Video of the 3 Day Trip
On November 19th, the Agro-food Cluster of Navarra (NAGRIFOOD), in collaboration with the National Center for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA), hosted the members of the European project Biotech4Food in Pamplona. The visit, organized in the framework of the third Steering Committee of the project and the AseBio Green Innovation Forum, was a significant event, marking the participation of companies involved in this ambitious European project.
The visit took place over two days, making the most of the time to explore the facilities of leading biotechnology companies in Navarra, such as Ingredalia, CNTA, Biotech4Food members, and NUCAPS Technology. The first day was focused on the AseBio Green Innovation Forum, a space where industry, academia, and institutions gathered to share their perspectives on biotechnology applications in key sectors such as health, food, and nutrition.
Some of the highlights discussed during the conferences included: the role of OMICs in nutrition and food technology (food tech), the challenges and horizons of synthetic biology, biotechnology applied to soil protection, regulatory challenges of genomic editing techniques, advancements toward a carbon-neutral world, and the importance of collaboration and knowledge transfer in the bioeconomy. These topics are part of the main objective of this edition of the forum: “Developing synthetic biology with a business vision in Navarra,” as highlighted by Mikel Irujo Amezaga, Minister of Industry, Ecological Transition, and Digitalization of the Government of Navarra.
This time, the participants of the Biotech4Food project also had the opportunity to network through one-to-one meeting spaces.
The second day was focused on presenting the European Center for Business and Innovation of Navarra (CEIN), one of the key players in scientific and technological research in the region. CEIN promotes economic development through fostering entrepreneurship and supporting new businesses. During the visit, attendees toured the laboratories of Ingredalia and NUCAPS Technology, providing them with firsthand insights into the biotechnology advancements being developed in Navarra. The visit concluded with a upskilling session organised by Eatable Adventures, in which the partners where able to apply some of the topics to real cases. This part of the visit was the most interactive one and every partner enjoyed the session.
In the afternoon, CNTA organized a visit to its facilities, where staff showcased their laboratories, warehouses, and several projects they are working on, some of which have been carried out in collaboration with Biotech4Food member companies such as Ingredalia. The visit went really well and a lot of collaboration ideas emerged from there. Some industrial partners in the project will deepen their collaboration with CNTA because they have interesting facilities. Connecting partners is the goal of the project and it is being achieved.
On November 21, the third Steering Committee of the project was held, the first to include participating companies and collaborating startups. The Biotech4Food consortium is composed of clusters, organizations, and research centers such as Wagralim, Valorial, NAGRIFOOD, Flanders’ Food, Innov’Alliance, Region of Central Macedonia, ATEcluster, CNTA, ANFACO-CECOPESCA, FENGA Food Innovation and Clust-ER AGRIFOOD Agroalimentarie, as well as small and middle size companies and startups like ARTECHNO, BCF Life Science, KOUKAKIS Dairy Farm, Vésale Pharma, BUGSLAB, Avecom, EVYP Crop Bioestimulation Technologies, Calidris Bio, THT, PROVIL Flavor Concepts, Ingredalia, Hifas Innovation Hub, COCONT and Abyss Ingredients.
During the Committee, companies presented new and ambitious innovative projects for the food industry, while the main project partners, primarily regional clusters, followed up on the various work packages. Additionally, Virginie Perron, project advisor at the Executive Agency for the European Innovation Council and SMEs (EISMEA), evaluated the project’s progress, results, and challenges to date.
At the conclusion of the Steering Committee, three intense but highly productive days came to an end, strengthening working ties and establishing new collaborations both within and outside the project framework.
In conclusion, the Biotech4Food project visit to Navarra not only showcased the region’s cutting-edge advances in biotechnology but also reinforced the importance of international collaboration in driving innovation. Through insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and hands-on experiences at leading biotech companies, participants gained valuable perspectives on the future of food biotechnology. As Navarra continues to strengthen its position in the European landscape, initiatives like Biotech4Food play a crucial role in fostering new partnerships, advancing research, and opening doors for future breakthroughs in the sector.
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