The Mediterranean region is rich in innovation, talent, and local solutions — yet it is highly exposed to environmental, social, and economic risks. Despite shared green transition priorities, efforts often remain disconnected, keeping insights, resources, and innovations siloed. This fragmentation has inevitably slowed down the efforts towards a circular economy in the region, at a time when speed and scale are critical.
The lack of a shared virtual space has made it difficult to foster coordination on circular green and blue solutions, increase skills among peers, share knowledge beyond individual initiatives, and build long-term collaboration that survives beyond funding cycles Mediterranean actors are looking for a trusted space to connect with relevant partners; opportunities to learn, build skills, and scale successful practices; practical tools to exchange knowledge and stay informed; and mechanisms to act together, influencing policy and implementation. In essence, there is the need for a functional and structured community designed for action.
What if there were a way to bring all these aspects together? Leveraging its role as a transversal governance project, the Interreg Euro-MED Innovative Sustainable Economy (ISE) Mission co-created the ISEC Hub: a digital gateway and community bringing together stakeholders from across the Mediterranean who share a commitment to a fairer, greener, and more resilient future.
The ISEC Hub offers a space to connect, exchange knowledge, and act, with a particular focus on the Green and Blue circular economy sectors (e.g., Marine Resources, Agri-Food Systems, Industrial Transition, Resource valorisation, among others). The platform hosts a diversity of services structured around four complementary pillars:
Creating and connecting a community of actors (CONNECT)
Building bridges between members and initiatives to promote transnational cooperation, identify competitive partners, and stay up to date through two user-friendly tools:
- A Dynamic Hub Directory, powered by Kumu, enabling members to explore the ecosystem and discover collaboration opportunities. It visualises relationships, thematic fields, geographical clusters, and potential synergies.
- An interactive LinkedIn Group, fostering real-time exchange and community dialogue via LinkedIn.
Empowering the Mediterranean through knowledge sharing and collaboration (LEARN)
Supporting continuous learning and skills development through:
- A Mentoring and Twinning Programme, pairing ISEC Hub members with similar thematic expertise and interests, and facilitating online and in-person exchanges, and tailored support to adapt and implement tested innovative solutions in different local contexts.
- Capacity Building and Knowledge repository, facilitating access to online trainings, also connected with the Interreg Euro-MED Academy, strengthening competencies across the region.
Enabling dialogue, synergies and co-creation (SHARE)
Recurrently informing and updating members on ongoing activities carried out through the ISE Mission through two digital services, helping spread success stories, coordinate activities, and elevate Mediterranean voices:
- A Knowledge Sharing Space, powered by an open and accessible MIRO board, creating a living space to amplify voices, mainly across the ISE Community of Practice. Also providing free license and guidance to co-organise participatory workshops and alignment with broader initiatives.
- A Rolling Calendar of opportunities, recurrently displaying in an Agenda format upcoming relevant awareness-raising events, trainings, participatory activities, and thematic conferences.
Turning ideas into joint action (COLLABORATE)
Connecting through different initiatives at community level and contributing to Euro-MED policy messages and co-designing Action Plans and Roadmaps at regional level, strengthening ownership, trust, and impact of the Community.
- Scan4Hubs serves as an opportunity to monitor and engage with existing similar initiatives across the Mediterranean. Please, fill out the survey and let us know about other Hubs.
- Scan4Messages, fostering a unified Mediterranean voice by co-creating impactful policy messages (i.e., ACT), including contributions to open consultations or processes (i.e., REACT).
Through this structured approach, the ISEC Hub has grown into a thriving community of over 300 active multi-actor and multi-level members, representing 30 countries across the Mediterranean and beyond.
Public authorities, private sector actors, research institutions, and civil society organisations are now part of an interconnected ecosystem where circular solutions are co-designed, shared, and scaled — transforming sustainability from isolated pilot initiatives into a shared regional effort.
The ISEC Hub acts as a foundation for long-term collaboration, extending well beyond individual project lifespans. Its vision is a Mediterranean region where collaboration replaces fragmentation, where innovation travels freely across borders, and where circular green and blue solutions scale fast enough to meet the sustainable challenge (i.e., environmental, social, and economic).
The ISEC Hub stands for long-lasting community, cooperation, and impact. It embodies openness, inclusiveness, and practical action, offering the 4-ple helix stakeholders a trusted space to work together toward common sustainability goals.
The Hub is co-funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme through the ISE Mission and managed by a complementary Executive Group, reinforcing its role as a strategic platform for Mediterranean cooperation.
Join the ISEC Hub and start connecting, sharing, learning, and collaborating with the wider innovative sustainable economy ecosystem across the Mediterranean region.
- Stay informed about ongoing activities.
- Explore the services.
- Commit to respectful collaborative engagement.
- Be willing to share knowledge, experience or opportunities.
