7–8 October 2026 | Athens, Greece
The CIRC4FOOD Alliance – A New Ecosystem for Circular and Sustainable Functional Foods officially began its journey with a successful Kick-off Meeting held on 7–8 October 2026 at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece.
The two-day event brought together representatives of 19 partner organisations from 10 countries, participating both in person and online, to establish a shared vision, exchange expertise and define the first steps towards building a stronger, more connected European research and innovation ecosystem for circular and sustainable functional foods.
Coordinated by NTUA and funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe European Excellence Initiative (EEI), CIRC4FOOD is a four-year project that aims to strengthen research excellence, institutional capacities and innovation ecosystems, particularly in Widening countries, while promoting closer cooperation between academia, industry and society.
Bringing the CIRC4FOOD Alliance Together
The meeting opened with a welcome from the NTUA coordination team, led by Professor Magdalini Krokida, followed by an introduction to the project’s overarching vision, objectives and expected impact.
Representatives from all 19 partner organisations introduced their institutions, areas of expertise and expected contributions to the Alliance. The presentations highlighted the consortium’s diverse capabilities, spanning food science and engineering, circular processing technologies, sustainability assessment, digitalisation, research management, technology transfer and industrial innovation.
This exchange provided an important starting point for identifying opportunities for collaboration, sharing research infrastructures and developing joint activities across the consortium.
The first day also featured the participation of Monica Hoek, Project Officer at the European Research Executive Agency (REA), who joined remotely to provide guidance on Horizon Europe implementation requirements, project management, Open Science, communication, dissemination and exploitation.
Her contribution reinforced the importance of effective coordination, transparency and collaboration throughout the project’s implementation.
From a Shared Vision to Coordinated Action
A central part of the Kick-off Meeting was dedicated to presenting and discussing the project’s eight interconnected Work Packages.
The discussions addressed the main dimensions of the CIRC4FOOD Alliance, including:
- Institutional modernisation and research excellence: Strengthening research management, assessment practices, interdisciplinary cooperation and shared research infrastructures.
- Skills development and capacity building: Designing training programmes, staff exchanges and learning opportunities to develop scientific, technical and transferable skills.
- Joint research and innovation: Establishing a shared strategic research and innovation agenda and supporting collaborative seed research activities.
- Digital transformation: Exploring advanced sensing technologies, artificial intelligence and Digital Twins to improve the monitoring and optimisation of energy and material flows.
- Ecosystem engagement and internationalisation: Building connections with industry, investors, policymakers, citizens and international innovation networks.
- Industrial pilot implementation: Translating scientific knowledge and technological developments into practical applications under real industrial conditions.
- Communication, dissemination and exploitation: Ensuring that project knowledge, technologies and results reach relevant stakeholders and create opportunities for long-term impact.
Across the sessions, partners discussed their roles, planned activities and expected contributions, while identifying opportunities for cooperation between Work Packages.
Particular attention was given to the integration of research, digital technologies, industrial applications and sustainability considerations, ensuring that the Alliance’s activities contribute to a common set of objectives.
Connecting Research Excellence with Industrial Innovation
An important ambition of CIRC4FOOD is to connect scientific excellence with the practical needs of the European food industry.
The Alliance will explore approaches for valorising food industry by-products, developing sustainable functional ingredients, improving resource and energy efficiency, and integrating digital technologies into food processing systems.
These activities will be supported by collaborative research, knowledge exchange and industrial pilot applications involving consortium partners.
During the meeting, discussions highlighted the importance of coordinating technical developments, data collection, sustainability assessment and business validation from the early stages of implementation.
By combining expertise from universities, research organisations, industrial partners and innovation intermediaries, CIRC4FOOD seeks to develop solutions that are not only scientifically robust but also relevant to industry and capable of generating long-term value.
Building an Alliance Beyond Research
CIRC4FOOD extends beyond individual research activities. Its broader ambition is to establish a lasting European ecosystem for circular and sustainable functional food innovation.
To achieve this, the project will invest in institutional development, research capacities, interdisciplinary collaboration and the skills needed to support future innovation.
The Alliance will also encourage knowledge exchange and co-creation with stakeholders, strengthen international partnerships and explore opportunities for technology transfer, entrepreneurship and exploitation of research results.
The Kick-off Meeting provided an opportunity to discuss these ambitions and establish the foundations for coordinated action across the consortium.
Looking Ahead: The First Steps of CIRC4FOOD
Following the successful Kick-off Meeting, the consortium is moving into the first phase of implementation.
Over the coming months, partners will focus on establishing governance and coordination procedures, initiating institutional assessments and skills mapping, identifying shared research infrastructures, and developing detailed plans for research, training, digitalisation and industrial pilot activities.
At the same time, the Alliance will begin strengthening its communication and stakeholder engagement activities, creating opportunities for wider participation and collaboration.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to close cooperation, effective implementation and the achievement of CIRC4FOOD’s long-term objectives.
The CIRC4FOOD Kick-off Meeting marks the beginning of a collaborative journey towards stronger research ecosystems, more sustainable food production and the transformation of scientific knowledge into practical innovation.
Stay connected with CIRC4FOOD to follow the Alliance’s activities, upcoming events and progress towards a more circular, innovative and sustainable European food system.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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