E-Pitch Portugal Event

Adviser to the Minister of the Sea

Fausto Brito e Abreu, was born in Angola, in 1970. He has a Biology Degree from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, and a Doctorate in Zoology (D.Phil) from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He is a former Director-General for Maritime Policy at the Ministry of the Sea (2017), and Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology at the Regional Government of Azores (2014-2016), in Portugal. He was a Counsellor for Environment, Climate and Maritime Policy, at the Portuguese Permanent Representation to the European Union, in Brussels (2010-2013). Between 2005 and 2010, he was an Adviser to the Secretary of State for Environment, in the Ministry for Environment and Spatial Planning, in Lisbon.

Previously, he was a researcher at the Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon, and Lecturer in Biological Sciences, at Pembroke College, University of Oxford. He is the author of several articles on international scientific journals on evolutionary biology, animal behaviour and nature conservation. He has presented communications and been a guest speaker at scientific conferences in Europe, United States of America, China and Australia.

Since April 2020, he is an Adviser to the Minister of the Sea, for economic and strategic affairs.

Since his doctorate, he has lectured and was an Auxiliary researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and "Senior Research Officer" of the Institute of Biomedical Research in Barcelona.

His research work took him to have a strong technological entrepreneurial dimension, having been the co-founder of the Biomimetix, after graduating from the COHITEC program "Turning knowledge into business" of COTEC. This program was supported by the Brown University (US), the Rutgers University (US), and Nova School of Business and Economics (PT).

After initial funding for the Proof of Concept, technology was successfully completed in 2015, BioMimetx made a private investment of € 1.6M and received a further € 1.4M through a grant from the European Commission H2020 to consolidate product development (SME phase I and II). Biomimetx also won several national projects for innovation.

Since 2016 Gonçalo Costa has been acting as CSO of Biomimetx Coordinating the product development, focused on cross innovation, together with multinational companies, namely in the aquaculture and special chemicals sector.

Gonçalo Costa is also a member of the executive board of the BlueBio Alliance – which represents all players in the marine bioresources and blue biotech value chain in Portugal.

Ruben Eiras is the Coordinator for Blue Economy Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Investment and Financing of Forum Oceano, the Portuguese Blue Economy Cluster.   

He was a former Director General for Maritime Policy of the Ministry of the Sea of Portugal, promoting an innovative and sustainable blue economy.

He was advisor for industry, innovation and energy of the Minister of Sea of Portugal.

He was a Science and Technology manager at Galp Energia. He was Director of the Energy Security Program of the Portuguese-American Foundation for Development. 

He holds a Phd in energy security policy in the area of History, Defense and International Relations, by the Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e Empresa – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa and the Military Academy. He also holds a Master Degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the MIT-Portugal Program.

He was a member of the Group of Experts on Natural Gas from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and a SAS Technical Member Energy Security from NATO Science and Technology Organization.

Presented by João Rito - Founding Partner

SEAentia is a Portuguese aquaculture start-up, which aims to produce top-quality fish in the most sustainable manner by combining novel aquaculture engineering with scientific research. SEAentia will pioneer in meagre production from hatchery to commercial size in a sustainable and environmental-friendly RAS where animal welfare is a major concern.

We aim to become an international reference in aquaculture by exploring new species with great marketing potential and consumer acceptability. This will only be possible by combining new farming methods with novel technology and scientific knowledge, thereby contributing to address the global challenge of sustainably feeding the growing human population with high-quality, traceable, and biosecure products.

Presented by Júlio Coelho - Co-founder

Horta da Ria was born from the will, knowledge, and passion of its founders for the biodiversity of the Ria de Aveiro. Since 2017 producing Salicornia, a halophyte species that grows naturally in the old salt marshes and is native to the Ria de Aveiro.

Presented by Bernardo Carvalho - CEO & Founder

Oceano Fresco is a seafood company using sustainable, state-of-the-art aquaculture techniques to produce high quality bivalves, specifically clams. Clams are one of the most sustainable, healthy and tasty foods available in the world. Overall, they are widely recognized as a superior alternative to all other animal-based protein sources. Oceano Fresco is dedicated specifically to the production of two native European clam species (V. corrugata and R. decussatus) currently in decline and threatened by exotic and invasive species. We have carried out groundbreaking scientific research for over five years, focused on innovative selective breeding and production processes and have been awarded a 'Seal of Excellence' by the European Commission. We’ve built a world-class Biomarine Center (incl. hatchery) in the west coast of Portugal and the world’s first open-sea clam farm, off the Atlantic coast of the Algarve, in southern Portugal (a 100-hectare concession). Our commitment to our customers is a reliable all year-round supply and business partnership, aiming to reestablish consumption of premium clams, both in and out of home. We supply customers in Spain and Portugal, and later in other European bivalve consuming markets. Oceano Fresco’s multi-national team blends deep technical experience with an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for the Oceans. The Company has been funded by its founders, public grants and venture capital investors, who share our paradigm-shifting vision of a true ‘Blue Economy’ for Europe and the World.

Presented by Jorge Fernández - CEO

CLEVER-Volume is a disruptive solution for remote and real-time volume measuring, including waste classification and data traceability capacities. The product offers a unique combination of hardware and software specifically adapted for Maritime industry: it enables port to accurately manage their own operations on waste measuring, and tax collection; while providing an affordable tool for waste management agents to control waste amounts declared by ships. Especially throughout the empowering of reception capacities and waste-lifecycle mapping, CLEVER-Volume contributes to the marine litter reduction.

Presented by Filipe Vilas-Boas - Co-founder

Sea4Us is a biotechnology company based in Sagres and Lisbon (Portugal) that specializes in the discovery and early development of new pharmaceutical drugs based on novel marine compounds.