CBRNE technologies have crucial civil applications, enhancing public safety, environmental protection, food and water safety, industrial safety, and border control. In the Southern CEE region, the adoption of cutting-edge, research-based CBRNE technologies is essential to address challenges like geopolitical tensions, environmental issues, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and border security. Despite strong research capacities, the region struggles with fragmented networks and slow market adoption. In contrast, Western and Northern Europe have seen success due to better funding, collaboration, and innovation ecosystems. The GROUNDUP project aims to build a strong CBRNE innovation ecosystem in the Southern CEE region by uniting diverse stakeholders, including researchers, students, businesses, and NGOs. Through collaboration, engagement, and capacity-building activities, the project seeks to enhance knowledge exchange and technology development. GROUNDUP focuses on mentoring high-potential young innovators and connecting the Southern CEE region to more developed innovation networks. This initiative aims to create sustainable impacts regionally and across the EU. The GROUNDUP project focuses on four key objectives to strengthen the CBRNE innovation ecosystem in Southern CEE. First, it will establish a Business Community, integrating stakeholders from the European CBRNE technology market value chain to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. Second, it aims to create an Education and Research Hub, bringing together higher education institutions and research organizations to advance knowledge and technology development in CBRNE fields. Third, GROUNDUP will enhance entrepreneurship by linking young innovators with enterprises through a mentoring program. Lastly, the project seeks to expand its impact through communication activities and large-scale clustering to ensure the widespread dissemination of results.

The overall goal of our project is to achieve trust in a data-driven food system by implementing Digital Responsibility Goals for the food sector. This will enable new levels of innovation for example in food safety, sustainability, personalized nutrtion, reduction of food waste and fair conditions throughout the entire food chain. The programme works on a clear strategic roadmap (a new virtual food system), a set technological enablers, demonstration of solutions, a structured funding programme with open calls, and measures to guide and support the food ecosystem of third party beneficiaries, citizens, stakeholders. As a consortium, we maintain the perspective that technology is not a means to an end, but acts merely as an empowering enabler, providing the means to achieve a wide variety of innovative and valuable use cases. Use cases that promise to serve a broader audience, provided that adequate access also is considered as a prerequisite. Currently however, technology is primarily developed from the perspective and needs of corporations and / or authorities- a limitation that risks perpetuating or further exacerbating the above-mentioned lack of trust within the markets that they serve. With a more diverse and human-centric driven perspective we believe the new use cases that will emerge and the technology development required to realise them will contribute to a more sustainable ecosystem that is “trustworthy by default”. To truly design for trust, the entire chain of activities and underlying assumptions towards developing technology has to be based on fundamental values like responsibility, privacy and user control - especially when dealing with valuable and sensitive food data. The starting point of all assumptions needs to be the user and their values - not a business model or (legitimate) state interests.

SPARKUP proposal is motivated by the pressing need to address the increasing risks posed by CBRNE threats, particularly in the Southern CEE region. This region faces unique challenges due to its proximity to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and other geopolitical instabilities. The urgency to strengthen the region's preparedness and response capabilities is paramount, necessitating a robust approach to research and innovation in the field. SPARKUP seeks to bridge gaps in the European Research Area (ERA) by enhancing the interoperability of careers across academic and non-academic sectors, thereby improving the employability of R&I talents. By fostering greater collaboration and knowledge exchange SPARKUP aims to create a more dynamic and integrated research ecosystem. By enhancing career prospects SPARKUP not only contributes to the retention of top talents within Europe but also ensures that researchers are better equipped to address the complex challenges posed by CBRNE threats. The project aims to deliver a strategy that includes a targeted upskilling programme designed to equip researchers and innovators with the necessary skills to excel in their careers. This approach not only boosts employability but also ensures that the next generation of CBRNE experts is capable of responding effectively to the specific risks faced by the Southern CEE region. The project is structured around three main pillars: (1) Comprehensive talent development and circulation activities will be launched to swiftly force collaborations of academic and non-academic sector. (2) The project will establish the groundwork for sustainable talent management and R&I capabilities within the region's leading CBRNE academies through organized knowledge transfers and shared infrastructure. (3) A Center of Excellence will be established at UCPS, positioning it as a flagship institution in the Southern CEE region for talent development, R&I support, and cross-sectoral knowledge exchange.

The GEOFLEXheat project aims to revolutionize the European geothermal energy sector by introducing an innovative suite of technologies to enhance the extraction, efficiency and application of geothermal heat across diverse industrial sectors. This initiative is driven by a consortium that synergizes leading research institutions, SMEs, and industry experts to tackle the challenges of scalability, integration, and social acceptance associated with geothermal systems. At the core of project lies the development of a Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger coupled with an advanced Scaling Reactor to improve heat recovery from geothermal brine while simultaneously providing valuable mineral byproducts. This is complemented by a novel High-Temperature Heat Pump that delivers cost-effective and high-temperature heat, crucial for a wide range of industrial processes and beyond. The project will also deliver a state-of-the-art Control Strategy and Digital Twin, optimizing system performance and enabling real-time management of geothermal plants. Through comprehensive simulation and modelling, the project will showcase the full potential of geothermal energy to provide stable, affordable, and sustainable heat supply. The ambitious goals include fostering Europe's global leadership in renewable technologies, ensuring reliable energy supply for industries and households, and accelerating the integration of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage with geothermal systems. To ensure the project's outcomes have a lasting impact, GEOFLEXheat will execute robust commercialization strategy, including the establishment of a spin-off company, extensive environmental and economic assessments, and the creation of a Social Acceptance Guide to facilitate policy influence and community engagement. Embracing a future where geothermal energy is a cornerstone of Europe's renewable energy mix, GEOFLEXheat is poised to become a catalyst for energy sustainability, economic growth and environmental stewardship.

Disrupted neuronal connectivity and synapse dysfunction can manifest clinically as a range of emotional, behavioural and cognitive symptoms that are common to, and often overlapping in, mental disorders (MDs) such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Antidepressants and antipsychotics used to treat these symptoms are often ineffective in ND patients and treatment-resistance is common in MD patients. To tackle the burden exacted on society by untreated psychiatric symptoms, Synapsing will generate the first trans-European clinical collection of clinical, neuroimaging and socioeconomic data from >3000 patients from MD and ND clinics for use in Synapsing and beyond. Synapsing aims to introduce a biological framework for MDs through a search for blood biomarkers to engender a faster, more objective diagnosis and reduce misdiagnosis with NDs. To minimise the use of inefficient treatments across MDs and NDs, Synapsing will develop blood biomarkers to objectively monitor therapeutic response and to stratify patients who would benefit from therapeutic intervention. To guide the development of more effective treatments, Synapsing will model synapse dysfunction using post-mortem brain tissue and induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons from MD and ND patients. To prevent social disparities impacting on healthcare, Synapsing will identify modifiable socioeconomic risk factors for psychiatric symptoms in >2000 individuals with a lived experience of mental health issues and MD and ND patients recruited across Europe. Recommendations for evidence-based policy initiatives targeted towards reducing these risk factors will be disseminated to EU council agencies. Expected outcomes include better understanding of these under-researched conditions, revised clinical guidelines to better diagnose and manage patients and strengthened knowledge and care networks.