150 million euros for industrial projects

2001/03/28 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Industria

The European Union has granted a grant of 150 million euros to 81 strategic projects aimed at developing new products, processes and materials. A total of about 1,000 participants have been gathered, representing an average of 10 participants per project. The European Union highlights the increase in cooperation between countries at the level of research and the participation of the industry. While many of the projects will be launched in the long term, almost 50% of participants are industrial organizations. However, the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises has not been as large as expected.

The European Union has indicated that the selected projects have remarkable scientific and technical characteristics and can have a potential strategic impact on both the needs of society and new markets. Below are two of these projects:

Algae-based bioadhesives: This is a project for medical applications. The objective is to produce biological adhesives of postoperative pasting of skin and mucous membranes, for which they have been directed to the sea. In fact, in the sea there are organisms that live stuck to the surfaces and that are not released in violent situations of tension. This project aims to learn from the adhesives that use these algae.

Polymers for optical applications: In electronics, computers, telecommunications, technology based on inorganic materials is currently used, but the trend towards polymeric materials is increasingly evident. The manufacture of polymers is simpler and cheaper. Silicon continues to dominate the market, but that of polymers is a research line that is being developed strongly. The European Union has subsidized projects that design, synthesize and produce new materials that can be useful for optical and electronic applications.

In addition, an improvement plan for the industrial methodology will be implemented. Within this project, all the factors to take into account when developing new products and services, such as the environment or ethics, will be defined, so that companies have an adequate development methodology. In addition, the E-CORE research network will be strengthened, which will promote and support interagency communication and cooperation.