The BETA TC obtains its first EIC Pathfinder project, a new milestone in its European positioning

Europe is facing one of the great industrial challenges of the coming years: reducing dependence on fossil-based plastics without compromising the technical performance of these materials. To address this challenge, the SUSHI-PACK project will be launched in the coming months, the first EIC Pathfinder project in which the BETA Technology Centre of the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) will participate. This project represents a leap forward in the centre’s European positioning, as it is one of the most competitive calls at a European level for projects focused on the development of emerging technologies with high transformative potential.

Specifically, the BETA CT will assume the coordination of SUSHI-PACK, with the direct support of the Italian company Greenoil S.R.L. to carry out this task. The consortium will be made up of eight partners from five European countries, including universities and companies specialized in chemistry, biotechnology and materials development.

SUSHI-PACK aims to develop new high-performance packaging materials from algae polysaccharides and regenerated used cooking oils. Through the combination of biotechnological and chemical processes, the aim is to generate new types of polymers capable of competing with conventional plastic materials and contributing to the reduction of Europe’s dependence on fossil resources.

Validating sustainable alternatives in real conditions

The challenge is not only to develop new materials, but also to demonstrate their viability in real industrial conditions and compliance with European environmental and regulatory requirements. In this sense, the CT BETA leads the work package dedicated to the evaluation of the sustainability, circularity and safety of the materials developed.

The CT BETA team will analyze the environmental impact of these materials throughout their entire life cycle —including emissions, resource consumption and end-of-life options such as compostability or biodegradation— with the aim of ensuring that the proposed alternatives offer a real environmental benefit and avoid unwanted impacts.

In a context of increasing regulatory pressure on packaging and single-use plastics, this validation is key to facilitating the scalability and industrial adoption of new solutions.

Boosting emerging technologies with transformative potential

EIC Pathfinder projects are designed to evolve technologies in their initial stages, with high risk and disruptive potential, and with the capacity to transform productive sectors. It is an instrument aimed at exploring new scientific and technological approaches with the potential to generate significant advances in the medium and long term.

Within this framework, the SUSHI-PACK project will demonstrate that these new alternatives can compete with conventional materials not only in sustainability, but also in performance and industrial viability, placing this evidence at the center of the European debate on the future of materials.