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A new standard for food safety and quality

Project description

Digitising food quality control to prevent waste

Half of all fruit and vegetables produced every year never get eaten. In fact, fruit and vegetables have the highest wastage rates of any food type. There is a way to reverse this trend. The EU-funded ImpactVision project will conduct a feasibility study on a new hyperspectral imaging technology for the food supply chain. Designed for food processors, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, this technology can be used to improve food quality, generate consistent products and reduce waste. For instance, it can assess the freshness of fish, the ripeness of avocados or the presence of foreign objects immediately and non-invasively. Specifically, the imaging technology is able to capture real-time food quality data – information that the human eye cannot see.

Objective

ImpactVision is a machine learning company, applying advanced imaging technology to food supply chains in order to improve food quality, generate consistent products and reduce waste. Our software provides insights about the quality of foods and is aimed at food processors, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. For example, our system is able to determine the freshness of fish, the ripeness of avocados or the presence of foreign objects rapidly, non-invasively and at production grade speeds.

Hyperspectral imaging technology captures information our eyes cannot, in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our goal is to provide objective, real-time food quality data to the 30,000+ food processing facilities across the USA and improve efficiency of the global food supply chain. Currently, a third of all food produced is wasted. To illustrate the environmental impact at scale, managing food waste sustainably could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 500 million tonnes - the equivalent of taking all the cars off the road in the European Union. By digitizing food quality control, we improve yields and prevent waste, whilst increasing food companies’ revenues, which is particularly prescient considering the industry has razor thin profit margins.

ImpactVision combines a hyperspectral sensor installed above a conveyor belt with software that analyzes images and provides real time insights about quality.

By pursuing the present feasibility study, the management team aims to improve its understanding of international market conditions and the associated risks that need to be considered as the company develops a deeper business plan for rolling out, and scaling up ImpactVision as a marketable innovative solution. SME Instrument Phase-1 and Phase-2 will be extremely beneficial in helping the company to accelerate development and market penetration of the solution in target segments, boosting the company’s growth to 94 employees and $109M revenues by 2024.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

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.

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.

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.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

IMPACTVISION UK LTD
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 50 000,00
Address
44 NOTTINGHAM ROAD
NG18 1BL MANSFIELD
United Kingdom

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
East Midlands (England) Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire North Nottinghamshire
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

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.

€ 71 429,00
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