MOEBIOS is an application of the circular (bio)economy concept: the development of three value chains incorporating separate recycling streams for bioplastics (BP’s) to improve waste management efficiency throughout Europe. It is a systemic innovation: it will create linkages addressed at the different key stages of the whole chains to solve a hierarchical challenge, from the collection of the bioplastic waste (simulated streams), up to the upcycling and validation of the final recycled end-products (holistic and coordinated solution). The new value chain will imply sorting, conditioning and valorising three types of waste streams from the packaging, agriculture and textile industries into three end-products, targeting to reach at least the same quality and functionality than the original grades, while the end users’ acceptance will be assessed as well. As cornerstone targets for maximizing project’s impact, the upscaling of the recycling processes will: (1) be integrated in pilot plants on the premises of actual industrial recycling lines currently operating in waste management companies, not disrupting them, and reaching a final TRL = 6/7 or even beyond. (2) focus on bioplastics for which recycling processes are still not in place, excluding bio-based analogues (“drop-ins”): PLA and PLA blends, PHA and its blends, PBS and PEF, accordingly with the market. The use of PBAT will be assessed as well. A Multi-Actor Approach (MAA) and a transdisciplinary methodology will engage waste producers, waste managers, bio-based and (bio)plastics industry, public authorities, standardization agencies, citizens and media multipliers, creating a co-creation and co-ownership innovation environment of + 50 participants.

The ATM-EXCITE project will identify the requirements of ATM systems for civil-military aviation coordination and cybersecurity and develop a set of solutions. The project will engage with stakeholders throughout the solution development phase to ensure that the proposed solutions meet their needs. By engaging with stakeholders and using a rigorous approach to solution development, the project team is confident that it will develop effective and implementable solutions to the challenges of civil-military aviation coordination and cybersecurity. Once the requirements have been identified, the project team will design, develop, and test proposed solutions using a variety of approaches, including system design, software development, and cybersecurity testing. The project team will design system architectures for the proposed solutions. The system architectures will take into account the requirements of ATM systems, cybersecurity best practices, and operational constraints. The SESAR ER call explicitly emphasizes the need for enhanced security, confidentiality, and anonymisation in the realm of military aviation data. The call also draws attention to the vulnerabilities associated with real-time airborne position data. Our proposed solutions aim to directly address these vulnerabilities by introducing methods for verification of ADS-B data and selective encryption and model the interaction between civil and military systems in an efficient manner. This strategic alignment ensures that the solutions directly impact the priorities outlined in the European ATM Master Plan, further promoting the harmonisation of civil and military aviation in the European sky. Within the work areas of improved security of military operations and digitalisation for Airspace Management (ASM) and mission trajectory management (MTM), ATM-EXCITE proposes 5 research solutions. In a second phase ATM-EXCITE will identify synergies among them in order to propose one or several integrated solutions.

The CIRCUBATT project aims to redefine the European battery sector by setting new benchmarks through the integration of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and sustainable practices. By tackling critical bottlenecks and employing cutting-edge technologies, CIRCUBATT seeks to boost the competitiveness of the European industry while aligning with the EU’s environmental and economic objectives. Its holistic approach promises a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable battery value chain, prepared to address Europe's future energy demands and the global challenge of climate change. The project combines advanced material sciences, innovative business models, and leading digital technologies to deploy a range of solutions tested across various real-world scenarios. These solutions will span the entire battery lifecycle—from design and manufacturing to end-of-life recycling—showcasing adaptability, efficiency, and sustainability in practical applications. This initiative aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on critical raw materials, diminish environmental impacts, and strengthen the continent’s position in the global battery market. CIRCUBATT will explore innovative business models, such as Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) and develop cross-industry tools like battery sustainability analysis and artificial intelligence-driven data analytics. Additionally, it will advance the design of battery cells and packs that support effective aging analysis and facilitate dismantling for second-life use or recycling. Pilot studies within the project will validate the feasibility of these innovations. Ultimately, the project will deliver new products, business models, and tools poised to make significant contributions to the circularity, resilience, and sustainability of the European battery value chain.

Extreme aquatic environments account with a vast and yet largely unexplored biodiversity that holds immense potential for novel active biomolecules with multiple industrial applications. However, the harsh and challenging conditions such as accessibility, environmental hazards, ineffective or inaccurate sampling techniques, and poor bioprospecting pose significant obstacles to their exploration and sampling. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for unlocking the potential of extremophiles to benefit society. The EXPLORA project will depart from two extreme aquatic ecosystems selected such as the acidic Rio Tinto in Spain and the psychrophilic Antarctic Region. By developing innovative, accurate, and sustainable tailor-made sampling methods, employing cutting-edge bioprospecting techniques, and utilising state-of-the-art analytical tools for isolation of bioactive substances, in the EXPLORA project it is expected to find and isolate microorganisms which produce novel antimicrobial and antioxidants compounds, sialylated extracellular polymeric substances and, plastic-degrading acidophilic enzymes which applicability will be validated for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and for PET recycling purposes, respectively. Additionally, deeper understanding on the legal frameworks in the planned contexts such as the Nagoya Protocol and Antarctic Treaty Legal Requirements is also envisaged. By achieving these objectives, EXPLORA will contribute to the sustainable exploration of biodiversity hotspot regions, advancing the development of next-generation sampling methods, expanding bioprospecting from the screening for new chemicals into biological function, and contributing to the understanding of potential trade-offs inherent in the exploitation of ocean and other aquatic biodiversity.

Micro-Algae offer a solution to many of the European bioeconomy needs. Nevertheless, significant challenges still exist to their acceptance on the market, including organoleptic and functionality challenges. CleanAlgae2Value seeks to unlock such potential via a cascading approach to white-microalgae-derived medium-price ingredients, including protein isolates, oils, natural pigments and starch. The project will build and operate a replicable “upgrading-module” to drastically enhance relevant biorefineries performance via a cost-competitive, sustainable, and scalable microalgae fractionation and valorisation process for producing food-grade, medium-value, carbon-negative ingredients that exceed market standards. More specifically, the project will prove the effectiveness and efficiency of a “Micro-Algae Biorefinery Upgrade Module” (MABUM), able to unlock productions of protein isolates, protein concentrates, starch-rich fraction and oils (respectively 2, 1.3, 3.98 and 1.8 tons) to be validated into 15 prototypes, 13 for food and 2 for bio-packaging markets. The project will do so while increasing operative margins, by decreasing “value-normalised” CAPEX and OPEX, also thanks to modelling optimisation, contributing to market penetration. Importantly, CleanAlgae2Value would also benefit from synergies with a recently granted EIC Accelerator project, which focuses on upstream algae production from CO2 via SOL two-step fermentation, using solely CO2 as carbon source. The project brings together 16 organizations from 9 European countries, collaborating with end-users to produce added value ingredients. Holistic evaluations, including both empirical (surveys, workshops) and horizontal considerations (LCA, TEA, SSbD), will allow for the assessment of market acceptance and environmental, economic and societal sustainability, as well as further support and boost the project DCE activities and pathways towards EFSA positive opinion for those ingredients that still require it.