The European LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project organises one of the EU Green Week side events on synergies for energy efficiency and transition
12/06/2023, Valencia. The GoHub Ventures facilities in Valencia hosted last Thursday, 8 June 2023, from 10:00 to 12:00 CEST, an event of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project in the framework of the European Green Week. The seminar, entitled “LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 – Synergies towards greener communities: EU funds 4 organic waste” and organised by the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with Global Omnium, was attended by experts and representatives of European projects to exchange best practices on energy efficiency and transition. During the day, water management, organic waste and biogas, among other topics, were discussed, with the aim of fostering sustainable communities in which the circular economy is promoted. European and expert representation The event was moderated by Alexandra Pokatina, EU Project Manager at Finnova, and included the institutional intervention of Katarzyna Gryc, Policy Officer of the DG Energy unit for Innovation, Research, Competitiveness and Digitalisation at the European Commission, who was in charge of the opening. Gryc spoke about her area of expertise, which is hydrogen, and addressed both production and technology, from electrolysers and the Net Zero Industry Act, referring to the strategic challenges. Then, Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub, presented Global Omnium’s venture capital fund. “GoHub is a key player in the financing of innovation and companies, where we invest in solutions,” said Vercher. The next panel featured presentations by Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, who spoke about European funds, NextGeneration and the LIFE Programme; and Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium, leading partner of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0. Synergies and projects for the energy transition Carlos Lafita, R&D&I Waste Technician at Global Omnium, moderated the next panel of European projects. After his intervention, Sandra Jorge, Research and Development Coordinator at Águas do Centro Litoral, partner of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, took the floor. Rodrigo Simón, Projects and Sustainability Technician at the Competitiveness Department of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the “Negocio local sostenible” programme. Loreto Fenollosa, Deputy Director of Chairs and Internships in Business and Social Action at the School of Agricultural Engineering and the Natural Environment (ETSIAMN) of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, offered a more technical perspective as an agricultural engineer and professor. Pieter de Jong, European representative of Wetsus and WaterCampus, also participated, presenting the innovation ecosystem and the contributions of this non-profit foundation from the Dutch point of view. In terms of European projects, the panellists were Kristie Tanner, R&D Project Manager at Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence with MICRO4BIOGAS; Carlos Serra, together with Alfonso Gallego, researchers at Polibienestar of the University of Valencia with Agro2Circular; and Miguel Ángel Suárez, R&D Technician at CETENMA with The HOOP project. These presentations were followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Carlos Lafita, with very interesting and relevant contributions on tools and good practices to promote the circular economy and the energy transition. New call of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA Finnova’s CMO, Lola Bordás starred in the next panel on Girls4Tech Challenge LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, where girls from the Abecé school in Gandía won the Technovation Girls awards with an app proposal, entitled Comen 2.0, inspired by the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0. Bordás also presented the new LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA call, focused on emerging companies that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on 21 September in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving at the Trade Fairs and Congress Centre of Malaga (FYCMA) and the registration of proposals will remain open until 31 July at 23:59 CEST through this link. The successful candidate will benefit from a European acceleration ticket, consisting of a training programme on European legislation and funds, and mentoring to turn the idea into a real and measurable project funded by the EU with up to €5 million. They will also have access to a networking network and investors with whom they will learn good management practices in the European legal framework and techniques for the internationalisation of the project. The panel ended with the contributions of the official jury of these awards, composed of Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium; Mark Barker, CEO of WEX Global; and João Simão, Executive Director of the Portuguese Water Partnership (PWP). The event concluded with Elías Colom and Juanma Revuelta emphasising the importance of continuing to bring together efforts for the effective promotion of biogas and other innovative sustainable solutions, with special mention of emerging business models and available regulatory channels. You can watch the online seminar here: LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 – Synergies towards greener communities: EU funds 4 organic waste About European Green Week The European Green Week is an annual opportunity to discuss European environmental policy with policy makers, leading environmentalists and stakeholders from Europe and beyond. Side events organised in the framework of this week, under the theme “Delivering a net-zero world” will take place from Saturday, 3 June to Sunday, 11 June 2023. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About GoHub GoHub Ventures is Global Omnium’s venture capital fund that invests in high-tech startups with B2B software solutions for the automation of processes and focuses on technologies such as applied AI,
The European LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project presented at the 1st HIBA Cross-Border Marathon on “Digitalisation in the agri-food sector”
06/06/2023, Braga. The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project was present today, Tuesday 6 June, in the Portuguese city of Braga, which is hosting the 1st HIBA Cross-Border Marathon “Digitalisation in the agri-food sector” on 6 and 7 June. This event, in hybrid format, has been organised by the partners of the Interreg HIBA project: Finnova Foundation, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and European Foundation for Innovation and Technological Development (INTEC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Andalusian Regional Government, Asssociaçao SFCOLAB – Laboratório Colabortaivo para a Inovação Digital na Agricultura (Smart Farm Colab) and Fundecyt Foundation Science and Technology Park of Extremadura (Fundecyt PCTEX). This first day, which took place today, Tuesday 6 June, entitled “HIBA Project: digitisation of the agricultural sector for sustainable and entrepreneurial development”, began with a seminar on European funds, where different current open European programmes and some examples of successful projects such as LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 were discussed. The main objective of this event was to bring together representatives of the Spanish and Portuguese Ministries of Agriculture, European institutions, sector experts, businessmen and entrepreneurs to analyse the situation of the digitalisation of agriculture and to exchange experiences and best practices. Participation of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 Alexandra Pokatina, EU Project Officer at Finnova, has been in charge of presenting the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 in the second block on “European Funds”. In her speech, Pokatina explained the open call of the LIFE Programme and the characteristics of this project funding initiative of the European Commission. In addition, it has put forward the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, which seeks to transform putrescible organic waste from the agri-food sector and slurry into biogas to generate green energy on demand thanks to the innovative technology of anaerobic digesters in water treatment plants. “In celebration of the 31st anniversary of the LIFE Programme, we have joined the LIFE Amplifiers campaign. We encourage all LIFE projects to use this new platform to make visible the communication actions and progress of your European project,” said the EU Project Officer at Finnova. About HIBA The Interreg Spain-Portugal Cross-Border Cooperation Project (POCTEP) HIBA will promote a Multi-regional ecosystem focused on the digitalisation of the agri-food sector in Spain and Portugal through the creation of a network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) to promote initiative, competitiveness and business sustainability, fostering post-Covid-19 economic recovery. With a budget of €5.3 million, 75% co-financed by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) under the Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020 (POCTEP), HIBA has 19 beneficiaries, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development of the Andalusian Regional Government (CAGPDS) as the main beneficiary. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About Finnova Foundation Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project presented at the 2nd Seminar on good practices in the Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia Euroregion
31/05/2023, Seville. European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 has been present today, Wednesday 31st May, in the second edition of the “Conference of good practices on circular economy and waste prevention”, held in hybrid format in the Environmental Complex of La Vega in Seville. This meeting was organised by the Mancomunidad de La Vega, with the support of the Finnova Foundation and a grant from the Junta de Andalucía. The main objective of this event was to generate alliances and seek solutions for the reduction and recovery of waste for its management and treatment. In this sense, the good practices that come out of this meeting can be consolidated in a joint regional response embodied in European projects and programmes. Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, opened the second block on the “European financial framework for financing solutions to the challenges detected and dynamisation of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem” with the European project LIFE ECODGESTION 2.0. In his speech, Revuelta explained how for a year they have been mixing different waste from the HORECA sector to try to convert the hotel, among other establishments, into a prosumer. “In Europe there are more than 18,000 water treatment plants that are responsible for consuming 3% of the total energy. The costs of landfilling waste have risen and this innovative technology could be an energy efficient alternative to reduce costs and increase the use of biogas on demand as a sustainable energy source. Our intention is to propose a third LIFE ECODIGESTION project and also to scale up the idea to the Interreg programme,” said Finnova’s CEO. About Mancomunidad de Servicios de la Vega The Mancomunidad de Servicios de La Vega is a Local Administration born in 1998 from the grouping of a total of 19 municipalities around the Vega del Guadalquivir for the management of the collection and treatment of Urban Solid Waste (USW). Its mission is to establish a common strategy that favours the correct development of services and actions within the framework of waste collection and treatment, guaranteeing the protection of the ecosystem, and always acting in accordance with the values of effectiveness, efficiency and commitment. The Mancomunidad de La Vega is made up of the following municipalities: Alcalá del Río, Alcolea del Río, Brenes, Burguillos, Cantillana, Castilblanco de los Arroyos, Castilleja de la Cuesta, El Castillo de las Guardas, Gerena, Guillena, La Algaba, La Rinconada, Lora del Río, Peñaflor, San Juan de Aznalfarache, Tocina, Villanueva del Río y Minas and Villaverde del Río. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About Finnova Foundation Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
Women entrepeneurs from CEEI-Burgos visit Finnova’s offices in Brussels to talk about European funds and projects such as LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0
30/05/2023, Brussels. A team from the Finnova Foundation formed by Patricia Tejada, EU Projects Manager, and Amaia Cardaño, from the Communication Department, have presented today, Tuesday 30th May in Brussels different types of European funds and projects to a group of women entrepreneurs from the European Business and Innovation Centre of Burgos (CEEI-Burgos). The twelve women have known the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, GIRLS4TECH challenge LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 and the new LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA call. LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 is a LIFE co-funded project to generate biogas in anaerobic digesters of water treatment plants by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, HORECA, etc.). This initiative is led by Global Omnium (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal). The GIRLS4TECH challenge LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 was a Finnova Challenge Technovation Girls 2021 Challenge, where the winners were inspired by this LIFE project to create the Comen 2.0 app, which linked the HORECA sector with the water treatment plants for the reuse of organic waste, thus providing a solution to the sustainable water and energy challenge. As part of the presentation, mention was made of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA, a new call for Startup Europe Awards, which seeks startups or proposals that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on 21 September at an event at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA) held within the framework of Greencities and S-Moving. As part of the presentation, mention was made of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA, a new call for Startup Europe Awards, which seeks startups or proposals that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on 21 September at an event at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA) held within the framework of Greencities and S-Moving. About the European Business and Innovation Centre of Burgos The European Business and Innovation Centre of Burgos (CEEI-Burgos) is a reception and assistance centre that supports and promotes business projects arising from the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Burgos. It was created in 1994 as a specialised instrument at the service of local development under the model, quality criteria and sponsorship of the European Commission and regional and local institutions. The CEEI belongs to the European Association of CEEIs, EBN, Euroean Business and Innovation Center Network and ANCES, among others. About Startup Europe Awards The Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) is an initiative promoted by the European Commission, launched by the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with StartUp Europe. It is an open innovation tool that allows companies to identify talented startups capable of solving today’s challenges in multiple areas. Its mission is to help Startups and Scaleups become more efficient, smarter, and more successful. These awards are a useful tool to promote knowledge sharing, add value to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help startups to grow and position themselves in the market. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About Finnova Foundation Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project will organise one of the side events of the European Green Week to Exchange best practices on energy transition
26/05/2023, Valencia. Next Thursday, June 8th from 10:00 to 12:00 CEST, the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, of which Finnova Foundation is a partner, will hold a hybrid event, face-to-face at GoHub in Valencia and online, entitled “LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 – Synergies towards greener communities” in the framework of the European Commission’s European Green Week. The aim of this meeting is to bring together experts and representatives of European projects to exchange best practices and tools to promote sustainable energy transition. The event will be opened by Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub, and moderated by Adrian Noheda, Director of Innovation and Environment of the Finnova Foundation. The first block, on best practices and success stories, will be led by two of the partner organisations of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project: Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium, and Juanma Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation. In the next panel, experts and representatives of European projects will participate such as Sandra Jorge, Director of Water Supply Operation of Águas do Centro Litoral; Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub; Rafael Mossi, coordinator of the Competitiveness Department of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce; Mª Loreto Fenollosa, deputy director of the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering; Pieter de Jong, European representative for Wetsus and WaterCampus; Jorge Garcés, director of Polibienestar at the University of Valencia; and Miguel Ángel Suárez, PhD in Chemical Engineering and R&D technician at the Energy and Environment Technology Centre (CETENMA). Lola Bordás, CMO of the Finnova Foundation and director of Women4Tech, will be responsible for opening the next block on Girls4Tech challenge LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 and the new call for LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA, where she will announce the members of the jury. On behalf of the jury, the event will be attended in person by Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium, and remotely by Mark Barker, CEO of Wex Global, and João Simão, Executive Director of the Portuguese Water Partnership (PWP). These Startup Europe Awards are looking for startups that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on 21 September in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos (FYCMA) and the registration of proposals will remain open until 31 July via this link. The successful candidate will benefit from a European acceleration ticket, consisting of training in legislation and European funds, mentoring to turn the idea into a real demonstration project such as Horizon Europe or Life, subsidised by the EU with up to 5 million euros per project. Startups awarded in other competitions have obtained subsidies for their internationalisation – up to 2.5 million through the EIC programme – or access to grants such as Erasmus entrepreneurs or registration of trademarks and patents. They will also have access to a networking network and investors with whom they will learn best practices in the management of relationships within the EU framework and will receive advice on the European legal framework and the internationalisation of the project. Those interested in this event organised by LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, can register here to attend in person or click here to watch the webcast. About the European Green Week The European Green Week is an annual opportunity to discuss European environmental policy with policy makers, leading environmentalists and stakeholders from Europe and beyond. Side events organised in the framework of this week, under the theme “Delivering a net-zero world” will take place from Saturday, 3 June to Sunday, 11 June 2023. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About GoHub GoHub, founded in 2019 as a €30 million investment fund, is the Corporate Venturing arm of Global Omnium. GoHub invests in B2B SaaS solutions to improve process automation and is committed to technologies based on advanced engineering such as applied AI, augmented reality, edge computing, 5G, No Code, cybersecurity, quantum, etc. Moreover, present on four continents and with seven million customers, they have already identified and supported a total of 25 startups. About Global Omnium The Global Omnium Group is a national and international benchmark specialising in the different processes of the Integrated Water Cycle. With more than 130 years of experience, the Group is present in 15 Spanish Autonomous Communities, the United States, Africa and the Middle East. It currently groups 25 specialised companies, 13 participating firms and 56 UTEs in different areas related to water management, engineering and the environment. The Global Omnium Group manages a total of 28 drinking water treatment plants, 308 wastewater treatment facilities, 25 septic tanks, 155 external pumping stations and 2 sludge facilities in Spain. About Águas do Centro Litoral Águas do Centro Litoral is a Multi-municipal Water Supply and Sanitation System for the Centro Litoral of Portugal, which covers the collection, treatment and supply of water for public consumption and the collection, treatment and rejection of domestic and urban effluents and the reception of effluents from the cleaning of septic tanks. Águas do Centro Litoral covers a geographical area of 5,485 km2 and its main activity is water supply and wastewater treatment. Other activities such as water quality
LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 featured project in one of the blocks of the 2nd Conference on good practices in the Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia Euroregion
25/05/2023, Seville. The Complejo Medioambiental of La Vega in Seville will host next Wednesday, May 31st from 09:00h to 13:00h CEST an intervention on the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0. This event is part of the second edition of the “Conference of good practices on circular economy and waste prevention” organised by the Mancomunidad de La Vega, with the support of Finnova and the subsidy of the Junta de Andalucia. The objectives of the conference will focus on generating alliances and seeking solutions in terms of waste reduction and recovery and circular economy to consolidate a joint regional response that can be reflected in projects and programmes of the European Union. At the meeting, different presentations will be given on the problems of waste management. LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 will participate through Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, in the second block on the “European financial framework for financing solutions to the challenges identified and dynamisation of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem”, which will take place at approximately 11:00h CEST. In this intervention, Revuelta will talk about European funding and the innovative technology being developed by the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project to transform putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.) into biogas. This green energy is achieved thanks to the anaerobic co-digestion of the digesters of Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs). About Mancomunidad de Servicios de la Vega The Mancomunidad de Servicios de La Vega is a Local Administration born in 1998 from the grouping of a total of 19 municipalities around the Vega del Guadalquivir for the management of the collection and treatment of Urban Solid Waste (USW). Its mission is to establish a common strategy that favours the correct development of services and actions within the framework of waste collection and treatment, guaranteeing the protection of the ecosystem, and always acting in accordance with the values of effectiveness, efficiency and commitment. The Mancomunidad de La Vega is made up of the following municipalities: Alcalá del Río, Alcolea del Río, Brenes, Burguillos, Cantillana, Castilblanco de los Arroyos, Castilleja de la Cuesta, El Castillo de las Guardas, Gerena, Guillena, La Algaba, La Rinconada, Lora del Río, Peñaflor, San Juan de Aznalfarache, Tocina, Villanueva del Río y Minas and Villaverde del Río. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About Finnova Foundation Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project presented at the final Technovation Girls CV through the Finnova Challenges 2023
24/05/2023, Valencia. Last Saturday, 20th May, Finnova Foundation participated in the final Technovation Girls CV, held at the Universitat Politécnica de València, through the Finnova Challenges. The European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 was presented as an example of a challenge in this edition. These awards aim to bring European institutions closer to young people and link current innovative projects funded by the EU in which the Foundation participates as a partner. The awards ceremony was presided over by Julissa Reynoso, US Ambassador to Spain, and José Esteban Capilla, Rector of the Universitat Politécnicca de València, who presented the Technovation Girls Comunitat Valenciana. From the FINNOVA CHALLENGES the winning team was FIREPOINT, a fire detection app that allows users to send a photo of a smoke plume with coordinates to firefighters, and the other winning teams of the Technovation Girls CV competition: The Three Minions, The Leaders of Tomorrow, Mavajuma Power, Technoamigas, Spoonful of Sugar. “The Finnova Foundation’s commitment to innovation and sustainability is evident in these challenges that we are launching to encourage young people, and girls, to work for a more sustainable world, using new technologies. We are very proud to be part of this initiative that seeks to train girls in STEAM through Technovation Girls Finnova Challenges and motivate girls and teenagers between 10 and 18 years old to become entrepreneurs and leaders in the technological field”, said Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova. This is the third year of Finnova Foundation’s participation in the awards, which are supported by the Startup Europe Awards, an initiative promoted by the European Commission and launched by Finnova Foundation in collaboration with Startup Europe, to promote startups and scaleups across Europe. The edition has presented quality projects, where the young contestants have put all their creativity and innovation to come up with ideas capable of solving the most current challenges in the area of technology. Although this year no team has solved the water and sustainable energy challenge, in 2021 the winners of Technovation Girls were inspired by the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 to create the app Comen 2.0, which linked the HORECA sector with the water treatment plants for the reuse of organic waste. About Technovation Girls Technovation Girls is an entrepreneurship and technology programme that aims to inspire girls and young women between the ages of 10 and 18 to become leaders and innovators. Led in Valencia by María José Valero, CEO of Talent Growth Management and ambassador of Technovation Girls Comunidad Valenciana, the programme aims to reduce the technological gender gap that currently exists. The aim of this competition is to create groups of girls and young women who, with the help of a mentor, develop a mobile application (app) that helps to solve a social problem that is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. In this way, in a fun and didactic way, the girls learn about programming concepts, app development, the development of a marketing plan and market research, in addition to learning about the social problems that affect their communities. The initiative started in 2009, and since then, more than 15,000 girls from 100 countries have taken part in it. Technovation Girls Comunitat Valenciana 2023 is sponsored by the Area of Innovative Development of Economic Sectors, Employment and Finance of the City Council of Valencia, with the collaboration of València Activa, American Space Valencia, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria Informàtica, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria Agronòmica i del Medi Natural de la Universitat Politècnica de València, as well as the Mesa de la Ingeniería Valenciana and Las Naves Centre d’Innovació, among other entities and companies. GFT España, NTT DATA España, Ford España, Grupo Tragsa, Edicom, Schneider Electric, Mesa de la Ingeniería Valenciana, Cogiti and Citop CV also collaborated in the event. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About Startup Europe Awards The Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) is an initiative promoted by the European Commission, launched by the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with StartUp Europe. It is an open innovation tool that allows companies to identify talented startups capable of solving today’s challenges in multiple areas. Its mission is to help Startups and Scaleups become more efficient, smarter and more successful. These awards are a useful tool to promote knowledge sharing, add value to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help startups to grow and position themselves in the market. About Finnova Foundation Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project will be one of the side events of the European Sustainable Energy Week
11/05/2023, Brussels. Next Wednesday, May 17th from 10:00 to 11:30 CEST, the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, of which Finnova Foundation is a partner, will hold an online event entitled “Energy transition for Europe – Tools and Tips by LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0” in the framework of the European Commission’s European Sustainable Energy Week. The aim of this event is to bring together experts and other European projects to exchange best practices and tools to promote sustainable energy transition. The event will be opened and moderated by Alexandra Pokatina, EU Projects Assistant at Finnova, followed by representatives from other European projects such as Elisa Mazo from LIFE-3E, Pau Granell from LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, Miguel Vega from LIFE-myBUILDINGisGREEN, Vincenzo Bianco from RES4CITY and Xavier Gamisans from LIFE BIOGASNET. Finally, Manuela Granada, Communication and EU Projects at Finnova, will present the new LIFE ECODIGESTION SEUA call, launched on 17 February at Transfiere, and will announce the members of the official jury. These Startup Europe Awards are looking for startups that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on 21 September in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos (FYCMA) and the registration of proposals will remain open until 31 July via this link. The successful candidate will benefit from a European acceleration ticket, consisting of training in legislation and European funds, mentoring to turn the idea into a real demonstration project such as Horizon Europe or Life, subsidised by the EU with up to 5 million euros per project. Startups awarded in other competitions have won grants for their internationalisation – up to 2.5 million through the EIC programme – or access to grants such as Erasmus Entrepreneurs or registration of trademarks and patents. They will also have access to a networking network and investors with whom they will learn best practices in managing relationships within the EU and with contact networks, and will receive advice on the European legal framework and the internationalisation of the project. Those interested in this event, organised by LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, can register here. About the European Sustainable Energy Week The European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) will be held in a hybrid format in Brussels from 20-22 June under the theme “Accelerating the clean energy transition – towards lower bills and greater skills”. The aim of this year’s event is to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in the European Union. This edition will bring together policy conferences, leading figures and a full programme of sessions and debates on building clean energy for a green Europe. Throughout May and June, different European projects will be able to organise side-events in the framework of the EUSEW. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU. About LIFE-3E LIFE-3E is a European project of more than 1.7 million euros from the LIFE programme for the energy recovery of WWTP effluents in coastal urban areas. The main objective is the demonstration of an innovative process that allows the regeneration of water from WWTP, integrating the production of renewable energy through the recovery of the energy contained in the difference in salinity between seawater and treated water. About LIFE-myBUILDINGisGREEN LIFE-myBUILDINGisGREEN is a project co-funded by the LIFE programme of the European Union that focuses on the implementation of nature-based solutions in public educational buildings and social centres as climate change adaptation solutions, improving environmental health and comfort. About RES4CITY RES4CITY is a 36-month project, starting in Q4 2022, funded by the European Union, which aims to enhance the development of sustainable renewable energy and fuel technologies in cities by co-designing an innovative educational programme, promoting sustainability and circularity for a successful energy transition. About LIFE BIOGASNET LIFE BIOGASNET es un proyecto LIFE que trabaja en un sistema sostenible de purificación de biogás en vertederos y plantas de tratamiento de residuos sólidos urbanos. El proyecto se centra en promover la producción de energías renovables mediante el concepto de economía circular: reducir la generación de residuos, reducir la huella de carbono del proceso de desulfurización y producir materias primas secundarias como azufre elemental y sulfato de amonio. Sobre los Startup Europe Awards LIFE BIOGASNET is a LIFE project working on a sustainable biogas purification system for landfills and municipal solid waste treatment plants. The project focuses on promoting renewable energy production through the circular economy concept: reducing waste generation, reducing the carbon footprint of the desulphurisation process and producing secondary raw materials such as elemental sulphur and ammonium sulphate. About Finnova Foundation Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
The European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 celebrates Europe Day 2023
09/05/2023, Brussels. Today, 9 May, the European Union commemorates peace and unity in Europe. For 73 years, Europe Day has marked the anniversary of the historic “Schuman Declaration”. French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman’s proposal in 1950 to create a European Coal and Steel Community marked a turning point for today’s EU, as the ECSC was the first common European institution. In this context, the European Commission contributes to the implementation of numerous programmes aimed at moving towards a smarter Europe, a greener Europe, a carbon-free Europe, a more connected Europe and a Europe that is more social and closer to its citizens. An example of this is the LIFE Programme which, since 1992, focuses on projects that propose environmental solutions for the improvement of biodiversity, nature, circular economy, climate change and the transition to clean energy. LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 was born as a European project co-financed 55% by the LIFE Programme and proposes an innovative technology to transform putrescible organic waste from anaerobic digesters of WWTP wastewater treatment plants into biogas. From LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 we are very happy to be able to count on such a powerful tool as the LIFE Programme of the European Commission that inspires us and allows us to continue contributing to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the directives of the European Green Pact to promote wastewater management as a challenge for the transition and energy efficiency, and the fight against climate change. New LIFE call for proposals The new 2023 call for LIFE proposals is now published on the Funding & Tender portal, the single application point for applicants, contractors and funding programme experts. The publication of the calls for a clean energy transition is scheduled for next Thursday, 11 May. On 25 and 26 April, CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) organised EU LIFE Info Days to orient potential applicants on the LIFE 2023 calls for proposals. You can watch the recordings of these Info Days and learn more about the LIFE Programme. #DíaDeEuropa
LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 commemorates International Mother Earth Day
This April 22nd, from LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 we want to commemorate the celebration of the International Mother Earth Day. The oceans are filling up with plastics and becoming more acidic. Extreme heat, wildfires, floods and other weather events have affected millions of people. Even today we are still facing COVID -19, a global health pandemic with a strong link to the health of our ecosystem. From LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 we intend to promote the care of mother earth. The technology implemented in our water treatment plants allows the prevention and reuse of waste, using renewable energy sources, such as biogas, for the operation of the machinery. Water treatment plants require a transition in terms of the technology they implement, making it more sustainable. The anaerobic system implemented in our WWTP is a step forward in the sustainability of water treatment, because its use means low energy consumption, low consumption of chemicals and a reduction in operating costs. Not only that, but from LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 we will continue to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Pact and the guidelines set by the SDGs, giving rise to a sustainable and environmentally sustainable water management.