FEUGA’s Innovation and European Programs team starts in January five new innovation projects with impact in 15 countries in Europe and the United States. With a total budget of more than 25 million euros, the objectives are to enhance competitiveness and sustainability in the sectors of health, entrepreneurship, agri-food and forestry at international level.
HEREDITARY Project: Transforming Disease Detection
HEREDITARY seeks to significantly change the way we approach disease detection, preparing treatment responses and exploring medical knowledge. This project integrates multimodal health data (including genetic data) into a robust, interoperable and secure framework. By using advanced federated analytics and learning workflows, we will identify new risk factors and treatment responses, focusing on neurodegenerative and gut microbiome-related disorders.
With a budget of 9,988,833.75 euros, it is a project led by the University of Padova involving a consortium of 18 partners from Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, the United States, Germany and Switzerland. The project is supported by funds from the Horizon Europe program, which aims to achieve a scientific, technological, economic and social impact of the European Union’s investments, promoting competitiveness among its members. The project started this January 1, 2024 and, with a duration of 48 months, is expected to conclude on December 31, 2027.
InnovationGUIDE Project: Boosting Rural Innovation
InnovationGUIDE focuses on fostering and integrating innovation ecosystems in rural areas. By identifying regional needs and connecting with international ecosystems, we seek to boost regional economic development, attract and retain talent, and create new business opportunities.
The project aims to complete in 12 months a comprehensive mapping of the geographic areas covered by its partners. During this period, roadmaps and six-month plans will be designed to address the specific needs of rural communities, offering customized services and activities to overcome disparities with urban ecosystems. The emphasis of the project is on promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth in rural areas, addressing the interests of policy makers, researchers and practitioners. By fostering collaboration between the experiences and ecosystems of the Netherlands, Spain, Malta and Turkey, InnovationGUIDE will facilitate the diffusion of information and knowledge from stronger innovative ecosystems to those with moderate innovation capabilities. The project is funded by the Horizon-EIE-CONNECT program and has a budget of 496,862.50 euros.
Project SteamDry: Innovative Technology for Efficient Drying
SteamDry develops and pilots superheated steam drying (SSD) technology for materials such as paper and paperboard. This technology is expected to drastically reduce energy consumption, achieving 60% savings in the drying process and representing approximately 40% energy savings in the entire production line.
This approach can also lead to the manufacture of paper and cardboard without CO2 emissions. The SteamDry project has a budget of 9,843,168.48 euros. The initiative is based on a consortium with strong capabilities to carry out the action. This consortium has partners from Finland, Spain, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Italy, and is composed of four research institutes and two universities with expertise in piloting, technology scaling, artificial intelligence and modeling. Two leading technology suppliers and five manufacturers of products that could be end users of the developed technology are also participating. It also has funding from the Horizon Europe program.
FIREPOCTEP+ Project: Strengthening against Forest Fires
FIREPOCTEP+ aims to strengthen forest fire prevention and suppression systems in the cross-border region between Spain and Portugal. This project, co-financed by the European Union, seeks to improve the capacity to respond to large forest fires, thus contributing to environmental protection.
Led by the University of Vigo, FIREPOCTEP+ has a total budget of 3,322,468.75 euros, with the support of Interreg POCTEP, a program that promotes development and cross-border cooperation between Spain and Portugal, financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The project has a duration of three years (01/01/2024-31/12/2026) and a total of 15 beneficiaries from Spain and Portugal, as well as 2 unfunded partners.
ALERT-PFAS Project: Detecting and Preventing PFAS Contamination in SUDOE Natural Sites
The ALERT-PFAS project addresses PFAS contamination (perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances present in firefighting foams) in natural areas aggravated by recent fires and within the scope of the Southwest European Territorial Cooperation Program (SUDOE), which provides funding for the project. With an innovative approach, it seeks to detect and prevent the presence of these harmful compounds in real time. The project, involving 10 beneficiaries and 9 partners in Spain, France and Portugal, will apply advanced technologies such as optical sensors, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. The solution, transferable to other regions, aims to protect the environment and raise public awareness of the risks associated with PFASs.
The project has a total budget of €1,845,945.00, with a grant of €1,384,458.75 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). With 36 months, the project will run from 01/01/2024 to 31/12/2026.
We are excited to participate in these new projects that will not only drive research and innovation, but will also contribute to the advancement and sustainability of several key sectors, putting Galicia on the innovation map.
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