About CIRC4FOOD
Transforming research excellence
into sustainable food innovation
CIRC4FOOD is a European alliance working to strengthen research and innovation excellence and accelerate Europe’s transition towards circular, sustainable and energy-efficient food systems.
By connecting universities, research organisations, industry and innovation actors across Europe, CIRC4FOOD builds a collaborative ecosystem in which research excellence can translate into tangible environmental, economic and societal impact.
The project combines institutional modernisation and impact-oriented research assessment with advanced skills development, shared research capacities and interdisciplinary collaboration. It strengthens knowledge valorisation and entrepreneurship, helping researchers transform promising results into new solutions, business opportunities and pathways towards commercialisation.
At the same time, CIRC4FOOD advances the digital transformation of food research and innovation through AI-enabled tools, digital twins and FAIR data approaches. Research and technological solutions are brought closer to real-world application through industrial pilots, while Living Labs engage industry, citizens, researchers and other stakeholders in co-creation and validation.
Through this integrated approach, CIRC4FOOD aims to strengthen the competitiveness and long-term innovation capacity of Widening institutions while delivering practical solutions for more circular, resource-efficient and sustainable European food systems. The project contributes to the ambitions of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy.
Project in numbers
EU Funding
Project Duration
Work Packages
- WP1 — Project Management, Quality, Ethics and Data
- WP2 — Institutional Modernisation and Reforms
- WP3 — Upskilling of Research, Technical and Management Staff
- WP4 — Development of Research Excellence and Seed R&I Actions
- WP5 — Digital Transformation for Energy and Material Flows
- WP6 — Outreach to Ecosystems and Internationalisation
- WP7 — Pilot Implementation Across Industrial Cases
- WP8 — Communication, Exploitation, Dissemination and Public Engagement
The CIRC4FOOD Alliance:
A New Ecosystem for Circular and Sustainable Functional Foods
Strengthening research capacity through shared infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, joint R&I agendas and seed projects for circular and sustainable food systems.
Modernising universities through impact-oriented research assessment, stronger research management, Open Science and permanent interdisciplinary research structures.
Harnessing AI, digital twins, FAIR data and smart monitoring tools to optimise energy and material flows and support more efficient food production.
Bringing innovation closer to society and the market through industrial pilots, Living Labs, knowledge valorisation, entrepreneurship and collaboration with industry and policymakers.
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