2nd AquaLoops4Med Consortium Meeting in Athens

Shaping the path towards an interregional innovation network for circular water management in agrifood sector.

The 2^nd Consortium Meeting of the AquaLoops4Med project, which is coordinated by the Catalan Water Partnership (CWP), was hosted by the Sanitary Engineering Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens (SEL, NTUA) and took place in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 14 February 2025.

During the meeting, partners reviewed the progress achieved during the project’s first six months of implementation, discussed the scheduling of upcoming activities, and aligned on the next steps. Technical discussions focused on the design of the pilot plants to be implemented in Thessaly (by AERIS and HYDRASPIS) and Potenza (by BIOINNOVA and UNIBAS), as well as on the overall timeline and planning for their implementation. Initial laboratory results supporting the systems’ design were also presented.

AquaLoops4Med Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP)

A central part of the meeting was dedicated to the Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) scheme, with SEL, NTUA presenting progress on the preparation of the Open Call and the associated supporting documents. In parallel, partners participated in a collaborative exercise to review the identified gaps in the water management value chain within the agrifood sector, in relation to the thematic priorities of the Open Call.

In addition, WE&B presented both completed and ongoing activities related to stakeholder engagement and mapping, as well as the preparation of participatory actions supporting the project’s next steps.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to explore the innovation ecosystem of Attica. Prof. Daniel Mamais, Director of SEL, NTUA, presented an overview of the laboratory’s activities, followed by a presentation from Dr. Theocharis Nazos, Postdoctoral Researcher at SEL, NTUA, on “Closing the Loop: A Microalgae-Based Bioenergetic Strategy for Cheese Whey Valorisation and High-Nutritional Biomass Production.” In addition, Dimitris Kokkinakis from Impact Hub Athens shared lessons learned from the REMEDIES for Ocean project, with a focus on experience gained through FSTP schemes.

Prof. Daniel Mamais, Director of SEL, NTUA.

Dr. Theocharis Nazos, Postdoctoral Researcher at SEL, NTUA.

Dimitris Kokkinakis, Impact Hub Athens.

The meeting concluded with a technical visit to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, where the AquaLoops4Med consortium had the opportunity to explore its sustainable design and innovative water management systems.