Hub4Food has opened its call for proposals, that offers food SMEs from the Atlantic Area regions the opportunity to participate in pilot projects in collaboration with the Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs) of Hub4Food.
These pilot projects may involve feasibility studies, exploitation, and demonstration activities to test different technologies applicable to the relevant needs of companies in the food industry.
The pilot projects are collaborative initiatives carried out between a food SME located in a region of the Atlantic Area and an RTO from Hub4Food. A total of 12 pilot projects are expected to be selected under this call, all of them being TRL6 (Technology Readiness Level 6) or higher.
Proposals must address at least one of Hub4Food’s target food subsectors. The primary target subsectors are bakery and pastry, seafood and marine products, meat products, milk, and dairy products. Other food subsectors –ready-to-eat foods, fruits and vegetables, beverages, olive oil– are also eligible.
Through these pilot projects, food SMEs will have the opportunity to address several relevant needs and test different technologies. For example, companies can test new strategies to extend the short shelf life of seafood, develop innovative food formulations with functional properties, test the production of fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), or conduct the health validation of food products, among other things.
Companies interested in participating should download and read the application guide and send their application forms to info@hub4food.eu before January 31, 2025 (5:00 p.m. CET).
Hub4Food: A project aimed at boosting the Atlantic food industry
The Hub4Food project, coordinated by Clúster Alimentario de Galicia (Clusaga), aims to serve as an innovation hub for the Atlantic agri-food sector. It brings together agri-food clusters and networks (BIA Innovator Campus, Clusaga, EIT Food South, InovCluster, and Valorial) and technology centres (ANFACO-CECOPESCA, CATAA, LEMPA, MARE-IPleiria, PRAXENS and Teagasc) from France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain.
Through its activities, Hub4Food will enhance the innovation capacities and connections of the Atlantic food industry ecosystem. It will also promote the development of new and improved food products (focusing on marine-based products) and the testing of innovative technologies as business support services, particularly for SMEs. The project is co-financed by the programme Interreg Atlantic Area 2021-2027.
