Projects
Neoalgae is a company accredited by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness with the Innovative SME seal.
Neoalgae has extensive experience in developing R&D&I projects, participating in more than 40 projects both individually and in consortiums with companies, technology centers, and universities. It has participated in various calls for proposals and with different local, regional, national, and European public entities (e.g., Horizon 2020, Eurostars, LIFE, CDTI, SEKUENS Agency, Gijón City Council, Government of Spain, etc.). From its inception, Neoalgae has established its R&D strategy as a fundamental pillar supporting the company’s various divisions. This has enabled it to acquire knowledge and know-how, develop patents and intellectual property, improve its facilities and equipment, and develop new products and ingredients.
Neoalgae covers the entire microalgae value chain with developments in its cultivation, extraction and drying process, as well as in the development of ingredients for the AGRO, COSMETICS, NUTRA, FOOD, and FEED sectors.
AGROALGA
Biostimulants derived from algae with a phytosanitary effect
One of NEOALGAE’s newest business areas is biostimulants and biofertilizers, as it produces and markets a biofertilizer rich in amino acids derived from the microalga Spirulina (Spiragro). On the other hand, processing tomatoes are one of Spain’s most important crops, with 3.2 million tons cultivated in 2017 (MAPAMA, 2017). From a phytosanitary perspective, this crop is highly susceptible to pests and diseases; the fruit and leaves are in close proximity, making them vulnerable to combined attacks, which directly reduces crop yield.
Furthermore, it is an annual crop, and therefore, phytosanitary threats can wipe out the entire crop. AGROALGA aims to research and develop new biostimulants derived from algae biomass that will have a phytosanitary effect on processing tomatoes through the incorporation of aromatic plant extracts.
To develop the new products, innovations will be implemented to overcome the following technological challenges:
Selection of microalgae species: emerging species in this field will be used.
Microalgae cultivation: new, optimized microalgae cultivation and harvesting processes will be developed to obtain a final biomass with the most suitable composition.
Extractions: new, sustainable, and economical extraction processes will be developed to obtain aromatic plant extracts.
Biostimulant preparation: development of enzymatic biocatalysis processes.
Formulation of the biostimulant with phytosanitary properties: an innovative mixture of microalgae, macroalgae, and aromatic plant extracts.
LIFE ALGARBBE
microALGae with ARomatic plants as Biostimulants with Biocide Effect
The main objective of the LIFE ALGAR-BBE project is to mitigate the adverse effects on the environment and human health of chemical pesticides currently used in tomato and maize cultivation. The project will demonstrate the efficacy of three safe and sustainable, natural formulations with biostimulant and biocidal properties. Their active ingredients will be obtained from microalgae, extracts of aromatic plants, olive grove waste (such as olive pits), and residual Spirulina biomass after the extraction of the phycocyanin pigment. These formulations will allow for the replacement of traditional fertilizers and chemical pesticides used in agriculture.
The developed formulations will be marketed in the EU in the project’s later stages. With the expected results of this project, 56% of the pesticides currently used for the diseases and pests identified in the project’s target crops will be eligible for replacement. The main crops under study will be industrial tomatoes and corn, but the replicability of the results will also be addressed, applying the formulations developed in similar circumstances in other EU countries (Portugal) and in other crops such as peppers and potatoes.
The project, led by NEOALGAE, includes the participation of ENDESA, a leading company in the Spanish electricity sector and the second largest operator in the Portuguese electricity market, and the National Agri-Food Technology Center of Extremadura (CTAEX). The project is funded by the European Union through the LIFE Programme. The Environment and Climate Action Programme (LIFE) is the European Union’s financial instrument dedicated to the environment, established in 1992, and has a budget of €3.4 billion for the current funding period (2014-2020). Its overall objective is to catalyze changes in the development and implementation of policies by providing solutions and best practices to achieve environmental and climate objectives, as well as by promoting innovative technologies related to the environment and climate change.
It is also intended to support the implementation of the EU’s General Environment Programme until 2020, “Living well, within the limits of our planet.” For more information: info@algarbbe.eu (+34 984 041 266)
PESTNU
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101037128.
The main objective of the Pestnu Project is the development and demonstration of digital and space-based technologies (DST), as well as agroecological and organic technologies (AOPs), under a systemic approach to reduce pesticide and fertilizer use and nutrient loss.
Key DST technologies include: AI-powered robotic traps for real-time pest monitoring; autonomous mobile robots for pesticide tracking; three-dimensional localized spraying; satellite technologies supported by the Copernicus system to map soil/plant nutrients and potential pests; and real-time, on-site nutrient analyzers. All DST systems will be interconnected online through a blockchain-based Farm Management System to support decision-making
and the verification of the integrity of AI models and a cybersecurity platform.
The AOPs include: on-site production of biofertilizers from agricultural wastewater through an automated system and a new foliar biopesticide targeting fungal diseases with a biostimulant effect; and advanced nutritional programs for organic farming. All of this takes into account the principles of a circular bioeconomy.
The DST and AOP solutions will be demonstrated and tested in aquaponic and hydroponic greenhouses and in open fields, both in Greece and Spain.
This consortium comprises a total of 21 companies from various European countries, and NEOALGAE is responsible for the activities related to the development of biostimulants.
VALORALGA (valorización de principios activos de microalgas en productos cosméticos y nutracéuticos)
This project has received funding from the INVESTIGO PROGRAM, funded by the European Union, NEXT GENERATION EU program.
In recent years, the demand for functional foods, nutraceutical supplements, and natural cosmetics has increased exponentially. Among all the organisms with the potential to produce functional foods, microalgae offer an unlimited source of natural compounds beneficial to health due to their versatility, high growth rate, and biodiversity.
The project aims to optimize the production of active bio-ingredients from microalgae cultures (such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and carotenoids, proteins, etc.) for use in functional foods, nutricosmetics, and natural cosmetics.
As part of the project, a laboratory technician has been hired to perform tasks in the following areas: microalgae cultivation, compound extraction, cosmetic formulation, quality control, and results analysis.
A4HW
The project comprises seven diverse partners, allowing for a multidisciplinary approach and advancing research and development of microalgae for human consumption. It has a budget of one million euros for a two-year development period and has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (through the State Research Agency) under the Collaborative Challenges program (specifically, the “Food Safety and Quality Challenge; Productive and Sustainable Agricultural Activity, Natural Resources, Marine and Maritime Research”), and co-financed by the European Union’s Structural Funds (ERDF), with the aim of promoting technological development, innovation, and high-quality research.
Algae for Healthy World is a consortium focused on producing microalgae biocompounds for food applications. The seven entities that make it up -AINIA, Biological Research Center (CSIC-CIB), Endesa, Mar Cristal Marilum, Neoalgae Micro Seaweeds Products, Novatec and University of Cádiz- have met to formalize the start of the project, whose main objectives are:
Develop the necessary biotechnological tools to improve and optimize the production of marine biomass.
Develop the necessary biotechnological tools to improve and optimize biomass production and further the study of pigments—primarily antioxidants—and other value-added fractions from different microalgae, focusing on different strains of Spirulina, Nannochloropsis gaditana, and Pyrocystis.
Advance our understanding of bioluminescence. What we simply see as light in the sea is a phenomenon that occurs in almost all organisms inhabiting seas and oceans, from bacteria to large fish, and that influences the behavior and dynamics of the entire system.
BETTERFISH - EUROSTARS
The first plant-based fish filet made of fermented food industry by plants and microalgae.
The BETTER FISH project aims to offer the first unbreaded fish fillet made from food plants and microalgae. This will be achieved through the development of a proprietary bioprocess based on the fermentation of filamentous fungi in the presence of solid substrates, resulting in a product with the nutritional properties, flavor, and texture of real fish.
By combining fermentation, nanoencapsulation, microbiology, and food biotechnology, a prototype of a sustainable, healthy, nutritious, and natural fish analogue will be developed.
Among NEOALGAE’s specific objectives within the project is optimizing the desired characteristics of the final product prototype obtained from microalgae. This will require determining the microalgae species for each compound based on various criteria. To achieve this, the cultivation protocols for the selected microalgae will need to be optimized to obtain a final biomass enriched with compounds that will allow for a nutritional and organoleptic profile similar to that of fish.
The project is led by BETTER NATURE (UK), and includes the participation of CENTER OF FOOD AND FERMENTATIONS TECHNOLOGIES (Estonia); NEOALGAE (Spain); and NUCAPS NANOTECHNOLOGY, S.L. (Spain).
The Eurostars program is a joint program between EUREKA and the European Commission and the first European funding and support program specifically dedicated to SMEs conducting research.
This project has received funding from the fifteenth call of the Eurostars-2 program (International Inter-Company Action) of the CDTI (Center for Industrial Technological Development), which collaborates with the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
Project BETTER FISH – CDTI File No. EXP 00143987 / CIIP-20212007
VOPSA 2.0
Obtaining Omega 3 and Astaxanthin from microalgae, for incorporation into cosmetic formulations.
Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that the body needs for proper functioning. It protects against cardiovascular disease and improves the development and function of the skin, as well as the nervous and visual systems. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment and one of the most effective antioxidants for human health.
The global demand for Omega-3 and Astaxanthin for human consumption will require large quantities of these products. However, their traditional extraction process from marine organisms (mainly fish and krill) is unsustainable: overfishing, high energy consumption, high raw material consumption, and low efficiency. Neoalgae has designed an eco-innovative and sustainable industrial bioprocess for obtaining Omega-3 and Astaxanthin using marine microalgae as a natural source.
This system is the answer to the growing demand for Omega-3 and Astaxanthin, especially in nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications. With the new process, the production of Omega-3 and Astaxanthin will not impact marine resources. Both products will be contaminant-free, fish-free, and odorless, suitable for vegans, and will have competitive and stable production costs.
After the viability of the new products has been demonstrated at both the technical and market levels, this project will scale up the production of both compounds and demonstrate their efficacy through their inclusion in nutraceuticals and new cosmetic products for the prevention and treatment of skin conditions such as acne, atopic dermatitis, and aging. This phase will be carried out by the company Bicosome. This project has been funded by the European Union under the “Horizon 2020 dedicated SME Instrument 2016-2017” program.
RECO2VERY
Utilizing CO2 emissions to cultivate microalgae for use as raw material for the production of biofuels and/or biogas
European waste treatment industries must address the transition to a “green economy,” prioritizing energy recovery from waste over landfill disposal and minimizing the environmental impact of their operations. In this new context, the ReCO2very project has emerged as a strategic R&D project aimed at developing, integrating, and validating new technologies that will lay the foundation for the future development of green incineration.
The ReCO2very project proposes utilizing CO2 emissions from a waste incineration plant and contaminated water to cultivate microalgae suitable for subsequent use as raw material for biofuel production and/or biogas production via anaerobic digestion as the main methods of utilization. It presents the challenge of integrating a real incineration system with a microalgae cultivation system through a system for separating and concentrating the CO2 from the combustion gases. Furthermore, the cultivation system will receive wastewater effluents from the waste treatment facilities (leachate, permeate, runoff) as a feed source for the microalgae.
MISIONES CULTUREDMEAT
The R&D project investigating the meat products of the future for the prevention of colon cancer and dyslipidemia – CULTUREDMEAT – was launched under the umbrella of 8 partner organizations and 10 research institutions, with the goal of achieving a more sustainable and healthy agri-food sector.
In a world threatened by climate change, population growth presents a challenge in reconciling food security and sustainability. Therefore, cultured meat is positioned as one of the greatest innovations of our century, integrating food safety, animal welfare, and sustainability into a unique product ideal for the whole family. Artificial meat, also known as cultured meat, in-vitro meat, or lab-grown meat, is animal meat that does not come directly from an animal’s body, but rather from the cultivation of muscle cells previously extracted from animals.
The overall objective of the CULTUREDMEAT project is to research lab-grown meat, along with the sustainable production and addition of healthy fats and functional ingredients. These ingredients, processed using different technologies, will allow for the creation of meat products that help prevent dyslipidemia and colon cancer.
Who makes up CULTUREDMEAT?
Currently, very few entities worldwide are producing lab-grown meat. In all cases, these are primarily science-based startups that have not yet achieved large-scale production. Cultured meat production has generated significant interest in the industry, and numerous investment funds are backing this new meat production strategy.
CULTUREDMEAT was born from the collaboration of biotech companies specializing in nutrition and production technologies at the national level, such as Argal (project leader), Biotech Foods, Martínez Somalo, DMC Research, BDI Biotech, Neoalgae, BTSA, and Agrowingdata. The consortium also collaborates with 10 research institutions (Universities and Technology Centers) to develop the idea. ZABALA Innovation is leading the project management thanks to its extensive experience in R&D funding opportunities.
Red meat consumption (beef, pork, lamb, etc.) is associated with highly prevalent diseases in Western countries, such as colon cancer and dyslipidemia. Specifically, in Spain, colon cancer is the most common neoplasm in the population (considering both sexes). That is why research into functional ingredients that can help prevent these diet-related diseases with a high social impact is necessary.
