Deployment of the Cable End Equipment (CEE) in Europe for the Horizon 2020 SME forming the main node of the SmartBay Subsea Instrument with a 16% success rate Observatory in August 2015. compared to a European average of 6%. In total since the beginning of H2020, Irish innovative SMEs have received 26.2 million from the SME Instrument which places Ireland ? rst in Europe for successful participa-tion in this part of Horizon 2020,” stated O’Connor.Irish researchers are also leading Coordination and Support Actions in areas such as the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and in strate-gic marine renewable infrastruc-ture projects such as Marinet 2 and Marinerg-i, hosted by the SFI-fund-ed Marine and Renewable Energy Centre in Cork. Expertise in algal biore? neries is funded though the GENIALG project, with researchers in NUI Galway and Aqua TT partici-pating. Under the Fast Track to Inno-vation instrument, companies such as Open Hydro have had success in developing tidal turbine industrial capability.“2017 will be a pivotal year for Ire-land’s marine economy, with core elements of our national marine plan, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, coming together to create an unprec-edented collaborative drive to trans-form our ocean economy,” asserted O’Connor. “We are determined to demonstrate on a world stage that Ireland’s marine economy is very much open for business, and that we have the expertise, infrastructure and business environment to offer a compelling case for international businesses across the marine sector to look more closely at Ireland as a partner for growth.”For further information visit the following websites:www.imdo.iewww.marine.iewww.ouroceanwealth.iewww.smartocean.iewww.imerc.iePhoto: Aengus McMahon ©Marine Institutewww.marinetechnologynews.comMarine Technology Reporter 43MTR #4 (34-49).indd 43 MTR #4 (34-49).indd 43 4/27/2017 11:42:57 AM4/27/2017 11:42:57 AM