InBiot, Bromalgae and Blue Circular Innovation lead the way to Net Zero
6 December 2024
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Key players from the Portuguese and Spanish manufacturing sectors gathered in Porto for the Manufacturing Impact Week to address pressing industrial challenges. The three-day event, organised by EIT Manufacturing, reached a key moment with BoostUp! IBERIA. This highlight featured a startup competition focused on Net Zero approaches, alongside insights from renowned speakers, including Ana Lehmann, Professor at FEP-U.Porto, and Luisa Magalhães, Executive Director at Smart Waste Portugal.
Antoni Pijoan (Managing Director of EIT Manufacturing West), Ana Lehmann (Professor at FEP-U.Porto), Vasco Teles (Coordinator EIT Manufacturing Portugal Hub) and Luisa Magalhães (Executive Director at Smart Waste Portugal).
As the world faces the urgent realities of climate change, demonstrated by extreme events like the recent floods in Valencia, industries across Europe are rising to meet the challenge. The manufacturing sector is central to this effort, the Manufacturing Impact Week brought together a community of leaders to explore innovative solutions for industrial decarbonisation and the future of sustainable manufacturing.
Over several days, more than 200 corporate leaders, startups, SMEs and academia shared knowledge, showcased cutting-edge technological advancements and collaborated on strategies aimed at reducing emissions, boosting carbon absorption, and accelerating sustainability across the manufacturing industry. This series highlighted the growing urgency for industries to set ambitious goals that not only meet but exceed the European Green Deal’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Furthermore, it emphasised the need for cooperation across industries, sectors, and borders to address the complexities of decarbonisation.
One of the panels held during the event at Casa da Música, Porto.
Despite notable progress, the event served as a reminder that the path to net-zero emissions remains challenging. Ana Lehmann, Professor at FEP-U.Porto and Board Member and Chair in several industries, emphasised the importance of Europe maintaining its leadership role, stating:
‘Advanced manufacturing is clearly the key area where Europe has been leading the way, particularly in the context of the much-needed green transition. Yet, Europe faces considerable challenges, and its competitive position is at risk across many industries.’
Lehmann continued:
‘For Europe to maintain its competitiveness and relevance on the global stage, it must not give up on its outstanding industrial tradition. Events like BoostUp! IBERIA, and the multiple initiatives by EIT Manufacturing, are crucial in bringing together key stakeholders—corporates, startups, research centers, and more—to keep Europe’s leadership and innovation alive.’
Ana Lehmann, Professor at FEP-U.Porto and Board Member and Chair in several industries
Energy efficiency, CO2 reduction and circularity were the winning topics
While fundamental principles like reducing, reusing, and recycling are essential, the manufacturing sector must now explore more diverse and innovative strategies to address indirect emissions and improve carbon absorption. Collaboration among industry players is crucial to ensuring that successful practices are shared and scaled effectively. Luisa Magalhães, Executive Director at Smart Waste Portugal and a keynote speaker at BoostUp! IBERIA, shared her insights:
‘The transfer of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration between all stakeholders—companies, governments, academia, and research centres—are fundamental on the path to net-zero emissions.’
Luisa Magalhães, Executive Director at Smart Waste Portugal
EIT Manufacturing’s event series in Porto reinforced the critical need to accelerate the decarbonisation of Europe’s economy. There is a clear benefit to fostering more collaborative, transparent, and innovative value chains, which will drive new business models and opportunities for digital transformation. Caroline Viarouge, CEO at EIT Manufacturing, underscored the strength of cross-border collaboration:
‘Spain and Portugal represent a formidable force in European manufacturing and by working closely together, we can achieve so much more.’
Caroline Viarouge, CEO at EIT Manufacturing
Innovative startups awarded
The event also served as a vital platform for startups, whose agility and fresh perspectives play a pivotal role in driving innovation within the manufacturing sector. By supporting large corporations in their journey to achieve ambitious climate goals, startups are an essential part of the industrial decarbonisation movement.
The first Iberian BoostUp! competition recognised the following winners for their innovative ideas on energy efficiency, CO2 reduction, and circularity:
- InBiot, a startup specialised in smart solutions for monitoring and improving indoor air quality (1st);
- Bromalgae, an innovative technology company that aims to design and develop high-precision chemical and biological solutions for the reduction of polluting gases, mainly CO2 and NOx, generated and emitted during combustion processes (2nd);
- Blue Circular Innovation, a startup enhancing traceability and sustainability across industries, fostering environmental sustainability, supporting disruptive innovation, and boosting competitiveness through reskilling and upskilling initiatives (3rd).
Winner startups: Blue Circular Innovation, InBiot and Bromalgae.
