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EcoAljibe: Rethinking Water Tank Sanitation to Tackle the Water Crisis Sustainably

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Project Name: Study to evaluate the effectiveness of modifying the cleaning and disinfection protocol for water storage tanks intended for consumption and improve sanitary protocols in the context of a water crisis
Acronym: EcoAljibe
Participating Company: ATA Ecotecnología e Higiene del Agua
Funding Program: CESAM Cascade Funding – Open Innovation Projects

As global water scarcity intensifies, EcoAljibe is addressing a critical yet often overlooked issue: the cleaning and disinfection of water storage tanks for human consumption. Led by ATA Ecotecnología, the project proposes a breakthrough: using the tank’s own stored water for hyperchlorination, eliminating the need for pre-drainage and reducing wastewater, energy use, and chemical inputs—all without compromising sanitary standards.

EcoAljibe’s main objectives include:

  • Testing a modified protocol that reuses water during sanitation.

  • Ensuring regulatory compliance and sanitary safety under real-world conditions.

  • Demonstrating reduced resource consumption and operational costs.

  • Generating results that can inform national water hygiene protocols.

  • Supporting more sustainable, circular approaches in water system management.

The project spans multiple regions of Spain, incorporating diverse climates, water qualities, and operational settings. This interregional testing strengthens the reliability and scalability of the protocol. By tailoring the approach to real-life conditions, EcoAljibe creates a practical roadmap for nationwide implementation and uniform improvements in hygiene practices.

ATA Ecotecnología’s contribution goes beyond innovation—it is rooted in a strong commitment to circularity and environmental responsibility. As part of the NexBiolinea Group, the company maintains a dedicated sustainability department, measures its carbon footprint, and helps clients integrate circular solutions. EcoAljibe reflects this ethos: a science-driven initiative designed to deliver measurable environmental benefits in response to a pressing societal challenge.

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FoodSensing4CE: Scaling Smart Packaging for a Safer, Greener Food Supply Chain

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Project Name: Smart Sensing for Sustainable Food Supply Chain
Acronym: FoodSensing4CE
Participating Companies: ColorSensing, Inox Ferro Sanchez (IFS)
Funding Program: CESAM Cascade Funding – Open Innovation Projects & Challenges

FoodSensing4CE is set to revolutionize how the food industry monitors quality and reduces waste. Led by ColorSensing and Inox Ferro Sanchez, the project scales up a smart packaging solution that leverages AI-powered colour analysis to enable continuous, non-invasive monitoring of food products. Integrated into industrial inspection machines, this technology ensures real-time quality control across packaging lines, enhancing food safety, transparency, and sustainability.

The project has four main goals:

  1. Demonstrate a fully integrated inspection system in an operational setting.

  2. Enable real-time food quality checks to improve traceability and minimize food waste.

  3. Boost compliance with food safety regulations, reducing product recalls.

  4. Scale the smart QR-based monitoring system to promote widespread industrial adoption.

FoodSensing4CE thrives on interregional collaboration, involving stakeholders from Spain, Belgium, and Denmark. Pilot tests across Galicia, Barcelona, and Valencia ensure local validation and cross-border knowledge transfer. The technology’s scalability has drawn interest from major international players such as Walmart (USA), Lidl (Germany), and SIGMA (Mexico)—highlighting Europe’s leadership in smart packaging innovation.

The project makes a strong contribution to the circular economy. By replacing static expiration dates with dynamic quality indicators, it extends product shelf life and reduces unnecessary waste. The low-cost, eco-friendly labels provide ongoing monitoring without destroying the product—supporting responsible consumption and a reduction in CO₂ emissions. Ultimately, FoodSensing4CE aligns closely with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering a smarter, greener future for the food supply chain.

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DRIVE: Advancing Sustainable Viticulture with Smart Variable Rate Application

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Project Name: Sustainable & efficient viticulture: reducing inputs and waste with a user-friendly variable rate application technology
Acronym: DRIVE – Disruptive research and innovation for viticulture efficiency
Participating Companies: TALPTECH, S.L. & BODEGAS RIBAS
Funding Program: CESAM Cascade Funding – Open Innovation Projects 

 

The DRIVE project equips Bodegas Ribas’ tractor in Mallorca with Talptech’s advanced kit, designed to optimize pesticide and fertilizer use through real-time vigor mapping and AI-based crop load assessment. This tailored, data-driven technology enables precise spray volume adjustment, aiming to reduce agrochemical inputs while maintaining vineyard health and quality.

Project Goals:

  • Cut pesticide and fertilizer use without compromising disease control.

  • Provide detailed operational data via vigor and spray deposition maps.

  • Quantify environmental benefits, including CO2 savings from reduced chemical use.

Interregional Collaboration & Impact:


Talptech targets pest management challenges in Mallorca’s vineyards, developing precision agriculture tools suited for small- and medium-sized farms. The tested solutions have wider Mediterranean relevance and scalability potential for vineyards facing similar issues across Europe, fostering cross-region innovation.

Circularity at the Core:


TALPTECH’s mission is to promote accessible circular agriculture by offering simple, affordable precision tools. Their kit fits any tractor and sprayer, automatically adjusting inputs based on vine vigor and crop load. This minimizes pesticide use and environmental footprint while improving fruit quality and sustainability.

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SSOIL: Turning Agri-Food Waste into Functional Compost-Like Materials

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Project Name: Valorisation of agri-food residues as functionalised compost-like material
Acronym: SSOIL
Participating Companies: AERIS Tecnologías Ambientales S.L. (Lead SME), Jopo Sa Canoval S.L. (Partner SME)
Funding Program: CESAM Cascade Funding – Open Innovation Projects

The SSOIL project aims to strengthen sustainability in the agri-food sector by developing a compact, on-site solid-state fermentation (SSF) unit to transform agri-food residues—including pruning waste—into functional compost-like material. By combining raw and nutrient-enriched wood, the process produces a soil input rich in macronutrients, organic carbon, and biostimulant properties. The solution will be validated agronomically, while strategic IP and exploitation actions will support market readiness. With key partnerships including LEITAT, UAB, and CLIQIB, SSOIL integrates strong innovation, local knowledge, and user alignment.

Project Goals:

  • Design a compact, low-energy SSF unit for agri-food waste valorisation.

  • Produce high-quality compost-like material tailored with N, P, organic matter, and biostimulants.

  • Perform agronomic tests to validate effectiveness and soil health impact.

  • Promote regenerative agriculture by improving soil fertility and reducing chemical inputs.

  • Support commercial adoption through exploitation plans and technology transfer.

Interregional Collaboration & Impact:

SSOIL connects Catalonia and the Balearic Islands through a collaboration between AERIS and Jopo Sa Canoval. Technology developed in Catalonia will be tested and applied in the Balearics, acting as a demonstration for other farmers in the region. Workshops and local engagement activities will showcase results and support replication. Involvement of CLIQIB and Leitat enhances outreach and strengthens interregional knowledge exchange, paving the way for future commercialization and adoption.

Circularity at the Core:

The project brings circular economy principles to life by transforming local agricultural waste into valuable soil enhancers. AERIS expands its portfolio with a microbiology-integrated SSF system, while Sa Canova reduces costs and reliance on synthetic inputs. The resulting compost-like material improves soil health and nutrient cycling, supporting climate resilience and low-impact farming practices. SSOIL contributes directly to reducing the carbon footprint of waste management and fertilizer use—key goals of Europe’s Green Deal and bioeconomy agenda.

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AWARE: Smart Refill Systems to Cut Plastic Waste and Promote Sustainable Water Consumption

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Project Name: AWARE
Acronym: AWARE
Participating Companies: AWAYTER S.L. (Lead SME), Hostel Palma 2014 S.L. (Pilot Partner)
Funding Program: CESAM Cascade Funding – Open Innovation Projects & Challenges

The AWARE project is piloting an innovative smart water refill system using reusable containers and integrated digital technology. Designed and implemented by AWAYTER S.L., the system combines QR-code access, digital payments, and real-time usage tracking to encourage sustainable habits and reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles. A dispenser will be installed at Hostel Palma 2014 S.L. to assess its environmental and user impact in a real-world, high-traffic tourism setting.

Project Goals:

  • Deploy and validate a circular refill solution using reusable packaging.

  • Integrate digital features like QR access, user data tracking, and payment systems.

  • Measure environmental impact and behavioral response in a live hospitality setting.

  • Use insights to prepare for scaling across tourism, urban, and agrifood sectors.

  • Promote circular economy values and reduce plastic waste generation.

Interregional Collaboration & Impact:

The pilot, based in the Balearic Islands, offers a strong foundation to evaluate the system in a real tourism environment. The collaboration between AWAYTER and Hostel Palma 2014 S.L. provides key insights into user adoption and operational performance. AWARE also contributes to broader interregional knowledge exchange around refill solutions and circularity, building a path toward replication in both urban and touristic contexts across Europe.

Circularity at the Core:

AWAYTER was founded to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution through circular design. Its smart refill stations are built to replace bottled water with digital, scalable, and user-friendly systems based on reuse and monitoring. The AWARE project reinforces this mission by combining technological innovation with real-world testing—demonstrating how circular solutions can integrate into daily infrastructure and shift consumer habits toward sustainability.

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AGORA: Revolutionizing food packaging with safe, sustainable, and PFAs-Free Solutions

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Project Name: New biobAsed, biodeGradable and PFAs-free water and oil repellent paper packaging solutions.
Acronym: AGORA.
Participating Company: Onyriq Labs SL
Funding Program: CESAM Cascade Funding – Open Innovation Projects.

ONYRIQ Labs is leading a transformative leap in sustainable packaging with AGORA, a project that redefines how paper packaging can be both functional and environmentally friendly. Through the development of a novel water-based coating that blends biodegradable polysaccharide complexes with a minimal amount of non-persistent acrylic polymer, AGORA delivers high-performance omniphobic properties without relying on harmful fluorinated compounds (PFAs).

The project has three key objectives:

  1. Develop coated paper prototypes tailored for end-use, especially in fast-food applications.
  2. Validate barrier and sustainability performance through rigorous industry-standard testing.
  3. Facilitate technology transfer via strategic dissemination and industry engagement activities.

AGORA’s innovation extends beyond materials science. ONYRIQ’s coating offers a cost-effective solution—more than 10% cheaper than commercial alternatives and 20% more economical than nanocellulose-based options—without compromising on quality. With strong biodegradability and recycling potential, the technology supports the transition to a circular economy.

Driven by the urgent need to eliminate PFAs—chemicals linked to environmental pollution and health risks—ONYRIQ has committed to replacing these persistent substances. Their coating technology is over 80% bio-based, fluorine-free, and contributes to a 50% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional PFAs-based coatings.

By combining innovation, circularity, and affordability, AGORA is paving the way for the next generation of sustainable food packaging.

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