Montenegrin startup INOVUL wins third place at international competition for innovative blue economy solutions
Montenegrin startup INOVUL won third place at an international competition for innovative solutions in the field of the blue economy, held as part of the INNOVABLUE ADRION Blue Innovation Days, from 15 to 17 September 2026 in Šibenik, Croatia.
INOVUL received the award as part of the EIT Water & PDJF WAVEMAKER Business Creation Award, competing alongside innovative teams developing solutions to challenges in the water, marine and maritime sectors.
The event was held at Adria Tech Technology Park and organised by the Digital Innovation Hub Innovamare as part of the INNOVABLUE project. The three-day programme brought together more than 100 participants, including startups, researchers, students, innovators, companies, investors, public institutions and innovation support organisations from the Adriatic-Ionian region and beyond.
INOVUL develops technological solutions for the maritime sector, with a particular focus on navigation safety, more efficient management of maritime infrastructure, and the use of renewable energy from the sea.
Among the solutions developed by the team are patented technologies for harnessing wave energy, as well as an automated vessel mooring system. These solutions are designed for use in ports, marinas and other types of maritime infrastructure.
The development of INOVUL has also been supported by the Innovation Fund of Montenegro through different stages of development — from intellectual property protection and the development of individual inventions to the development of concrete technological solutions for the maritime sector.
At the initial stage, the support focused on the protection of inventions and patents, including the costs of procedures before the European Patent Office (EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as well as the protection of several inventions in the field of maritime technologies, including automated vessel mooring devices and wave energy converter technology.
As the business developed, support continued through projects implemented by INOVUL DOO Tuzi, including the “Vessel Mooring Device”, for which €35,000 was approved, and the “Innovative Smart Vessel Mooring System”, for which €200,000 was approved.
Through the “Innovative Smart Vessel Mooring System” project, a patented system was developed for the automatic, efficient and safe mooring and unmooring of vessels at berths, particularly useful in changing weather conditions and high waves. The system is constructed from components resistant to marine climatic conditions and has been tested in real-world conditions.
A total of €235,000 in support was approved for INOVUL through these two projects for the development of vessel mooring technologies.
INOVUL’s development thus represents a journey from protecting an invention and developing the technology to its application and presentation on the international market. Its success at the WAVEMAKER competition in Šibenik marks the next stage of this development, creating opportunities to connect with investors, partners and the European innovation ecosystem.
In Šibenik, INOVUL presented its portfolio of patented maritime technologies, including wave energy converters and an automated vessel mooring system, before a panel of investors and key sector representatives.
Finishing among the three highest-ranked teams earned INOVUL official WAVEMAKER status and one-year membership in the EIT Water community for 2027, providing access to a European network of partners, programmes and business opportunities in the water, marine and maritime sectors.
INNOVABLUE ADRION Blue Innovation Days included a Technology Transfer Academy, proof-of-concept development workshops, a hackathon, the WAVEMAKER Business Creation Award, mentoring and networking activities. The programme was focused on connecting research, innovation, industry, the public sector and investors, as well as supporting the development of ideas from the initial concept through prototyping and market validation to potential commercialisation.
Four Montenegrin teams participated in the programme, while the recognition achieved by INOVUL represents an additional opportunity to connect Montenegrin innovative companies with regional and European innovation ecosystems.
For the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, the development of INOVUL represents a concrete example of how support for innovators and companies can follow an innovation through different stages — from intellectual property protection and invention development to product development, application and presentation on the international market.
Through its support programmes and international engagement, the Innovation Fund of Montenegro will continue to support the development of innovative companies and teams, their technological development and internationalisation, as well as their connection with the European innovation and investment ecosystem.
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