Location of Key Innovators developing this innovation Kenya and Portugal

INNOECOFOOD Innovations Recognised on the European Commission’s Innovation Radar Platform

The INNOECOFOOD project has reached an important milestone after 16 innovations developed within the project were officially recognised and listed on the European Commission’s Innovation Radar platform. The recognition highlights the project’s growing contribution to sustainable food systems, circular bioeconomy solutions, climate-smart agriculture, and eco-innovative technologies across Africa and Europe.

The listed innovations originate from different work packages and partner institutions within the INNOECOFOOD consortium, reflecting the project’s strong collaborative approach to research, innovation, and sustainable development. The innovations span several thematic areas, including sustainable aquaculture, insect farming, spirulina production, renewable-energy-powered food processing technologies, circular waste valorisation, innovative fish feed development, and digital knowledge-sharing systems.

The European Commission’s Innovation Radar is an initiative designed to identify high-potential innovations and innovators emerging from EU-funded research and innovation projects. The platform aims to make breakthrough technologies and market-ready solutions more visible to investors, policymakers, industries, researchers, and the wider public. By recognising innovations with strong business and societal potential, the Innovation Radar helps accelerate the journey from research to real-world impact.

Being featured on the Innovation Radar platform places INNOECOFOOD among a growing network of European research and innovation projects developing transformative solutions to global challenges. The recognition demonstrates the project’s capacity to generate practical innovations that support sustainable food production, environmental conservation, climate resilience, and improved nutrition.

The listed innovations also reflect the project’s commitment to advancing circular and sustainable food systems through integrated approaches that reduce waste, promote resource efficiency, and create value from underutilised biological resources. Several innovations focus on converting fish by-products, spirulina biomass, and insect-based solutions into sustainable food and feed alternatives, contributing to greener and more resilient agri-food value chains.

Through its multidisciplinary and multi-country collaboration model, INNOECOFOOD continues to strengthen partnerships between researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, communities, and industry actors. The project’s work supports the development of scalable and locally adaptable solutions capable of addressing food security and sustainability challenges in both African and European contexts.

The recognition by the European Commission further reinforces the relevance and impact of the project’s ongoing activities and showcases the strength of innovation emerging from collaborative international research partnerships. It also provides additional visibility for the project’s partner institutions and innovators whose work is contributing to the transformation of sustainable food systems.

As INNOECOFOOD continues implementing its activities, the project remains committed to fostering innovation, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and sustainable technologies that contribute to healthier diets, circular economies, and resilient food systems for future generations.

List of the 16 INNOECOFOOD innovations from the Innovation Radar

1. ECOHUB concept for local communities in Africa

2. In-Pond Raceway System (IPRS) to improve productivity and sustainability of tilapia and catfish production

3. Living lab to strengthen aquaculture with Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things

4. Modular insect production and processing unit using sustainable substrates from food co-products

5. Optimal substrates for black soldier fly and crickets’ production in Africa

6. Solar-dried novel food powders from cricket to fortify food products

7. Solar-dried novel protein-rich, healthy and tasty bakery products for local communities in Africa

8. Solar extruded novel food products, including snacks and precooked breakfast cereals for local communities in Africa

9. Spirulina production in ECOHUBs using native strains to boost the diversification of production

10. Sustainable feeds for catfish and tilapia with innovative ingredients

11. Sustainable harvesting of wild edible insects in Africa