- On 28 March, the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project starred in one of the round tables of the leading event in the water sector
- Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, was in charge of explaining the European project and the new Startup Europe Awards
- The innovative technology of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 enables the control and automation of WWTP digesters to transform putrescible organic waste into biogas
03/04/2023, Seville. Over the course of three days, the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 has been at the centre of some of the key moments in the framework of WEX Global held in Seville from 27 to 29 March, the leading event in the water sector. Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, participated in one of the round tables on Tuesday, 28 March, where he explained this innovative technology.
Revuelta’s conference began with the presentation of this project funded by the LIFE programme, which uses the Startup Europe methodology of public-private partnership and aims to generate biogas from the control and automation of water treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, HORECA, etc.). This initiative, led by Global Omnium (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal), transforms wastewater treatment plant sludge into green energy.
On the third and final day of the event, Finnova’s CEO together with Adrián Noheda, EU Project Manager at Finnova, took part in the networking sessions, which included Bruno Abreu, CEO of SCUBIC and winner of Startup Europe Awards 2019; Jaime Barba, CEO of Idrica; Elías Colom, Marketing Director of Global Omnium; and João Simão, Executive Director of Portuguese Water Partnership (PWC).
In the crucial context of a water sector event, the new LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 Startup Europe Awards were presented. These awards, which seek startups that provide solutions to the challenges of the ecological and energy transition, were launched for the first time on 17 February at Transfiere, the largest European forum for science, technology and innovation, held at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA).
The awards ceremony will take place in the framework of S-Moving and Greencities, on 20 and 21 September at the Trade Fair and Congress Centre of Malaga (FYCMA). The winning proposal may become a real demonstration project as a LIFE, subsidised by the EU with up to 5 million euros.
About WEX Global
WEX Global occupies a unique place in the water conference calendar. Business meetings and conversations are at the heart of WEX, along with the principle of ‘exchange’; the sharing of ideas and philosophies, business cards, solutions and methodologies, to form strong networks on which to build stronger relationships. We will also host more than 80 speakers, from over 40 countries, who will discuss critical issues related to water, energy and climate change: smart circular solutions to build a better world.
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.