MERLIN Marketplace (Final Version)

Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version / Final Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 2 Imprint The MERLIN project (https://project-merlin.eu) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036337. Lead contractor: Connectology (CONN) Contributors: Oppla (OPPLA), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), Schnee auf Moss (SAM) To be cited as: Barjasic, A., Andrez, P., Saviak, V., Demus, Y., Vírseda de Lucas, T., Mahony P., Hering D., Birk, S., 2025. MERLIN Marketplace (final version). MERLIN Deliverable 5.4. EU H2020 research and innovation project MERLIN deliverable 5.4. 26 pp. https://project-merlin.eu/outcomes/deliverables.html Due date of deliverable: 30/09/2025 Actual submission date: 30/09/2025 MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 3 MERLIN Key messages 1. The MERLIN Project has developed the MERLIN Marketplace, a distinctive platform designed to showcase innovative products and services supporting freshwater ecosystem restoration. 2. The platform enables representatives of natural areas to engage directly with solution providers, fostering potential collaborations to mitigate environmental threats 3. The MERLIN Marketplace was designed to integrate with external platforms, facilitating further development, scalability, and broader adoption. 4. The platform currently hosts 60 registered products and services, including several with a Seal of Excellence, and has 251 active users who are associated with both the platform and its solution providers. 5. The MERLIN Marketplace has been actively promoted, with the MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) - held annually from 2023 to 2025 - serving as a key pillar. The MIA recognised innovative restoration solutions and actively connected participants with the Marketplace. 6. Despite extensive outreach and innovative formats such as MIA, motivating companies and restoration managers to engage with the platform remains challenging, highlighting adoption barriers in the sector. 7. Long-term success will depend on leveraging MERLIN Marketplace’s unique niche and target audience while addressing challenges such as limited financial transaction capabilities and relatively low investor engagement. MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 4 MERLIN Executive Summary The MERLIN Marketplace (www.merlin.market) was developed to promote innovative products and services within the nature restoration sector, ensuring alignment with user needs while providing a straightforward and engaging experience. Its design and functionality were informed by a detailed analysis of the needs and expectations of diverse stakeholders, including solution providers, nature area representatives, impact investors, and external potential customers. The platform progressed through multiple iterative stages, from conceptual design to the final version, with stakeholder feedback incorporated at each stage. A comprehensive promotion campaign enhanced the Marketplace’s visibility and engagement, drawing on the consortium’s network, social media, newsletters, and outreach to over 165 EU Horizon project partners. The MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA), held annually from 2023 to 2025, were the centrepiece of this effort. Designed to balance accessibility with rigour, the MIA attracted applications from innovative companies across Europe and beyond, while recognising excellence through Product and Service of the Year categories. By offering benefits such as the Seal of Excellence, fast-track Marketplace registration, and promotional visibility, the MIA significantly boosted awareness and credibility, positioning the Marketplace as a hub for innovation in freshwater restoration. Despite the MIA’s visibility and the wider outreach campaign, motivating companies and restoration managers to use the platform remained challenging. Uptake was lower than expected, even among MERLIN partners, reflecting structural barriers such as reliance on conventional procurement procedures, established personal networks, and limited incentives to adopt new digital platforms. Combined with the initially narrow freshwater focus, these factors constrained engagement. The experience shows that sustained success will require broadening the Marketplace’s scope, overcoming entrenched user habits, and demonstrating clear added value over existing channels. The MERLIN Marketplace Business Plan outlines a long-term vision for the platform as a permanent digital hub for innovation in nature restoration. A detailed SWOT analysis highlighted the platform’s strengths, including its unique niche focus, international reach, and strong institutional backing, alongside challenges including low adoption, limited financial transaction capabilities, and competition for user attention. These insights informed the platform’s development strategy and sustainability framework. A competitor analysis showed that, while platforms exist in adjacent fields (such as forestry or climatetech marketplaces), none match MERLIN Marketplace’s dedicated focus on freshwater ecosystem restoration and Nature-based Solutions. This unique positioning provides the platform with a clear competitive advantage, particularly if it continues to expand to underrepresented geographies and sectors. The marketing strategy combines targeted outreach to solution providers, nature area managers, investors, and public authorities with broader awareness-raising through campaigns, social media, and partnerships. The approach has proven successful in increasing visibility, as demonstrated by the growth of user numbers and engagement through the MERLIN Innovation Awards. This multichannel approach will remain central to scaling the platform in the coming years. The sustainability plan foresees a gradual transition to financial independence by 2028, supported initially by Oppla and reinforced by revenue models such as premium listings, subscription services, and strategic partnerships. By 2030, the platform aims to engage over 3,000 registered users and establish itself as a European reference point for restoration-related products and services, with potential to extend globally. This report presents the final version of the MERLIN Marketplace, developed and implemented by Connectology (CONN) and Oppla (OPPLA) as lead contractors, with contributions from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), and Schnee auf Moss (SAM). It summarizes the activities undertaken as part of Work Package 5 of the MERLIN project and provides an overview of the creation, adaptation, promotion, and post-project prospects of the platform. While adoption challenges remain, particularly in engaging companies and restoration managers, the MERLIN Marketplace demonstrates strong potential to connect innovative solutions with users and support nature restoration efforts. Continued strategic promotion, stakeholder engagement, and phased development of financial functionalities will be essential to realize its long-term impact. Overview of Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 5 Content The MERLIN project (https://project-merlin.eu) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036337. Overview of Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace ......................................................... 6! 1.1!Task Description ............................................................................................ 6! 1.2!Task Outputs .................................................................................................... 7! 1.3!Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) ............................................................. 7! 1.4!Links with other MERLIN Tasks and Products ......................................... 7! 2!Current State of the MERLIN Marketplace .................................................. 9! 2.1!Principles of Development ........................................................................... 9! 2.2!MERLIN Marketplace Functionality ............................................................ 9! 2.3!MERLIN Marketplace Design ....................................................................... 10! 2.4!MERLIN Marketplace in Numbers .............................................................. 13! 3!Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace ...................................................... 15! 3.1!MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) .............................................................. 15! 3.2!MERLIN Marketplace Outreach and Dissemination .............................. 21! 4!Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace ........................................................ 28! 4.1!General Overview ......................................................................................... 28! 4.2!Importance and Structure of the MERLIN Marketplace ..................... 29! 4.3!SWOT Analysis .............................................................................................. 29! 4.4!Competitors ................................................................................................... 31! 4.5!Financial Projections (5 years) .................................................................. 33! 4.6!Marketing Plan .............................................................................................. 39! 4.7!Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) .......................................................... 40! 4.8!Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 41! 5!Lessons Learnt .............................................................................................. 42! ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) .............................................. 44! ANNEX 2 - List of MERLIN Marketplace-registered Products and Services . 78! ANNEX 3 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) Participants .............................. 81! Overview of Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 6 Overview of Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace 1.1 Task Description Task number: 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace Work Package: WP5 - Networking and Training Work Package lead: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) Coordinating partners: Connectology (CONN) & Oppla (OPPLA) Contributing partners: - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) - MERLIN Work Package leaders - MERLIN Case study conveners Task timeframe: Months 1-48 | October 2021 - September 2025 Task 5.3 is summarized in the Grant Agreement as follows: Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace: (OPPLA, CONN; BOKU, UDE, WP leaders, case study conveners) (month 1-48) - Directory of Marketplace users: the marketplace user community will be established as an online database, initially through the invitation of members belonging to existing relevant communities and proactively expanded through promotional activities following the initial launch. MERLIN partners will suggest companies which have reliable and innovative approaches in terms of restoration/NbS. Communities that will be engaged in the initial development include: (1) natural reserves/Natura2000 managers, (2) restoration project managers and consultancies, (3) innovative and sustainable companies involved in restoration/NbS, (4) potential investors and potential donors and (5) Oppla’s own community of 3000+ individuals with an interest in NbS. This activity will be closely aligned with Task 4.1. - Marketplace functionalities: the specifications for the Marketplace - i.e. the requirements of the tools and services it will provide to users - will be co-developed with stakeholders to ensure the end product is fit for purpose. The service providers will be divided into product and service suppliers. Each restoration/NbS project presented on the Marketplace will be “tagged” (categorized) with a variety of metadata, including possible constraints of the ecosystem or possible uses/activities in the ecosystem that will be the base for analyzing the economic value of activity uses. Knowing the economic benefit will allow the interconnection with investors. The linking will be semi-automatically, with final matching through experienced project partners. Case studies will be highlighted, providing an opportunity to advertise specific projects, products and services that exemplify good practice. The core functionalities of the marketplace will be based on the tried-and-tested services provided by Oppla (notably Oppla’s own marketplace of NbS products and services and its community match-making service). - Developing the Marketplace: the development of the MERLIN Marketplace will be guided by the specifications created with stakeholders under the previous task. The Marketplace will be built using open-source software and made available through an API, enabling its functionality to be embedded within other platforms. Integration within the Freshwater Information Platform will be completed, providing an example to incentivize further dissemination and exploitation. A first version of the MERLIN Marketplace will be available in Month 18. - Testing the Marketplace: The Marketplace will be extensively tested by the user communities identified in the first subtask using data submitted by the project case studies. All data will be subject to quality control to ensure a harmonized appearance and to maximize analyses regarding activities, their economic values and the interest of investors. An upscaling process will be used to generalize the results for broader regions. A second phase of testing will be conducted with the projects with which the MERLIN case studies are twinned (WP1). Overview of Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 7 - Business Plan: a business plan will be developed for the purpose of (1) promoting the MERLIN Marketplace and ensuring continued interest, engagement and expansion of the user communities and (2) generating sufficient revenue and/or in-kind contributions to maintain the Marketplace as a full service. Use of the Marketplace will be monitored and analyzed through the project period to inform development of the business plan and identify opportunities for commercial exploitation, e.g. added-value services made available to users through subscription or via micro-payments (“pay per use”). As a minimum, the technical infrastructure of the Marketplace will be integrated within Oppla and maintained as part of Oppla’s portfolio of NbS community platforms. Access to the Marketplace’s core functionalities will remain free at point of use and similarly shared freely with other projects and platforms through the Marketplace API - further contributing to its ongoing exploitation and legacy. 1.2 Task Outputs Table 1 - Summarised list of MERLIN Marketplace outputs #Number Title Lead Beneficiary Type Dissemination Level Due Date MS13 M5.3 MERLIN Marketplace functional design draft CONN Other Confidential M12 (Sept. 2022) MS14 M5.4 Final version of MERLIN Marketplace available CONN Other Confidential M48 (Sept. 2025) D5.4.1 MERLIN Marketplace (demo version) CONN Other Public M18 (March 2023) D5.4.2 MERLIN Marketplace (final version) CONN Other Public M48 (Sept. 2025) 1.3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Table 2 - Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to MERLIN Marketplace from the MERLIN Description of Action Title Dissemination Level Due Date MERLIN Marketplace to feature 60 service/product providers and 20 investors/funders. Month 24, September 2023 Annex 1 (Part B) page 30 500 registered users. Month 48, September 2025 Annex 1 (Part B) pages 3 and 36 MERLIN Marketplace is a self-sustaining platform with more than 3000 users. 5-10 years after project end (2030-2035) Annex 1 (Part B) page 31 1.4 Links with other MERLIN Tasks and Products Development of the MERLIN Marketplace was linked to the following complementary tasks within the overall project structure: - Task 4.1 EU communities of practice for transformation (led by WWF HU). T4.1 focused on the co-design of deliverables with sectors including policy and commercial actors. The T5.3 team drew upon the communities of practice engaged in T4.1 for the purpose of testing and contributing content (products/services) to the MERLIN Marketplace during the phases of development, since the demo version became available. Overview of Task 5.3 MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 8 - Task 5.2 MERLIN Academy (led by BOKU). The commercial products/services of the MERLIN Marketplace will complement the academic resources of the Academy in providing a holistic content offer to project stakeholders and end-users. The WP5 team will therefore build links between the MERLIN Marketplace and Academy. - Task 5.4 Dissemination activities (led by BOKU). T5.3 collaborated closely with the T5.4 implementers, providing dedicated content on the MERLIN Marketplace to support a range of dissemination activities, including publication on the project website and related communication channels, in line with the objectives of T5.3. In addition, T5.3 established the MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA), a restoration award recognizing technological innovations in the freshwater restoration sector developed by companies worldwide Current State of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 9 2 Current State of the MERLIN Marketplace 2.1 Principles of Development At an early stage in the development process, during the assessment of potential use cases, it was agreed that the MERLIN Marketplace should priorities simplicity and user-friendliness. Three core principles were therefore established to guide the platform’s design and implementation: 1. Clear focus on commercial offering The MERLIN Marketplace was designed to showcase commercial products and services, rather than mixing these with freely available academic resources or project outputs. The consortium considered that combining commercial items with open-access material could blur the purpose of the platform and undermine its usability. To address this, it was decided that a separate repository of academic resources would be developed within the MERLIN Academy, thereby ensuring a clear distinction between the two. 2. Simple and intuitive user experience The platform’s structure was deliberately kept straightforward to make navigation as convenient as possible. The homepage and product/service index pages were designed to provide direct access to content with minimal clicks, while a wide range of filters enables users to locate the desired information quickly and efficiently. 3. Flexibility for future development To allow for ongoing adaptation and improvement, the MERLIN Marketplace was built on Drupal 9.3, an open-source content management system (CMS). This approach offers greater flexibility than an offthe-shelf solution, which might have imposed restrictions on future updates. As a result, the platform can be readily re-designed, customized and enhanced in response to user feedback. Importantly, it also provides a basis for continued exploitation beyond the MERLIN funding period, including potential use in other projects seeking to collate commercial products and services. 2.2 MERLIN Marketplace Functionality The developed version of the MERLIN Marketplace provides a fully operational platform with the following features: 1. User and solution provider account management Regular users willing to review the content and dedicated solution providers are able to register, manage and easily edit their accounts. For providers, the account includes a summary of organizational details and contact information, necessary for engagement with potential interested customers and partners. 2. Product and service listings Registered providers can advertise their products and services by listing them on the MERLIN Marketplace. These listings may be updated at any time through the provider account, ensuring that information remains current. 3. Browsing and access to information Users can browse products and services relevant to ecosystem restoration and access individual product or service pages to learn more and obtain the contact details of the responsible organizations. 4. Sorting and filtering functions Products and services can be sorted and filtered according to pre-defined categories (developed with input from MERLIN partners and drawing on the experience of the platform’s demo version), as well as by scale of availability (global, EU and/or selected countries), date of listing, title (alphabetical order), and price (ascending or descending): Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 16 Figure 7 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2025 promotion flyer Timely and proactive communication with potential applicants ensured a high number of submissions, strong quality of proposed solutions, and a generally positive experience among participants, who expressed satisfaction with their decision to apply for the MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA). Figure 8 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2025 promotional post on LinkedIn Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 17 Once the application window closed, the MIA team moved into the screening stage. This involved collating all applications and providing the material to a carefully selected jury, identified in advance. Jury members, all of whom had relevant expertise in freshwater restoration, evaluated submissions against three core criteria: - Innovation - the development and application of creative solutions to challenges in water quality, conservation, and sustainable use. - Freshwater Ecosystem Benefit - the extent to which solutions contribute to ecosystem health, e.g. through eco-friendly technologies for water treatment, conservation, or resource management. - Impact - measurable contributions to freshwater ecosystems, such as improved water quality, biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource use, innovation in conservation, community engagement, education, reduced environmental footprint, and effective partnerships. Following the submission of the scorecards, an alignment session was held with jury members to discuss results, address any uncertainties, and agree on the final shortlist of products and services for the MIA ceremony, during which the winners of Product of the Year and the Service of the Year categories would be announced. Outcomes were communicated promptly to all applicants, including non-selected organizations. Careful justification of results helped maintain goodwill among those not chosen, encouraging them to reapply in future editions and strengthening overall engagement with the MERLIN project. The next stage was the organization of the MIA final awards ceremony. Key elements included: - Jury composition - representatives of MERLIN-supported case studies were invited to participate, offering direct insight into the proposed solutions. - Presentations and Q&A - shortlisted organizations delivered 4-minute presentations followed by a moderated discussion with the jury. - Guest speakers - selected from within the MERLIN consortium and beyond, sharing insights on the latest topics in freshwater ecosystem restoration. - Evaluation and results - final scores were consolidated, and the winners announced. To ensure a positive experience for all participants, the event team prepared a dedicated benefits package, including promotional visibility. Winners of the MIA Product of the Year and Service of the Year awards were further featured in the MERLIN Freshwater blog and highlighted via the project’s social media channels by the MERLIN communication team. Some photos from the conducted MERLIN Innovation Awards in 2023, 2024 and 2025 are presented below: Figure 9 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2023 Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 18 Figure 10 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2024 Figure 11 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2025 In addition to recognizing innovation, the MIA served as a powerful tool to promote the MERLIN Marketplace. Efforts to link the Awards with the MERLIN Marketplace followed four complementary approaches: Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 19 1. Outreach communications - Emails and LinkedIn messages about the MIA also introduced the MERLIN Marketplace, ensuring that even organizations not applying were made aware of the platform and invited to register free of charge. 2. Fast-track registration - The MIA applicants benefited from expedited review of their MERLIN Marketplace submissions, giving them faster access to potential contacts and visibility. This led to a notable number of applicants registering simultaneously for both the Awards and the MERLIN Marketplace. 3. Dedicated session - During the final ceremony, Paul Mahony (Oppla) showcased the platform’s role in raising the profile of innovative solutions and improving user experience. With an audience of participants, jury members and wider stakeholders, an additional opportunity was created to boost registrations. 4. Seal of Excellence - All MIA participants received a unique Seal of Excellence they could use for their promotion, including adding to their MERLIN Marketplace profile, with Product of the Year and Service of the Year winners awarded a distinct gold seal. These badges enhanced the visibility and credibility of their offerings, drawing greater attention from the MERLIN Marketplace community. The seal of excellence for participants and the winners, designed by SAM: Figure 12 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2025 Seal of Excellence for participants Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 20 Figure 13 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2024 Seal of Excellence for winners The MERLIN Innovation Awards successfully established strong connections with the community of innovative companies active in the freshwater ecosystem restoration sector. This was achieved through clear communication of the Award objectives, transparent presentation of participation requirements, and careful management of applicants’ expectations. The organisation team received the following testimonials during the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2023-2025: - I am very proud that we have been awarded the Merlin Innovations Award for "Service of the Year"! Thank you so much for recognizing the hard work of our entire team and the created impact. (Karsten Hirsch, CEO and Co-Founder of the company, MIA 2023 participant) - Ecocean is very honored to receive the Product of the Year 2023 award from the MIA awards, for the solutions that we developed with Biomatrix Water to enhance the ecological functions of littoral zones in freshwater. It acknowledges all our efforts to provide functioning habitats to urban and artificialized waterbodies, and to bring back ecological functions, complex ecosystems, and biodiversity in habitat-depleted areas. (Etienne Abadie, Project manager and Northern Europe representative of Ecocean, MIA 2023 participant) - It was a pleasure! Interesting companies, services and products! Will there be another round next year? Thanks for the perfect organization! (Silke-Silvia Drexler, Senior Scientist, Jury member) - Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your event and to be a part of a jury. It was an honor for me to be among so many great people and scientists. Thank you for the organization. Hope we can do something together again in the future. (Karolina Lubowiecka, Nature Protection Specialist in the Kampinoski National Park, Jury member) - It was my pleasure to be part of such a well-organized event! Congratulations to the entire team! (Albert Scrieciu, Scientific Researcher, Head of Interdisciplinary Research of the Fluvial Environment Department at the National Institute for Research and Development of Marine Geology and Geoecology (GeoEcoMar)) Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 21 - Thank you so much for the vote of confidence and the opportunity to be a jury member of the 2025 MIA Awards. I very much enjoyed this year's finalists, and there were so many diverse, innovative and inspiring solutions. (Marie-Isabell Lenz, Research Associate for Nature and Environmental Conservation at the Federal Institute of Hydrology in Koblenz, Jury member) - Thanks to you and your team for a great competition and online event. I really liked the format and the energy in the room. My team and I were very happy that we made it to the finals and finally to the top of the podium. (Katrin Schuhen, Wasser 3.0, MIA 2025 participant) - Congratulations to all! Great presentations, wonderful products and service! Great job done with the organisation. (Piret Noukas, Project Adviser in the European Research Executive Agency (REA)) Presented below are key statistical highlights from the MERLIN Innovation Awards held in 2023, 2024, and 2025. - Estimated number of companies reached via targeted outreach activities (2023-2025): approximately 800. - Total number of submitted applications: ● 12 for Service of the Year and 16 for Product of the Year in 2023 ● 6 for Service of the Year and 17 for Product of the Year in 2024 ● 14 for Service of the Year and 22 for Product of the Year in 2025 - Total number of audiences during final ceremonies: ● 75 participants in 2023 ● 70 participants in 2024 ● 60 participants in 2025 The full list of participants with highlighted Product of the Year and Service of the Year solutions for each MIA can be found in ANNEX 3 - MERLIN Innovation Awards Participants. 3.2 MERLIN Marketplace Outreach and Dissemination Dissemination Campaigns Building on previous positive experiences of reaching target audiences through earlier initiatives, Connectology utilized newsletter campaigns to promote the unique value proposition of the MERLIN Marketplace. The selected audience included members and founders of start-ups, companies, and non-governmental organizations. The campaign was implemented in two rounds to minimize the risk of the key message being overlooked and to highlight the tailored approach in selecting companies for inclusion. An example of the MERLIN Marketplace promotional campaign newsletter is provided below: Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 22 Figure 14 - Example of the 1st round of the MERLIN Marketplace newsletter campaign As part of the MERLIN Marketplace promotion efforts carried out through the first and second rounds of the campaign, more than 350 representatives of freshwater-focused companies were targeted. The first round achieved an open rate (the number of successfully delivered emails opened by recipients) of 30%, while the second round performed even better, reaching an open rate of 40%. MERLIN Freshwater Blog The MERLIN Freshwater blog is a dedicated platform for promoting freshwater-focused activities and highlighting topics of relevance to the restoration sector, founded 12 years ago as part of the BioFresh project. Being valued for informing the community of practice and the general public about restoration approaches and benefits, it has served as an effective tool to feature content about the MERLIN Marketplace, and it was decided that posts would be published either directly or indirectly referencing the platform. Over the course of the project, four posts explicitly mentioned the MERLIN Marketplace. 1. 4 November 2022 - “Major new awards seek innovative solutions to restore Europe’s rivers, lakes and wetlands” Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 23 This post, initially focused on the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2023, positioned the MERLIN Marketplace as a dedicated award for participants, who would be automatically included on the platform upon applying for MIA. 2. 23 February 2024 - “MERLIN Innovation Awards celebrates state-of-the-art approaches to freshwater restoration at 2024 ceremony” The post featured interviews with the winners of the Product of the Year (Product of the Year) and Service of the Year (Service of the Year) awards. In particular, Planet Srl, the Product of the Year award winner, highlighted the value of recognition via MERLIN activities and the MERLIN Marketplace, stating: “By being part of the MERLIN Marketplace and engaging with various stakeholders, we can accelerate the adoption of the MTP (Mangrove Technology Platform) and contribute to the systemic, transformative change needed in our society and economy.” 3. 19 July 2024 - “The MERLIN Marketplace: innovative products and services for nature restoration” This article provided a detailed explanation of the MERLIN Marketplace’s purpose, functionality, and sector advantages, as well as its achieved results and future expectations. The author emphasized that the platform’s goal is to “help mainstream their use in everyday life, economies and environmental projects across Europe.” 4. 25 February 2025 - “MERLIN Innovation Awards celebrates cutting-edge approaches to freshwater restoration at 2025 ceremony” This post highlighted the outcomes of the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2025, including interviews with the Product of the Year and Service of the Year winners. River Cleanup, Service of the Year award winner, noted the impact of the awards and the MERLIN Marketplace, stating: “It’s amazing to get this prize. It’s another step in getting more people to know who we are, what we do, and how they can contribute. We see our holistic approach as the innovation: we’re bringing people and ideas together, and it’s good that it was recognized by the jury members.” LinkedIn Posts Following an analysis of activity across various social media platforms, the MERLIN Marketplace team identified LinkedIn as a key channel for promotion. Given its active use by the target audience - including founders and representatives of product and service providers, supporters of nature areas, impact investors, and governmental bodies - the team focused efforts on leveraging this platform effectively. The MERLIN Marketplace development team implemented the following promotional approaches via LinkedIn: - Direct posting: Members of the MERLIN Marketplace team published posts on their personal LinkedIn profiles, highlighting specific activities such as the MERLIN Innovation Awards. - Resharing: The team reshared posts published by the MERLIN team and extended community, adding context or call-to-action comments where appropriate to increase engagement. - Coordination with the main MERLIN LinkedIn page: For certain posts, the MERLIN Marketplace team collaborated with the team behind the official MERLIN project page, which is followed by all consortium members and a wide network of stakeholders. Post content was provided to the page administrator, who published it according to instructions. Partners were then able to reshare the posts, with or without additional commentary. The key messages conveyed in the MERLIN Marketplace promotional posts included the following: - Create your free account to promote your products and services, attract new clients, explore new markets, and grow your organisation. - Discover innovative products and services designed to make your work more efficient, impactful, and costeffective. - Join the MERLIN Marketplace at no cost, taking advantage of the opportunity to showcase your products and services to a global network. - Seize the opportunity to become part of the MERLIN Marketplace. In total, 19 posts - focused both on direct promotion and indirect promotion through the dissemination of information about the MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) - were published by Connectology, Oppla and MERLIN. Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 24 Collectively, these posts received 313 likes from LinkedIn users and were reposted 81 times, thereby significantly contributing to raising awareness of the platform. Examples of direct and indirect MERLIN Marketplace promotional posts on LinkedIn are provided below: Figure 15 - Example of the MERLIN Marketplace LinkedIn promotional post by Connectology Promotion of the MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 25 Figure 16 - Example of the MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) LinkedIn promotional post by Oppla Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 32 WIPO GREEN1: A global marketplace hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organisation. It connects technology providers with seekers across sectors such as water, energy, and waste, with a strong emphasis on technology transfer and IP licensing. Future Green2: A sustainable product and service marketplace, primarily consumer-oriented. It includes multiple product categories and incentives for sustainable purchases. While less technical, it illustrates how ecomarketplaces operate and monetize. MERLIN competes structurally with these platforms, but its niche in freshwater restoration and EU credibility provides a strong differentiator. ● Adjacent Competitors These platforms focus on knowledge, data, or financing for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and restoration projects rather than direct product/service marketplaces. ● Marketplace for Nature3: A global mapping platform for biodiversity credit initiatives. ● Nature4Climate / Naturebase4: A database of NbS project opportunities with a focus on global climate and biodiversity outcomes. These platforms compete for visibility and thought leadership as the “go-to” knowledge sources. However, they do not facilitate product/service transactions in the way MERLIN does and potentially will do in the near future. ● Indirect Competitors Indirect competitors are alternative routes for restoration solutions or project implementation, bypassing marketplace platforms. ● Ecosystem Marketplace (Forest Trends)5: Provides market intelligence on carbon, water, and biodiversity credits. ● WWF NbS Origination Platform6: Identifies and prepares NbS projects for investment. It uses blended finance to deliver measurable benefits for people, climate, and nature, while building a transparent global market for high-quality Nature-based Solutions. ● Environmental consultancies (AECOM, Stantec, Jacobs, etc.): Deliver large-scale restoration services directly to clients. These actors can reduce the need for an intermediary marketplace if clients go directly to them. MERLIN Marketplace must provide added value in trust, validation, and matchmaking. ● Global Benchmarks Although not direct competitors in the EU freshwater restoration space, global platforms offer useful benchmarks: ● Beyond Smart Cities7 (India): A green technology marketplace combined with training and freelance consulting services. While geographically and thematically broader than MERLIN, it demonstrates the viability of integrating a marketplace with capacity-building services - a model similar to MERLIN’s Marketplace + Academy. Beyond Smart Cities should be viewed as a benchmark for innovation in platform design, rather than a direct competitor in MERLIN’s core EU ecosystem. MERLIN Marketplace occupies a unique and defensible niche as a specialized platform dedicated to freshwater ecosystem restoration. By offering curated services tailored to this well-defined community, it acts as both a marketplace and a trusted reference point, limiting direct competition from generalist sustainability platforms. Global platforms like Beyond Smart Cities showcase innovative structures, but they do not directly target MERLIN’s niche, reinforcing its competitive advantage. 1 WIPO GREEN – The Marketplace for Sustainable Technology 2 Sustainable Products Marketplace: Discover Eco-Friendly Solutions and Savings | Future.Green 3 Homepage | Marketplace for Nature 4 Nature4Climate - Tackling Climate Change With Nature 5 Ecosystem Marketplace - Making the Priceless Valuable 6 Nature-Based Solutions Origination Platform | Projects | WWF 7 Beyond Smart Cities | World’s 1st Green Technology Marketplace Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 33 To strengthen its position further, MERLIN can build a robust knowledge and validation layer, enhancing credibility and trust among users. The platform’s long-term financial sustainability will depend on leveraging this niche advantage while gradually expanding into complementary functions, such as brokerage and financing, and carefully managing user adoption and positioning challenges. As NbS are not yet mainstream, further EU funding would be welcome to accelerate the growth of MERLIN Marketplace to other adjacent areas, so that financial sustainability can be achieved sooner rather than later. Behavioral Barriers MERLIN Marketplace’s competitive challenge does not lie only in the presence of alternative platforms. The greater barrier to adoption is stakeholder adaptation and behavior. Many restoration practitioners and procuring entities demonstrate loyalty to established suppliers, relying on existing procurement routines rather than exploring new channels of supply. Many policymakers talk up innovation and NbS, but procurement usually rewards the lowest upfront price. Lifecycle costs are rarely considered, so “cheap to implement” too often becomes “very expensive to maintain.” There is a persistent preference for local or regional providers, rooted in trust, protectionism and regulatory familiarity, which can reduce the incentive to search a pan-European digital marketplace. In addition, stakeholders frequently depend on personal recommendations and professional events to identify suitable solutions, limiting their use of online directories. Finally, concerns about quality assurance and the perception that searching through online platforms is timeconsuming further constrain uptake. Conclusion The analysis shows that while the MERLIN Marketplace faces limited direct competition in its niche, it must contend with both broad sustainability platforms and, more importantly, entrenched stakeholder behaviors that favor traditional procurement channels. To secure its long-term sustainability, MERLIN Marketplace must leverage its unique positioning in freshwater restoration while addressing barriers of trust, quality assurance, and user convenience. By integrating verified case studies, strengthening links with research-based platforms (incl. Oppla and the MERLIN Academy), and fostering a reputation for reliability and efficiency, the MERLIN Marketplace can establish itself not only as a transactional platform but also as a trusted reference point in Europe’s restoration ecosystem. 4.5 Financial Projections (5 years) The financial projections for MERLIN Marketplace were modelled on the premise that revenues are closely tied to the growing role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Europe and to the implementation/enforcement of environmental policy. The model reflects expected impacts from frameworks such as the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, the Water Framework Directive, together with national transposition and funding programmes. As these frameworks scale, the addressable pipeline of restoration projects and procurement opportunities on the platform is expected to expand. Revenue streams were modelled across subscriptions, listing fees, and transaction/lead-generation fees. Despite there being many upcoming EU-funded project opportunities, for the sake of the sustainability of MERLIN Marketplace, no grants were considered in this business plan. Until the MERLIN Marketplace reaches breakeven, expected by the end of 2028, Oppla will partially underwrite the project by applying reduced management and operating fees in maintaining the platform. The corresponding percentages are shown in Table 3. Table 3 - Percentage of staff and other costs supported by OPPLA 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 % of staff and other costs sponsored by Oppla 100% 65% 20% 0% 0% Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 34 Once the MERLIN Marketplace reaches the break-even point, Oppla will no longer need to “sponsor” the initiative, and full costs will be paid by the project. For the purposes of this business plan, the creation of a new independent entity to manage and develop the MERLIN Marketplace was not considered. This approach reduces costs and bureaucracy and aligns with Oppla’s commitment, under the grant agreement, to maintain the Marketplace beyond the project’s end as long as demand exists. Key assumptions used in this business plan are the ones in Table 4. Table 4 - Key assumptions in the business plan Assumptions (EUR) Inflation rate per annum (avg) 2% Marketing %/sales 10% Annual cost of fixed salary for the MERLIN Marketplace manager 75.000 Annual cost of fixed salary for the MERLIN Marketplace assistant 40.000 Annual cost of fixed salary for the MERLIN Marketplace marketing responsible 50.000 Costs per year (legal, website, accounting) 40.000 The inflation rate was estimated to be 2% according to the goals of the European Central Bank to keep inflation in the euro zone at 2%. The other assumptions were based on Connectology's own experience in supporting hundreds of startups in Europe and extensive research. ● Revenue Streams for the MERLIN Marketplace In line with EU project practices, the MERLIN Marketplace will initially operate as a free service for basic listing and basic online search. However, as the platform grows, several revenue options should be considered to balance operating costs and ensure continuity. The options that were considered in this business plan are shown in Table 5. Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 35 Table 5 - Potential Revenue Streams for the MERLIN Marketplace Revenue Model Description Free access (basic listing) The free basic listing will be limited to the number of words, files attached, and visibility. This will ensure continuity of an EU-funded project. Premium listing fees One-off payments for providers to publish products/services for each product or service. This will be billed annually and will provide better visibility and features for the listings. Annual subscriptions for matchmaking The matchmaking feature will automatically alert product and service providers to new business opportunities, such as new requests for proposals or new members joining the MERLIN Marketplace, that fall within their supplier-defined target market. Sponsorship There will be opportunities for interested entities to sponsor newsletters, online events such as the MERLIN Innovation Awards, and parts of the website. Brokerage fees A percentage of the transactions that will occur online will be charged a brokerage fee. Funding success fee Despite this being a clear business opportunity, it was decided to exclude from this business plan the revenues associated with it, because at this stage they are uncertain, and potentially will depend on authorizations obtained from the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). While analyzing potential revenue streams, we drew on benchmarks from SaaS and freemium platform studies (e.g. UserPilot, FirstPageSage, GetMonetizely) to estimate uptake rates for premium features and subscriptions. The estimated revenues per source of incoming for the next 5 years are presented below in Table 6. Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 36 Table 6 - Estimated revenues for the next 5 years Revenues (EUR) 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Price per premium listing (avg.) 250 250 500 800 1000 Nr of units sold 40 70 120 150 200 Price per Matchmaking service (avg.) 600 1.500 2.000 3.000 4.000 Nr of units sold 4 40 60 80 100 Price per sponsorship (avg.) 300 400 500 500 500 Nr of units sold 2 6 20 30 40 Amount of transactions 20.000 150.000 400.000 500.000 2.000.000 Brokerage fee (%) 10% 8% 5% 4% 3% Total Revenues 15.000 91.900 214.000 395.000 680.000 The estimated price per premium listing and matchmaking service is based on the average prices charged by B2B marketplaces. We applied a 50% discount on those prices, taking into consideration that MERLIN Marketplace is still a new player. The brokerage fee is benchmarked conservatively against Amazon’s marketplace (the largest in the world, including the B2B segment), which typically charges 8–15%. To remain competitive, MERLIN Marketplace will launch with a 10% take rate, which will step down to 3% as the platform scales and average transaction values increase. We have modelled a low brokerage fee % because, rather than building a fully proprietary transactional platform, Oppla may partner with a white-label platform provider, and it will require sharing brokerage fees. It is important to note that these projections assume highly favorable circumstances, including strong user adoption, successful premium feature uptake, and supportive market conditions. If Oppla later operates its own platform or negotiates more advantageous revenue-share terms, the actual financial performance could exceed these conservative forecasts. ● Cost Structure for MERLIN Marketplace As the assumption made in this business plan is that Oppla will not create an independent entity to develop further and manage MERLIN Marketplace, this creates a huge opportunity for cost sharing with other Oppla projects and initiatives. Following discussions with Oppla and benchmarking against market hosting costs (e.g., GoDaddy), we project annual operating costs of €40.000 (plus inflation increase per year) for the MERLIN Marketplace, including hosting, maintenance, and legal and accounting support. While these costs might be considered conservative for a standalone project, shared resources across Oppla projects mean there is sufficient capacity to absorb unexpected costs. In terms of development of the current platform, it is estimated to have annual costs of €20.000, which, considering that the platform is already very well developed, is quite realistic. In terms of staffing, after research in the main job listings portals in Europe and in the UK (glassdoor.co.uk, cvlibrary.co.uk, totaljobs.com), it was considered that for a managing director of the MERLIN Marketplace, the Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 37 market salary (including all costs for Oppla) should be €75.000 per year, and for marketing manager the total annual cost should be €50.000. For an operational assistant, it was considered €40.000 per year as the total cost for this position. Additionally, for some of these positions, Oppla will be able to share resources among its own projects. It is estimated that the assistant role will only be joining in 2027, and the marketing manager in July 2028. Until 2028, once the project reaches the break-even point, it is not expected that Oppla will hire anyone externally, so in the business plan, it is estimated that Oppla will “sponsor” the MERLIN Marketplace by not charging the full amount to the project, as shown in Table 3. The total estimated costs for MERLIN Marketplace, not considering the initial sponsorship of Oppla, are presented in Table 7. Table 7 - Fixed costs of the MERLIN Marketplace Fixed Costs 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Managing director fixed costs 75000 76500 78.030 79.591 81.182 Assistant fixed costs - 40.000 40.800 41.616 42.448 Marketing-responsible fixed costs (starting 1st July 2028) - - 25.000 51.000 52.020 Other costs (legal, accounting, website…) 40.000 40.800 41.616 42.448 43.297 R&D 10.000 20.000 20.400 20.808 21.224 Total fixed costs 125.000 177.300 205.846 235.463 240.172 EBITDA (Profit before taxes and depreciation) 111.500 94.590 13.246 120.037 371.828 In terms of marketing, it is currently integrated into Oppla’s communication activities, which have proven to be more than enough to achieve initial engagement. Taking into consideration market practices such as Amazon8, it was estimated that the correct marketing budget for MERLIN Marketplace should be 10% of all revenues. These were the only variable costs considered for this business plan, because even transactional costs (e.g. credit card clearing) were already deducted in the net margins that are presented in this business plan. Table 8 - Variable costs for the MERLIN Marketplace Variable Costs 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Marketing costs paid by the MERLIN Marketplace (MM) 1.500 9.190 21.400 39.500 68.000 Total variable costs 1.500 9.190 21.400 39.500 68.000 A full picture of the estimated revenues and costs for MERLIN Marketplace is presented in Table 9 below. It is important to note that these projections do not take into consideration the initial “sponsorship” of Oppla, which is presented in Table 10. 8 https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.mediapost.com/uploads/GARTNER_CMO_Survey_2024.pdf Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 38 Table 9 - Profit and loss projections for the MERLIN Marketplace before the initial Oppla “sponsorship” Revenues (EUR) 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Price per premium listing (avg.) 250 250 500 800 1000 Nr of units sold 40 70 120 150 200 Price per Matchmaking service (avg.) 600 1.500 2.000 3.000 4.000 Nr of units sold 4 40 60 80 100 Price per sponsorship (avg.) 300 400 500 500 500 Nr of units sold 2 6 20 30 40 Amount of transactions 20.000 150.000 400.000 500.000 2.000.000 Brokerage fee (%) 10% 8% 5% 4% 3% Total Revenues 15.000 91.900 214.000 395.000 680.000 Variable Costs 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Marketing costs paid by the MERLIN Marketplace (MM) 1.500 9.190 21.400 39.500 68.000 Total variable costs 1.500 9.190 21.400 39.500 68.000 Gross Margin 13.500 82.710 192.600 355.500 612.000 Fixed Costs 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Managing director fixed costs 75000 76500 78.030 79.591 81.182 Assistant fixed costs - 40.000 40.800 41.616 42.448 Marketing-responsible fixed costs (starting 1st July 2028) - - 25.000 51.000 52.020 Other costs (legal, accounting, website…) 40.000 40.800 41.616 42.448 43.297 R&D 10.000 20.000 20.400 20.808 21.224 Total fixed costs 125.000 177.300 205.846 235.463 240.172 EBITDA (Profit before taxes and depreciation) 111.500 94.590 13.246 120.037 371.828 Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 39 In Table 10 below, it is possible to see the impact of Oppla's initial “sponsorship”. Oppla’s initial support demonstrates that the project does not require external equity or debt financing. It is financially sustainable. The principal incentive for Oppla to maintain the project is the significant upside available upon successful execution, with profitable returns expected to begin in 2028. The MERLIN Marketplace is not dependent on grants from EU projects; however, if it were to receive such funding, it would accelerate its trajectory towards sustainability. Table 10 - Profit and loss for the MERLIN Marketplace, considering the initial Oppla sponsoring EBITDA (Profit before taxes and depreciation) 111.500 94.590 13.246 120.037 371.828 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 % of staff and other costs sponsored by Oppla 100% 65% 20% 0% 0% Total costs sponsored by Oppla 150.000 102.245 37.089 - - Adjusted EBITDA after deducting costs sponsored by Oppla 3.500 7.655 23.843 120.037 371.828 Total Revenues 15.00 91.900 214.000 395.000 680.000 Total Costs (already deducted the costs sponsored by Oppla) 11.500 84.245 190.157 274.963 308.172 EBITDA 3.500 7.655 23.843 120.037 371.828 4.6 Marketing Plan This section outlines the strategic components that will ensure the success and long-term sustainability of the MERLIN Marketplace: a robust marketing strategy, a comprehensive communication plan, and a clear understanding of stakeholder needs. Delivery of the Marketing Plan will be dependent on funding, and this is explored in section 4.5 above. ● Marketing Strategy The MERLIN Marketplace aims to become the leading European hub for nature restoration products and services. Its strategy should focus on three pillars: building awareness, driving engagement, and increasing transactions. - Businesses and solution providers will be encouraged to join by highlighting the benefits of visibility in a Europe-wide community. The MERLIN Marketplace will showcase how participation generates new opportunities, strengthens credibility, and supports integration into large-scale restoration projects. Quality assurance will be emphasized through peer-reviewed case studies and verified listings. Access to a targeted decision-maker network is a priority for virtually all suppliers. - Public authorities and municipalities will be encouraged to share their procurement opportunities in the MERLIN Marketplace. Successful examples will also show how the platform reduces search costs, helps authorities access trusted providers and helps authorities to save costs considering the total lifecycle costs of any solution. - NGOs and civil society actors will be shown how the Marketplace amplifies impact by connecting them with funders, partners, and technical service providers, strengthening their ability to deliver meaningful restoration outcomes. - Academia and research institutions will be positioned as innovation drivers. The MERLIN Marketplace will offer a channel for their solutions to be adopted in practice, while knowledge outputs (e.g., methods, tools) can be made accessible to a wider audience. Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 40 - Investors and funders will be targeted through the MERLIN Marketplace’s role as a pipeline for credible restoration projects and services. By presenting high-quality, transparent listings, the MERLIN Marketplace can strengthen investor confidence in ecosystem restoration as a viable field for sustainable finance. - Nature restoration EU-funded projects are potentially interested in adding MERLIN Marketplace to their project in order to increase the impact. Promotion of the Marketplace at events, webinars, and industry conferences will reinforce this engagement, helping to overcome reliance on personal networks by showcasing the MERLIN Marketplace as a trusted meeting point. Digital marketing, including targeted social media campaigns, newsletters, and partnerships with EU networks, will broaden outreach and drive traffic. ● Communication Plan Communication will focus on clarity, credibility, and visibility: - The MERLIN Marketplace website will serve as the central hub, with user-friendly navigation, detailed provider profiles, and curated case studies. - Content marketing through articles, blogs, and case studies will highlight successful restoration outcomes, demonstrating real-world impact. - Email newsletters will deliver targeted updates, highlighting new listings, projects, and funding opportunities, while reducing the need for stakeholders to search externally. Emailing business opportunities to suppliers of services or products will naturally generate their interest in being part of MERLIN Marketplace. Example: A supplier of sensors may receive from MERLIN Marketplace an email mentioning that there is a request for proposals inside MERLIN Marketplace for sensor supply in a natural park in Europe. This will entice the supplier to join the platform. - Social media campaigns will share success stories, raise awareness of MERLIN Marketplace milestones, and encourage interaction. - MERLIN Marketplace Announcements will announce achievements, partnerships, and new features, raising visibility among policymakers and institutional stakeholders. - Feedback loops (such as surveys and analytics) will ensure continuous improvement of both functionality and content. - Maintaining the MERLIN Innovation Awards initiative will keep attracting new entrants in the market and spread the word, as MERLIN Marketplace is the “player” in this market. The MERLIN Academy will complement these efforts by offering training and capacity-building that reinforce MERLIN Marketplace adoption, but it will be positioned as an add-on. 4.7 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) To monitor the progress and sustainability of the MERLIN Marketplace, a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is proposed. These cover user engagement, stakeholder satisfaction, institutional participation, and financial sustainability. The indicators are phased across short-term (by 2025), medium-term (by 2027), and long-term (by 2030), reflecting the MERLIN Marketplace’s expected growth trajectory after the end of the MERLIN project. Business Plan - MERLIN Marketplace MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 41 Table 11 - KPIs for long-term implementation Sector Measurement Objective and Deadline Users’ Engagement Number of registered users 250 users by September 2025 Users’ Engagement Activity rate (monthly active users / total users) 50% active monthly users by 2027 Stakeholders’ Satisfaction Ratings from surveys and feedback mechanisms Average of 70% positive ratings by 2027 (2 years after MERLIN ends) Platform Growth Number of registered users 3.000+ users by 2030 Public Institutions’ Engagement Number of municipalities and public authorities using the platform (case studies, pilots, adopters) 10+ by 2030 Businesses’ Engagement Number of registered suppliers 100+ by 2027 Research Institutions’ Engagement Number of academic/research institutions integrated into the platform (cutting-edge science and technology) 10+ by 2027 Financial Sustainability Break even To be achieved by the end of 2028 4.8 Conclusion The MERLIN Marketplace has demonstrated its potential to become a reference in the ecosystem restoration sector by providing a specialized platform that connects businesses, public authorities, researchers, NGOs, and investors. While the near future will rely on Oppla’s support and leadership, the analyses in this report show a credible pathway toward financial sustainability and broader impact. By 2030, the MERLIN Marketplace is expected to have evolved into a well-established reference point with a steadily growing community of active users, suppliers, and engaged public institutions. Looking beyond 2030, the MERLIN Marketplace should be viewed not only as a byproduct of the MERLIN project but also as a lasting European digital infrastructure for restoration. With continued investment in community building, technical robustness, and policy alignment, it has the potential to expand its role as a channel for the exploitation of EU-funded projects and as a reference point for ecosystem restoration across sectors. Its longterm success will depend on maintaining its niche focus, building trust among diverse stakeholders, and demonstrating measurable ecological and social value. Naturally, as with any new project, success depends less on the idea than on execution. To deliver this ambitious initiative and avoid dependence on EU funds, it’s important that whoever Oppla appoints to lead it has an entrepreneurial mindset rather than a sole focus on grant funding. Oppla has done excellent work building the MERLIN Marketplace to date; however, the next phase requires a shift in capabilities, from primarily technical and marketing expertise to business development, partnerships, and commercial execution. In this way, the MERLIN Marketplace can move beyond the lifetime of a single project to become a sustainable, self-reinforcing platform that supports Europe’s restoration agenda well into the future. ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 48 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 49 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 50 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 51 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 52 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 53 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 54 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 55 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 56 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 57 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 64 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 65 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 66 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 67 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 68 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 69 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 70 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 71 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 72 ANNEX 1 - MERLIN Marketplace (Demo Version) MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 73 ANNEX 2 - List of MERLIN Marketplace-registered Products and Services MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 80 53 The Origami Solar Panel Levante Product 54 Vahaa Smart Garden Vahaa Dikey Tarim Cozumleri ve Teknoloji A.S. Product 55 VECMAP/VECTRACK Avia-GIS Product 56 VERTUO VERTUO Product 57 Waste Advisory Services CubeX SAL Service 58 Water - Real-time water quality monitoring Waterly Product 59 Water Wise System WAKARU Product 60 WaterWebTools Platform WaterlTech Product ANNEX 3 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) Participants MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 81 ANNEX 3 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) Participants MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2023 Finalists “MIA Product of the Year 2023 Award“ Finalists: ● Ecocean, France (MIA Product of the Year 2023 Winner) ● Mold S.r.l., Italy ● Natel Energy, USA ● RanMarine, Netherlands ● SolarisFloat, Portugal “MIA Service of the Year 2023“ Finalists: ● CarbonSpace Tech, Ireland ● Nature DAO, UK ● Plastic Fischer, Germany (MIA Service of the Year 2023 Winner) ● Soonapse, Italy ● Viridian Logic LTD, UK MIA 2023 Applicants not selected for the Finals: ● CETAQUA Water Technology Center, Spain ● CubeX, Lebanon ● ekolive Germany GmbH, Germany ● FieldFactors, Netherlands ● Floating Island Int., USA ● Fluidion, France ● FUELICS, Greece ● Gdańskie Wody sp. z o.o., Poland ● GYBE, USA ● Hogen Systems Ltd, England ● iNode Software Co., India ● IOT AONCHIP, Spain ● Libelium, Spain ● MobyGIS-WATERJADE, Italy ● Royal Haskoning DHV, Denmark ● TicketO Mobility, Estonia ● Trinity International, India ● WAKARU, Portugal MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2024 Finalists “MIA Product of the Year 2024 Award“ Finalists: ● AgroBiogel GmbH, Austria ● Agua de Sol, France ● Fishheart Ltd, Finland ● Idro Group Srl, Italy ● Planet Srl, Italy (MIA Product of the Year 2024 Winner) “MIA Service of the Year 2024“ Finalists: ● Aquaponics Iberia, Portugal ● SEADS Sea Defence Solutions, Italy (MIA Service of the Year 2024 Winner) ● Waterjade-MobyGIS, Italy ● WaterShed Monitoring Europe, France ● Werover, Turkey and Germany MIA 2024 Applicants not selected for the Finals: ANNEX 3 - MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) Participants MERLIN Deliverable D5.4 MERLIN Marketplace | Page 82 ● AZUVIA, France ● BLUEPHAGE, Spain ● Chemical Treinamento e Inovação Tecnológica, Brazil ● GENAQ Technologies, Spain ● Hogen Systems, England ● Nanoplasmas, Greece ● PYDRO, Germany ● Sealence Spa SB, Italy ● Shayp, Belgium ● SolarDew Clean Water b.v., Netherlands ● Spacecrop Technologies Inc., Hungary MERLIN Innovation Awards (MIA) 2025 Finalists “MIA Product of the Year 2025 Award“ Finalists: ● ALGAESYS, Portugal ● BeadaMoss, England ● Reedbirds, Poland ● Wasser 3.0 (gGmbH), Germany (MIA Product of the Year 2025 Winner) ● Waterly, Poland “MIA Service of the Year 2025“ Finalists: ● River Cleanup, Belgium (MIA Service of the Year 2025 Winner) ● Gdańsk Water, Poland ● BlueGreen Water Technologies, Israel ● Agua Segura, Argentina ● Mushmore Coop, Portugal MIA 2025 Applicants not selected for the Finals: ● Biomatrix Water, Scotland ● BluAct Technologies, Switzerland ● Blue21, Netherlands ● Bluemater, Portugal ● Botanical Water Technologies, USA ● Genaq Technologies, Spain ● Hydraloop, Netherlands ● Hydrovolta., Belgium ● Ingeobras, Spain ● Liquisens, Belgium ● Miya Water, Spain ● Pureco, Hungary ● Rapid Radicals, USA ● Water Insight, Netherlands