Blue-Cloud 2026 builds upon the pilot Blue-Cloud project, which established a pilot cyber platform that provides researchers access to multi-disciplinary datasets from observations, analytical services, and computing facilities essential for blue science.
The Blue-Cloud open science platform developed a collaborative environment where different services are available. A data discovery and access service was developed as an overarching service to facilitate smart sharing of multi-disciplinary datasets with human and machine users. The Blue-Cloud Virtual Research Environment (VRE) orchestrates the computing and analytical services in specific integrated and managed applications exploiting federated Blue-Cloud data resources as well as external data resources. In Blue-Cloud 2026, this innovation potential is being further explored and unlocked by five dedicated demonstrators. These demonstrators have established Virtual Labs (VLabs) co-designed with top-level marine researchers to demonstrate the power of the Blue-Cloud open science platform to advance marine knowledge, in support of the EU Mission "Restore Our Ocean & Waters by 2030" and the UN Agenda 2030 "Sustainable Development Goals" (SDGs).
This document outlines the roadmap to exploit the VLabs as Key Exploitable Results of the Blue Cloud 2026 project, including the data products and services generated within each VLab and therefore ensuring effective dissemination and application of the VLab outputs to various stakeholders and EU Infrastructures. As part of WP7 activities, and namely Task 7.2 "Developing an exploitation plan for Blue-Cloud's assets" [M24-M36] of the work plan of the action, it describes the individual exploitation plans of key Blue-Cloud data services, by identifying their Target Users, establishing effective pathways to disseminate these products beyond the Blue-Cloud 2026 Consortium, and outlining measures towards improving the findability of the products, fostering collaboration and engagement among stakeholders, and ensuring that the project's outcomes have a broad and beneficial impact. This document will serve as a framework for ongoing analysis, discussions, and identification of critical elements that need to be addressed during the remainder of the project, incorporating input and feedback from all partners, and informing the Blue-Cloud Exploitation Plan (D7.3) and the Blue-Cloud Sustainability Strategy & Plan (D7.5).
This document is structured in ten sections. Section 1 introduces the goal of this document. Section 2 covers the exploitation strategy for the Virtual Labs. Section 3 to section 7 cover all the Virtual labs individually including description of the VLab, asset owners, target users, exploitations pathways, exploitation measures and additional resources needed. Section 8 explains how Key Performance Indicators will be quantified. Section 9 explains the link between some Virtual labs and Work Benches. Section 10 summarises the main findings and next steps.