FibraTech
2024
Connect agriculture and industry through an underutilized local resource.
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Unlocking the value of hemp straw creates new opportunities to connect agriculture and industry at the local level.
Contexte
The FibraTech project aims to develop a decortication solution tailored to local needs by designing a simple, modular and accessible machine.
Its goal is to transform hemp straw into usable materials for a range of applications while creating a direct link between local farmers and industrial users.
Objectifs et impacts
Early work provided a better understanding of hemp straw properties and identified the key stages of the processing chain, including shredding, separation and carding.
A series of trials, ranging from simple low-tech approaches to mechanical testing, confirmed the feasibility of separating fibres from the woody core (shiv), while highlighting the parameters that need to be optimized to improve the quality of the final material.
The project also led to the design of the first decortication unit prototypes, using a scalable low-tech approach that paves the way for gradual industrial deployment.
Résultats
FibraTech is helping build a new local hemp value chain with benefits at multiple levels:
- Unlocking the value of an underutilized biomass resource
- Reducing reliance on imported materials
- Creating new opportunities for farmers
- Developing sustainable, low-carbon materials
In the long term, the project aims to process several hundred tonnes of hemp straw each year and enable new applications in construction, textiles and composite materials.
Partie(s) prenante(s) du projet
FungiCycle AI
2025
Combine technology and value creation to build a more resilient mushroom value chain.
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Unstable yields and production surpluses are closely linked: improving production planning also creates better opportunities to recover and add value to surplus harvests.
Contexte
Gourmet mushroom production in Switzerland has strong potential but remains fragile. Yields are inconsistent, production surpluses are common, and part of the harvest is still wasted due to a lack of suitable market opportunities.
At the same time, demand for locally produced, sustainable, plant-based foods is growing, creating new opportunities for innovative mushroom-based products.
Objectifs et impacts
The FungiCycle AI project addresses both challenges by combining technological innovation with product development.
On the production side, it is developing an AI-powered monitoring system using sensors to better understand and stabilize growing conditions. On the product side, it is turning surplus mushrooms into a range of food products, including mushroom jerky, to reduce waste and create added value.
Résultats
The initial work led to the development of a monitoring platform integrating multiple sensor technologies and the collection of the data needed to build predictive models.
At the same time, prototypes of mushroom-based food products were developed and tested, confirming the potential to transform surplus production into innovative food applications.
This integrated approach improves production consistency while creating new market opportunities, helping build a more resilient and sustainable mushroom value chain.
Partie(s) prenante(s) du projet
Lignin: A Natural, Sustainable Ingredient for Crop Protection
2025
Develop a natural alternative to chemical pesticides using biomass-derived resources.
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Lignin remains an underutilized resource, despite its strong potential for sustainable crop protection.
Contexte
Plant diseases are a major challenge for agriculture, with significant impacts on crop yields and food security. At the same time, the widespread use of chemical pesticides is raising growing concerns about environmental impact, human health, and biodiversity.
In this context, developing effective and sustainable biocontrol solutions has become a priority, although these alternatives still face challenges in terms of performance, regulatory approval, and market adoption.
Objectifs et impacts
The Lignin project harnesses the natural properties of lignin, an underutilized component of wood, to develop a bio-based crop protection agent.
Building on earlier laboratory research, the project focuses on validating these solutions under real-world conditions and developing a formulation suitable for agricultural use.
In the long term, it aims to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, unlock the value of biomass-derived resources, and support more sustainable agriculture that meets evolving environmental and regulatory expectations.
Résultats
The early phases of the project demonstrated the antifungal potential of several lignin-derived compounds, with promising results under laboratory conditions.
The project has now moved on to greenhouse and field trials, alongside the development of a stable, high-performance formulation to support future commercial deployment.
Partie(s) prenante(s) du projet
Alga Digest
2025
Improve the cultivation and use of microalgae to turn them into high-value food ingredients.
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The project combines optimised microalgae cultivation and processing to enhance their nutritional value.
Contexte
Microalgae are a promising source of functional food ingredients, thanks to their high content of proteins, amino acids and bioactive compounds.
However, their potential remains limited by two major challenges: scaling up cultivation processes efficiently and improving nutrient bioavailability, which is constrained by the resilience of their cell walls.
Objectifs et impacts
The project aims to develop an integrated approach to improve both the nutritional quality of microalgae and their industrial valorisation.
It explores innovative cultivation strategies to increase the concentration of beneficial compounds, such as β-glucans, while developing processing techniques that enhance nutrient bioavailability.
Ultimately, the project contributes to the development of more sustainable, high-value food ingredients while supporting the growth of a local microalgae industry.
Résultats
The project has demonstrated the potential of specific cultivation strategies, particularly under phosphate-limited conditions, to improve the nutritional profile of microalgae.
At the same time, innovative cell disruption technologies have been tested to enhance nutrient bioavailability, with promising initial results for the absorption of proteins and other essential compounds.
The project also includes production scale-up through trials in semi-open ponds to validate the industrial feasibility of these approaches.
Partie(s) prenante(s) du projet
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Biomass Valorisation
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Agriculture & Industry 4.0
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Dedicated funding mechanisms tailored to key focus areas and a wide range of innovation needs.
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