The Plant Power Project is dedicated to transforming Europe’s food sector through innovation and sustainability. Our mission is to empower food SMEs, VET providers, and policymakers with the skills, resources, and strategies needed to embrace plant-based products and contribute to a greener future.

The Plant Power project believes in the power of knowledge and collaboration to drive positive change. Our project provides practical, accessible tools and training materials to help SMEs create innovative, eco-conscious products. For VET providers, we offer tailored resources to enhance their courses and equip learners with skills for the growing plant-based market. Policymakers gain strategies to promote sustainable growth, economic resilience, and climate action.

TOMAS 2.0 aims to promote social inclusion in the agrifood sector by enhancing migrants’ employability and socioprofessional integration. Through an innovative e-learning VET course and its massive delivery online and across 7 countries, we seek to empower migrants with knowledge of EU labor market, their rights, and the ‘European’ hosting culture. The digital and visual optimization of an e-learning course dedicated to migrant workers in the agrifood sector will respond to the target groups’ and VET’s need to foster accessible and innovative opportunities for marginalized groups of learners. The massive deployment of the training in 7 different countries will allow to reach a very high number of migrants, including those more at risk of exclusion and those who do not have sufficient digital skills to follow the course online.

This project aims at developing a model and innovative intelligent project management system that will support public and private entities to implement the procedures, harmonize with international policies and leverage new IoT, AI/Machine Learning and BlockChain technologies to document / certify that a project contributes to environmental sustainability. The system will provide a technological framework through which public bodies and companies will be able to control, measure, visualize and provide certified and complete data that reliably demonstrates that a project is indeed following policies, aligning with guidelines and ensuring significantly in reducing the environmental footprint in the processes it completes as well as in the end results / deliverables. The primary benefit is the control and reduction of pollutants, the minimization of air pollution and the negative impact that a project has on the environment, waste management, as well as the ability of operators to certify that they harmonize and respect EUs and international directives. The added value for the agencies / organizations / companies is significant as in this way they gain access to new funding / support and gain a healthy competitive edge in their market of activity.

TOMAS 2.0 aims to promote social inclusion in the agrifood sector by enhancing migrants’ employability and socioprofessional integration. Through an innovative e-learning VET course and its massive delivery online and across 7 countries, we seek to empower migrants with knowledge of EU labor market, their rights, and the ‘European’ hosting culture. The digital and visual optimization of an e-learning course dedicated to migrant workers in the agrifood sector will respond to the target groups’ and VET’s need to foster accessible and innovative opportunities for marginalized groups of learners. The massive deployment of the training in 7 different countries will allow to reach a very high number of migrants, including those more at risk of exclusion and those who do not have sufficient digital skills to follow the course online.

UPRAISE addresses the critical need for advanced and interdisciplinary digital skills in the Virtual Worlds economy. The project delivers innovative education and training programs, equipping a workforce with expertise in e.g. XR, AI, Digital Twins, blockchain, IoT, and the integration of sustainability, ethics, and entrepreneurship in digital solutions. By offering modular, personalized, and industry-aligned curricula, it meets the evolving needs of both industry and society. The project unites 26 beneficiaries (9 HEIs, 8 industry, 9 hubs/RTO/VET organizations) and additional 9 associated partners (one of which, SUPSI, involved in most tasks) from 11 European countries, . This diverse consortium fosters cross-border collaboration, ensuring a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to education and innovation. UPRAISE will deliver programs across all partners, awarding 2,500+ bachelor, master, and MBA degrees, and 1,600+ certifications based on self-standing modules. An AI-powered platform will support personalized study plans, alongside with integrated labs with immersive XR learning environments across multiple verticals (manufacturing, energy, healthacare, education/creativity, food and PA), a shared repository of educational resources, ensuring flexible, high-quality access and continuos services to monitor industry trends and inform curricula, ensuring programs address emerging skills gaps. Dedicated train-the-trainer programs will upskill teaching staff, while mentorship and financial support promote inclusivity, particularly in underrepresented regions. The resulting Next Generation Stakeholder Network for Virtual Worlds will connect academia, industry, and policymakers beyond the project’s end, fostering resource sharing and the co-creation of scalable solutions that drive Europe’s digital and green transitions.

The use of pesticides on crops presents a significant risk of consumer exposure to harmful chemical residues, underscoring the need to explore safer alternatives for both humans and plants. GuardAgents will address this challenge by developing new biopesticides that target the Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), a major threat to crops around the world. GuardAgents will develop a new generation of efficient, cost-effective small antibodies, so-called nanobodies to enhance plant immunity, reduce pesticide dependency and contribute significantly toward sustainable agriculture. GuardAgents will also advance technological innovation in plant protection, minimize ecological impact, and foster long-term agricultural sustainability. A multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art approach will be employed producing recombinant nanobodies through in vitro and in vivo approaches involving E. coli and plants, followed by biophysical characterization using advanced analytical techniques. Molecular farming techniques will be applied to produce nanobodies in plants, followed by functional comparisons to in vitro-produced nanobodies. The antiviral efficacy of the developed nanobodies will be tested in plants through transient expression and transformation. Additionally, toxicity studies will be performed involving plant cell cultures, invertebrate and vertebrate animals, while environmental impact assessments will be conducted to ensure biosafety. This research seeks to optimize nanobody-based strategies for sustainable viral disease control in crops.

The ENFiber COST Action addresses the challenge of food processing waste by transforming it into high value fibers using innovative and sustainable methods. This initiative meets the environmental and societal demand for waste reduction and circular bio-economy solutions. With food by-products often discarded or underutilized, ENFiber unlocks their potential by promoting scalable green extraction technologies and implementing advanced characterization techniques. The main challenge is to scale fiber production from food processing waste, making it both commercially viable and environmentally sustainable. To achieve this, ENFiber will identify fiber-rich waste streams, explore non-destructive analytical methods, develop extraction methodologies to maximize yields, assess the environmental impact of the processes, and pursue product development opportunities. Collaboration between researchers, industry, and policymakers will ensure alignment with regulatory frameworks and market demands. ENFiber is organized into Working Groups focused on extraction, characterization, product development, sustainability, and dissemination. The network will promote capacity building through training schools, Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs), Virtual Mobility (VM) grants, and industry-academic partnerships, providing opportunities for early-career researchers to develop expertise and expand their networks. Aligned with the EU’s circular economy and Green Deal objectives, ENFiber promotes sustainable waste management and aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It also supports global environmental goals by creating value-added products for the food, pharmaceutical, and packaging industries. ENFiber aims to deliver tangible outcomes such as new fiber-based products, market-ready technologies, and regulatory recommendations, contributing to sustainable food systems and reducing the environmental impact of waste