Leveraging cutting-edge technology to create sustainable bio-based solutions for a variety of industries, INN-PRESSME provides an update on its recent progress.
Circular thinking is key to securing the future of fossil-based industries worldwide. The ‘European Green Deal’ has set out a roadmap aiming to pave the way to a circular economy in Europe, with objectives including net-zero emissions by 2050, guiding sustainable development. While this presents a useful tool, the targets are ambitious, and the development of sustainable bio-based alternatives requires dedicated research and funding to present commercially viable and competitive options.
This is where the INN-PRESSME Open Innovation Test Bed excels. Comprising 27 partners across nine countries, the consortium is dedicated to developing industrial bio-based solutions to replace fossil-dependent products throughout a variety of industries.
INN-PRESSME provides a platform for small companies to collaborate and achieve their objectives on a large scale. The OITB takes a comprehensive approach and is committed to developing market-ready products to support companies in their transition to green practices. The consortium also provides digital tools for modelling and data collection, enabling companies to maximise their use of materials.
An Open Innovation Test Bed is a set of entities collaborating with a shared set of facilities, transferring knowledge to develop, test, and upscale nanotechnology and advanced materials in industrial environments. Funded by Horizon Europe 2020, the consortium has been working to tackle the issue of sustainability in the packaging, energy, transport, and consumer goods sectors.
The project: State-of-the-art bio-based solutions
In the 14th edition of The Innovation Platform, INN-PRESSME briefed us on the state-of-the-art nanomaterials, bio-based materials, and end materials developed by the OITB and their use in sustainable and recyclable solutions. Featuring test cases such as a shoe sole and a fibre-based pouch for packing greasy food made of sustainable materials, the article emphasised the competitiveness of these alternative materials and their potential for use across various industries.
The INN-PRESSME project is split into upgrading the OITB Pilot Lines and developing test-case applications for different sectors seeking sustainable alternatives. With a network of 16 Pilot Lines stretching across Europe, INN-PRESSME can process sustainable raw materials into end products and test their performance. This comprehensive approach will allow for both breadth and depth, considering efficiency across the supply chain as a whole as well as analysis of individual stages, unlocking the most competitive outcome.
Nine test cases, focused on packaging, consumer goods, energy, and transport, were chosen to validate the pilot lines and demonstrate the vital need for sustainable products in building a circular economy. Central to each test case is its design to be reusable or recyclable. Using the innovative bio-based and nanotechnology materials developed by INN-PRESSME, these applications showcased the capacity to produce and recycle products using sustainable methods, providing a viable alternative to those made from fossil-based raw materials.
The open call
One year later, INN-PRESSME is still delivering cutting-edge sustainable bio-based solutions across a range of products. Having completed the demonstration of the nine test cases, two Open Call rounds were launched in 2023 to enable companies to trial, upgrade and upscale their new products using the INN-PRESSME piloting services. Altogether, 11 projects were selected, representing companies from nine European countries. The five winners for the first round were announced in December 2023, with a focus on bio-based packaging applications and a UV-curable bio-based wood coating.
In April 2024, INN-PRESSME was thrilled to announce the six projects selected through the second round of the Open Call. The six projects are developing diverse bio-based products such as printed antennas, smart insoles, bio-based composite materials from textile waste, sustainable batteries, PHA‑based blends, and wood-based foams for packaging. All of the eleven small-scale projects selected will utilise the pilot lines’ capabilities to develop, test, demonstrate, and verify a new bio-based material, technology, or product tailored to a particular application. The second round of Open Call winners are:
Woodfoam
Developed to counter plastic pollution by Finnish company Woamy Oy, the biofoam material made from wood has the potential to revolutionise the sustainable packaging industry. In comparison with other biofoams, Woamy biofoam exhibits an excellent strength-per-density ratio. Woamy intends to upscale its biofoam production as well as improve the material, aiming to add water-resistant to its list of qualities.
BioGuard
Cambridge Graphene Ltd’s biodegradable antennas for counterfeit protection aim to be fully recyclable or biodegradable while transforming printed processes. Using graphene-based inks for cost-effective, large-scale printing, BioGuard will create fully recyclable or biodegradable carbon NFC antennas on paper or cardboard substrates for simple asset information or counterfeit protection.
CEC4BAA
The successful concept proposed by Ecorbio and CyRIC combines Ecorbio’s advancements in sustainable biopolyol production with CyRIC’s progress in smart insoles manufacturing. Together with INN-PRESSME, the collaboration will explore the potential of utilising biopolyol to create custom-tailored wearables that enhance workplace safety using thermoplastic biopolyurethane (bioTPU).
Cellucircle
Cellucircle is a textile recycling pilot project aiming to extract nanocellulose from cotton in post-consumer textiles and reuse it in new biobased products. In addition, their process allows the direct production of nanocomposites from mixed textile waste. Using the INN-PRESSME platform, the company will validate the process and demonstrate on a pilot scale the value of transforming post-consumer textiles into high-worth bio-based additives, composites, and 3D printed items.
NAMBAT
Delfort Group, based in Austria, will conduct its NAMBAT project, using nanoscale cellulose materials to create sustainable, high-quality components for batteries. By creating fibre-based separators from bio-sourced cellulose and integrating them into battery systems, NAMBAT aims to develop an alternative to petroleum-based compounds. Using INN-PRESSME’s platform, the project will conduct a market analysis to assess the potential impact of this product on the battery market.
PHARAON
The PHARAON project by French company Natureplast will develop polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based biodegradable blends for casting and extrusion blowing. Current PHA usage is focused on injection moulding processes, excluding those products that would be created using alternative methods. PHARAON will offer new commercial solutions with higher biobased content and reduced environmental impact.
Progress and promising results
In Issue 14, we detailed the hemp and flax shoe sole in development by Podoactiva and supported by INN-PRESSME. The company aimed to create sustainable shoe soles that did not sacrifice the functionality of the shoe.
After two years of development and rigorous testing, a final prototype has been created. It was a period of continuous improvement, trialling and redesigning the sole based on observations from previous attempts. The final prototype is promising, proving to be durable and functional and possessing antimicrobial properties – goodbye smelly shoes!
The INN-PRESSME Open Innovation Test Bed is well on its way to helping start-ups, SMEs, and large companies develop bio-based solutions for our sustainable future. With so many exciting projects on the horizon, be sure to visit our website to stay updated on our progress and news.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 19th edition of our quarterly publication.
