job fair

Who Can Participate

Anyone aged 18+ interested in entrepreneurship, technology, or innovation.

Open to:

Final-year students or recent graduates from university or vocational training
Marine biologists, developers, designers, marketing/data experts, business/economics specialists, and existing research teams with ongoing projects

Entry Requirements

Be aged 18 to 40
Be a student or recent graduate
Be available for the full event duration
Demonstrate proactivity, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, and innovation

Registration & RulesRegister via www.facocip.com/blueup or @somosblueup using the provided Google Form. Open to teams of 3-5 or individuals (who can be matched into teams).

Participants must:
Provide accurate personal data
Accept event rules and data/media usage
Commit to attending all event days
Not reuse projects from previous editions
The organizing team will select up to 40 participants based on order of registration and profile suitability. Teams must have unique names that are non-offensive and not trademarked.

Evaluation & Prizes

Projects will be judged on impact, feasibility, execution, innovation, and growth potential. The top three teams will receive:
1st Prize: Cash + full entrepreneurial support package (coworking, legal, branding, product dev, funding, etc.)
2nd Prize: Key services for project launch (coworking, legal, prototyping, etc.)
3rd Prize: Basic support in accounting, product dev, and funding

Intellectual Property & Liability

Participants declare their work as original and are responsible for IP protection. The organization is not liable for third-party misuse. By participating, teams accept public visibility of their projects.

Confirmation & Event Format

Accepted participants will receive official confirmation via email. The agenda will be available online. Teams will work with mentors and present their projects using the FAST TEST method: 5-minute pitch + 5-minute Q&A. Judging includes public voting, and winners are announced during a final networking cocktail and award ceremony.

ContactWebsite: www.facocip.com/blueupInstagram: @somosblueup – @facocipPhone: +34 680 237 418 / +34 922 70 75 76