Summary
- Profile Type
- Research & Development Request
- POD Reference
- RDRGB20250129010
- Term of Validity
- 30 January 2025 - 30 January 2026
- Company's Country
- United Kingdom
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
- Targeted Countries
- Denmark
- France
- Austria
- Belgium
- Germany
- Greece
- Portugal
- Ireland
- Italy
- Sweden
- Spain
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General information
- Short Summary
- The UK based company is active in R&D specialising in industrial-scale, sustainable production of high-value, light-induced ingredients using microalgae. The company’s innovative technology maximizes the production of specialty biomolecules, such as carotenoids, while minimizing environmental impact.
- Full Description
-
The company is R&D intensive and has identified and scoped a R&D project that can have significant outcomes in terms of process efficiency, and operational costs associated with value added products from algae.
This approach uniquely positions the company to address the growing demand for eco-friendly, naturally sourced ingredients in food, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics, offering a scalable alternative to resource-intensive traditional production methods.
Additionally, by replacing land-intensive marigold farming with year-round, traceable microalgae cultivation, the company aims to reduce water, land, and carbon footprints while supporting the local economy.
The company is seeking partners across Europe to support both the final development and demonstration phase of their project and to explore broader, long-term R&D collaborations for the project and scope of work detailed below.
Project Overview
Objective: Develop a scalable, cost-effective photobioreactor platform for sustainable lutein production from microalgae, supporting Europe’s bioeconomy and healthier aging.
The Challenge: Europe imports 90% of its lutein, primarily from resource-intensive marigold farming in Asia. Lutein, a carotenoid essential for eye health and cognitive function, holds a $488M market opportunity by 2028.
Scope of work:
• Optimized Photobioreactor: Advanced CAD designs refined for fluid dynamics (mixing), and light penetration.
• AI-Driven Cultivation: Sensor-based monitoring (OD/biomass, light, pH, nutrients) to enhance biomass yields.
• Eco-Friendly Extraction: Green methods to ensure purity, and sustainability. - Advantages and Innovations
-
Main advantages / benefits for partners include:
• Be part of a high-impact, innovative solution addressing sustainability and healthier aging.
• Access a growing market with high commercial potential for natural, sustainable ingredients.
• Contribute to strengthening Europe’s bioeconomy and reducing dependency on imports. - Stage of Development
- Concept stage
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Goal 15: Life on Land
- Goal 14: Life Below Water
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- IPR description
-
The company is seeking partners across Europe to support both the final development and demonstration phase of our project and to explore broader, long-term collaborations:
1. Engineering & Manufacturing:
○ Partners with expertise in designing and building (bio)reactors, metalwork, and Perspex/acrylic fabrication.
○ Expertise in (micro)biological reactor/fermenter commissioning and scaling.
2. Sensor & AI Integration:
○ Development and integration of real-time monitoring systems for microalgae cultivation (OD, light, pH/temperature, nutrients, …).
○ Feedback algorithms for AI-driven process optimization.
3. R&D Collaboration:
○ Institutions with expertise in algae cultivation and extraction especially targeted towards lutein
4. Commercial Partnerships:
○ Channels to market partners to help understand and meet the needs and requirements of lutein off-takers.
○ Focus on food, nutraceutical, and beverage sectors.
5. Downstream Processing
○ Specialists in natural ingredient extraction technologies applicable to microalgae.
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
The partners could be from academia (Universities) or the private sector, centres of excellence or research and technology organisations (RTOs). The expectation is that partners can bring expertise and application in
• Technical – engineering & manufacturing, sensors and AI, algae cultivation (including extraction of commodities such as lutein)
• Commercial – knowledge of and ideally part of the lutein, food, nutraceutical and beverage supply chains. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME <=10
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
Call details
- Framework program
- Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology
- Call title and identifier
- EIT Food Single Project Co-Funding - Impact Funding Framework.
- Coordinator required
- No
- Deadline for EoI
- Deadline of the call
- Project duration in weeks
- 72
- Web link to the call
- https://www.eitfood.eu/open-calls/impact-funding-framework
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 06006003 - Biobased chemical building blocks
- 06006011 - Fermentation
- Market keywords
- 08001016 - Commodity chemicals and polymers
- Targeted countries
- Denmark
- France
- Austria
- Belgium
- Germany
- Greece
- Portugal
- Ireland
- Italy
- Sweden
- Spain