Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
The first economically viable process for phosphate recycling (SusPhos)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: European innovation ecosystems
Theme: Elevating the scalability potential of European business
Destination: Elevating the scalability potential of European business
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: Women TechEU (HORIZON-EIE-2021-SCALEUP-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-07-01
End date: 2023-06-30
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 75000.0
EU funding (EUR): 75000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In the EU, phosphorus (P) is listed as a critical raw material. It is essential for life and there is no known substitute. P is a vital constituent in fertilisers; the EU's agricultural need is 3.9 Mt/yr. We import 90% of what we consume, and 90% of what we use is irreversibly lost. The SusPhos solution upcycles P-rich waste like Sewage Sludge Ash (SSA) or struvite into phosphates, iron & magnesium salts, and silica mixtures. Our high-quality, pathogen-free compounds are suitable for formulating fertilisers and phosphate-based flame retardants (FR). Reaction by-products are fine-chemicals in their own right, making our technology a near-zero waste process. Currently, there is no technology except ours that can upcycle SSA for direct use by FR or fertiliser manufacturers. Competing solutions for P recycling are cost-prohibitive. They all use water as a solvent, which means high energy requirements for solvent evaporation. Our patented solution uses merely waste heat, which allows us to price our phosphates on the same level as if they were derived from mined phosphate rock. We will create an independent EU supply of recycled P, reducing the EU’s dependence on supply and price volatility. By 2026, we project revenues of €33m and a >20% displacement of conventionally produced phosphates. Our circular P will eliminate CO2 from rock phosphate transport and reduce pollution caused by mining. Our “urban mines” (SusPhos plants) will create hundreds of jobs across the EU, and at SusPhos, we are striving to strengthen female leadership and inspire women to choose to conduct their higher education and build carriers in chemical engineering and raw materials (currently very male-dominated sectors). With the support of Women TechEU, we aim to upgrade our rollout plan and sharpen our business development skills so that we can grow large enough to become a leading technology provider for circular P, and to become and influential player in deep-tech innovation ecosystem.

Keywords: phosphate,recycling,upcycling,valorization,circular economy
Development of an instrumented hammer to assess the stability of hip implant during surgery: assessment of the commercial feasibility (Impactor)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS1 (ERC-2022-POC1, 2022)
Start date: 2022-11-01
End date: 2024-04-30
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Total hip replacement is widely used by orthopedic surgeons, with more than one million procedures per year worldwide. Failures still occur because of a bad implant primary stability or to the occurrence of fractures, inducing pain and increased costs for the healthcare system. Although implant primary stability is the main determinant of the implant success, it remains difficult to be assessed in clinical practice. Impactor is based on results obtained in the ERC CoG project BoneImplant and aims at developing and validating a medical device consisting in a decision support-system allowing the surgeon to assess the stability the acetabular cup and of the femoral stem. Such medical device is needed by the clinicians in order to adapt their surgical strategy. The objective of Impactor is i) to achieve a minimum viable product (MVP) that will be validated in vitro and in anatomical subjects, and ii) to investigate its commercial potential and design a subsequent commercial exploitation strategy via spin-off creation or licensing of the technology. We will explore the possibility to license the technology to WaveImplant, an already existing spin-off of the same laboratory. The originality of the approach is to use an orthopedic hammer instrumented with piezoelectric sensors, which does not modify the clinical protocol since implants are impacted in bone. Regulatory issues will be at the heart of the development and we will work in order to clear the regulatory pathway of the future medical device. The team is constituted by members with complementary skills (including engineers, a business developer and an orthopedic surgeon expert in implantology). Impactor will allow the promotion of innovative solution and services in orthopedic surgery. The long-term vision is for the technology to become a reference in orthopedic surgery. Strong impacts are associated to Impactor, in particular for surgeons, patients, implant manufacturers, the technology and the economy.
Low oxygen, key ingredient of the plant stem cell niche? (LOKI)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Biotechnology and Biosystems E ngineering
Panel description: Biotechnology using all organisms , biotechnology for environment  and food applications, applied plant and animal sciences , bioengineering and synthetic biology , biomass and biofuels , biohazards
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2022-STG, 2022)
Start date: 2023-03-01
End date: 2028-02-29
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Oxygen (O2) is essential for efficient energy conversion by multicellular organisms, including plants. Therefore, environmental conditions where O2 is limited (hypoxia) such as during flooding stress, pose a severe threat to plant survival and can lead to death when prolonged. I recently discovered that plant stem cells of the shoot apical meristem (SAM) are embedded in a local hypoxic niche and that this condition is even important for meristem activity. This suggests that local hypoxia may play a positive role in regulating meristems, despite being harmful to other plant tissue. Safeguarding the stem cell pool of the SAM is especially important for plant fitness, since it not only produces all above ground tissue, but also specifies the germline. In this project, I will therefore challenge the paradigm of hypoxia as a solely stressful conditions and propose that local hypoxia might create a protective environment for stem cells, whereas oxygenation outside the meristem might allow growth of differentiating organs. I will address this hypothesis via three interlinked strategies. (1) Complete the development of prototype O2 biosensors, which will unlock the ability to visualize and understand the role of O2 gradients in plant tissue. (2) Employ genetic manipulation of the O2 sensing machinery to test if and how O2 gradients provide a positional cue that spatially organizes the SAM and its derived organs. (3) Investigate the role of meristem hypoxia in formation of DNA-damaging radicals from O2 metabolism and study the evolution of the hypoxic niche and its perception. Protection of meristems and differentiating organs is essential for plants to survive flooding events which are increasing in frequency due to global warming. The novel insights on how O2 levels regulate development and the tools developed in this project will therefore be fundamental to make the strides forward that are needed to face global climate change and secure crop productivity under stress

Keywords: oxygen,hypoxia,n degron pathway,abiotic stress,stem cells,meristem,biosensor
B-resonance Algorithm using Rare Decays (BARD)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Fundamental Constituents of Matter
Panel description: Particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, and optical physics
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2023-STG, 2023)
Start date: 2024-09-01
End date: 2029-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1479375.0
EU funding (EUR): 1479375.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The Standard Model (SM) of particle physics provides a cogent, yet incomplete, description of matter and its fundamental interactions. Many theories aim to describe particles and forces beyond the SM of particle physics, but after ten years of data taking at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and hundreds of experimental measurements, only one deviation from the predictions of the SM has been observed .The Standard Model (SM) of particle physics provides a cogent, yet incomplete, description of matter and its fundamental interactions. Many theories aim to describe particles and forces beyond the SM of particle physics, but after ten years of data taking at the Large Hadron Collider and hundreds of experimental measurements, only one deviation from the predictions of the SM has been observed in a series of semi-leptonic decays of B-mesons (B anomalies). It is undeniable though that the third generation of fermion families have a special role in the SM and beyond and their study represents the pathway towards accessing new particles and forces. Taking into account the current exploitation of LHC data and the constraints set to new particles and forces in recent years, it is time to devote greater scientific focus to the search for new light particles that specially couple to third generation quarks. These particles might be within reach of the LHC, but haven’t been discovered yet due to experimental limitations (triggers). BARD is a new experimental technique that overcomes the limitations of light particle searches and provides a new way of performing data analysis searches for these particles. BARD will achieve this goal by advancing high-momentum resonance search methods using tools specific to the low-momentum B-physics field, in order to increase the available dataset and sensitivity for di-b-jet resonance particles. BARD’s innovation, exploiting the full LHC Run-3 data-taking, will provide a concrete chance at discovering these new particles.

Keywords: light b jet resonances b hadron decays dark matter trigger atlas large hadron collider beyond the standard model machine learning
WARESTACK: CONTINUOUS AGENTIC AUTOMATION FOR GDPR COMPLIANCE (Warestack)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Greece
Call: EIC Accelerator 2025 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-01, 2025)
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Warestack is a deep-tech company automating compliance for modern IT teams. It continuously collects operational data from software tools like GitHub, Slack, Jira and more, transforming it into audit-ready evidence for GDPR, ISO 27001, NIS2, and DORA. Using its Agentic AI rule engine, Warestack enables instant, verifiable reports and continuous compliance without manual effort, reducing audit time and cost while ensuring trust and accountability in software operations.

Keywords: compliance automation,ai,gdpr
How Mirror-Image Effects Shape Online Labour Markets (www.WORK)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Panel description: Political science, international relations, law
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2021-COG, 2021)
Start date: 2023-01-01
End date: 2027-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1992062.5
EU funding (EUR): 1992062.5
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The 'gig economy', where workers are hired through internet platforms to complete a one-time service task (a 'gig'), is growing into a major labour market. Yet, we still lack a theory of how it develops. Its online part, including tasks to be completed at the computer (e.g. programming or translations), constitutes the first truly global labour market. Faced with unprecedented competition, most gig workers offer their services at low rates that do not allow for insurances or building up pensions. Several governments therefore consider making social security contributions compulsory. But can regulation at the national level protect workers in online markets, or will the demand for online gigs simply relocate to low-wage, low-protection economies? Based on an interdisciplinary framework of theories on varieties-of-capitalism, innovation systems, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, I propose a new institutional theory on ‘mirror-image specialization’: I hypothesize that education and labour-market institutions lead requesters, platforms, and providers of online gig work to specialize in hiring, transacting, and offering those skills that are least available in their home labour markets. This leads to specialization patterns in a country’s online gig economy opposite to those in its traditional labour market. If this is the case, my theory breaks ground for a new paradigm in institutional research of online markets and indicates that national policy-making can protect gig workers without risking the relocation of gig demand. To enable this theoretical high-risk/high-gain contribution, I will go beyond the empirical state-of-the-art of single-platform studies by collecting novel, large-N data on gig requesters (WP1), platforms (WP2), and gig providers (WP3). Using quantitative and qualitative methods, I will go beyond the analytical state-of-the-art of one-time studies and analyse panel and time-stamped data to gain over-time insights into how the online gig economy unfolds.

Keywords: online labour markets,gig economy,political economy,institutional theory,varieties of capitalism,skills
Spin-mediated spectral conversion for efficient photovoltaics (SpinSC)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Italy,Australia
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2023-03-01
End date: 2025-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 188590.08
EU funding (EUR): 188590.08
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Improving the efficiency of photovoltaics (PV) is essential to accelerate the pursuit of carbon neutrality. As commercially available solar cells approach the 26% practical efficiency ceiling, we urgently need to find new ways to improve PV performance. A solution is to broaden the part of the incident solar spectrum that solar cells can absorb efficiently. The process of spectral conversion achieves this strategy by upconverting and downconverting the light wavelengths that are otherwise lost to transmission and heat. The spectral conversion processes that are key for photovoltaics are mediated by the spin of excited electronic states, whose short lifetime poses a challenge to their experimental investigation. However, the achievement of efficient spectral conversion depends on our ability to understand and control the complex quantum dynamics involved in these processes, which requires advanced theoretical and experimental methods. I have specialised in quantum system dynamics throughout my research career, becoming an expert in using analytical and numerical methods for their simulation. For my postdoctoral studies, I have undertaken an interdisciplinary path to apply my expertise to problems that I believe in having the highest urgency. I have worked on energy transport in molecular material for photovoltaics and collaborated with innovators in spectral conversion. With the same intentions, my objective is to determine the conditions for spectral conversion to occur efficiently in molecular materials. At the University of Padua, I will learn fundamental skills necessary for this research, receiving crucial training for optimising and controlling spin-mediated spectral conversion. There, I will work with Prof. Simone Montangero, who has pioneered methods for the simulation and control of complex quantum systems. The successful outcome of this research will guide the fabrication of spectral converters, essential for enhancing photovoltaic performance.

Keywords: photovoltaics efficiency,singlet fission,triplet triplet annihilation,photoswitching,hyperfine interaction,electron spin resonance,quantum optimal control
Novel and sustainable biotechnological approaches for astaxanthin and ketocarotenoids production (ASTEASIER)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Transition
Destination: Open to supporting projects in all areas of science, technology,...
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Italy,Portugal,Denmark
Call: EIC Transition Open 2022 (HORIZON-EIC-2022-TRANSITION-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-01-01
End date: 2024-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1982688.0
EU funding (EUR): 1982688.0
Participants: 4
Project status: CLOSED

Microalgae are photosynthetic unicellular microorganisms which can be cultivated at industrial level and adopted as sustainable platforms to produce high value biobased products. Astaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids are examples of high value metabolites which can be produced by microalgae and that are relevant for both human and animal nutrition. Astaxanthin is widely used in animal feed for its pigmentation properties, but it’s also used in nutraceutics, being among the strongest antioxidants found in nature. Despite the high potential of microalgae, nowadays astaxanthin is mainly derived from chemical synthesis, due to the high costs for natural astaxanthin production and extraction, with selling price in the market reaching several thousands of €/kg. However, synthetic astaxanthin has a far less antioxidant power compared to natural one and its production processes present several sustainability issues. The ASTEASIER project starts from the results of ERC PoC project Asteasy, where novel biotechnological solutions to efficiently produce natural astaxanthin were developed, reducing the production costs compared to the state-of-the-art processes. Moreover, the ASTEASIER solution allows an easy extraction of astaxanthin in a wide range of bland solvents, and the simultaneous production of both astaxanthin and omega-3, required for fish feed formulation, were developed. Here these innovations will be validated in demonstrator units and tested for aquaculture feed formulation. ASTEASIER proposal is thus focused on the development and validation of these novel methods to produce and extract astaxanthin from microalgae and aims, in line with the EIC Transition work Pogramme, to take the technologies to TRL6 and to spin-off a company who will become leader in engineering microalgae to produce and sell natural products such as astaxanthin for human and animal nutrition and wellness

Keywords: industrial biotechnology agricultural biotechnology and food biotechnology spin off companies business plan
Modelling Forest Community Responses to Environmental Change (MODFORGE)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Environmental B iology, Ecology  and E volution
Panel description: For all organisms : Ecology, biodiversity, environmental change , evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology , marine biology, ecophysiology, theoretical developments and mod elling
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2024-STG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-01-01
End date: 2029-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1498147.5
EU funding (EUR): 1498147.5
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Forests encompass enormous biodiversity and provide a wealth of ecosystem services responsible for the health, well-being, and livelihoods of humans worldwide. As the climate changes, trees are expected to experience unique climate conditions far exceeding their native ranges—a situation compounded by the proliferation of non-native species worldwide. Yet there remain few approaches for reliably projecting how forests will change over the coming century, in part because current models struggle to predict how groups of species will respond. The goal of this project is to overcome these limitations by pioneering a fundamentally new modelling approach to forecasting how communities—rather than single species—will respond to the twin threats of climate change and invasive species. To do this, the proposed work will incorporate a functional and abiotic backbone into a theoretical model of community-level coexistence, overcoming the key limitation of traditional species distribution models. By applying this model to high-resolution forest inventory data, we will quantify how species' traits interact with abiotic conditions, management history, and disturbance regimes to govern the composition and resilience of forests across North America. As a result, this approach will allow us to identify: (1) how functional traits shape forest community composition, (2) how abiotic conditions affect these relationships, (3) how management history, disturbance, and extreme events mediate co-occurrence, (4) how forest communities will change over the coming decades, (5) how native and non-native species' ranges will respond, and (6) the cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function. By providing robust projections of forest change across North America, these results will directly inform management efforts to foster resilient forests, while also pioneering a new generation of models for understanding how ecosystems will respond to environmental change.

Keywords: forest management,restoration ecology,species distribution modelling,statistical methods