The Research to Business (R2B) Programme is a 24-month regional initiative designed to strengthen research commercialization across the Mediterranean. R2B empowers research teams to transform their applied knowledge and scientific discoveries into market-ready and viable innovations through structured commercialization support, mentoring, experts’ guidance, regional ecosystem engagement and linkages to collaboration and funding opportunities.
The R2B Programme is an initiative of the Union for the Mediterranean, in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and is aligned with the UfM R&I agenda and the 2022 UfM R&I Ministerial Declaration. It supports regional research priorities addressing climate change, renewable energy, and health, while also covering key sectors such as agriculture, the green and blue economies, and deep tech. The programme specifically targets countries that falls within the Spanish Cooperation’s regional Masar Programme.
The R2B programme is led by Berytech, in partnership with ANIMA Investment Network and the University of Barcelona.
Support applied research teams in developing commercialization and investment readiness pathways
Enable fruitful connections between research, industry, and investment actors
Strengthen regional collaboration across ecosystems
Contribute to innovation-driven growth across the Mediterranean
The 24-month program includes two cohorts, each supporting 15 selected teams; for Cohort 1, the indicative timeline is as follows:
15 teams will be selected per cohort to join a connected regional Cross-Med Innovation Community driving research and innovation in the Mediterranean with unique access toResearch-to-Business Acceleration – Turning innovation into real-world impact, including:
Hands-on, high-intensity learning experience
and Tailored guidance from subject matter professionals
Linkages to funding and partnerships opportunities
Showcasing innovations across the Mediterranean
Build strong commercialization strategies and winning pitches
The programme is designed for teams seeking to advance their applied research toward market-ready ventures, particularly within Mediterranean priority sectors.
Applications will be evaluated based on the strength of their innovation and technology readiness, their viability and commercial potential, the expertise and execution readiness of the team, and their potential to generate impact, foster inclusion, and scale across the region.
Projects are encouraged to address regional challenges and bring sectoral relevance within:
(with high commercialization potential)
Integrating cross-cutting innovation elements, such as digital solutions, deep tech, or frontier technologies, will add value to project evaluation.
Regional platform fostering cooperation and dialogue across the Mediterranean.
Supporting development cooperation and regional initiatives.
Strengthening economic cooperation and investment across the Mediterranean.
Academic partner contributing to research excellence and commercialization support.
