Project description
A novel biocomposite from trees, for trees
Forests are invaluable to our planet, producing not only oxygen vital to our existence but also many natural waste products that can be used in other sectors – and now in the forestry industry as well. The Portuguese SME Spawnfoam is developing its product by the same name, a novel biocomposite using forest residues as a matrix in which to grow fungi. The biocomposite has been used to make pots that encourage plant growth by supplying nutrition and water while simultaneously protecting sensitive root systems. The EU-funded Spawnfoam project is helping the team bring these sustainable and biodegradable pots to market, enhancing the success of reforestation initiatives.
Objective
Reforestation projects have a failure rate of 25%, which generate internal project losses of around 450M€/year and reduces the financial sustainability of forestation at global level.
At the same time, agricultural and forestry production as well as various agro-industries annually produce tons of waste that can be used in the production of 100% biodegradable biocomposites, allowing a useful destination for these wastes and contributing to the circular economy.
With a central focus on the circular economy, we have created our company SPAWNFOAM specifically to commercialize our novel biocomposite material constituted by forest residues that function as a matrix that can be colonized by a fungal mycelium that will assume the role of bonding agent.
Our first application of the Spawnfoam material is a plant pot specifically engineered for the reforestation market, that increases the survival rate of plants, and also their growth, due to proprietary functionalization of our pot with specific minerals and structures that provide water and nutrients directly to plants, while protecting root systems and are biodegradable.
As a startup created in January 2017 specifically for the development and commercialization of SPAWNFOAM, this project is the core of our company’s strategy. We have secured a total of over 75.000€, of which 50.000€ from the Portuguese Environmental Fund to study the proof-of-concept of Spawnfoam and are now closing a 100.000€ grant to implement the pre-industrial proof of concept, our next milestone before large-scale implementation and global market replication, which we wish to study with the SME Instrument Phase 1 Feasibility Study.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering composites biocomposites
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- social sciences economics and business business and management business models
- social sciences economics and business economics sustainable economy
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries forestry
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
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H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
5000 033 VILA REAL
Portugal
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.