Mi-Hy and CONFETI joined forces in ‘Bio-based Circular Economy’ webinar
This webinar, part of DEEPSYNC’s Future Tech Week 2025, highlighted how cross-sector partnerships and scientific breakthroughs are shaping the future of environmental sustainability
On April 8, the DEEPSYNC platform—a collaborative hub designed to boost the impact of EIC Communities projects—hosted a dynamic online event entitled 'Bio-Based Circular Economy'. This webinar was part of Future Tech Week 2025, a celebration of frontier research and innovation funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC). The session highlighted two pioneering projects—Mi-Hy and CONFETI—united by their mission to reshape the future of carbon and nitrogen management through bio-based, circular solutions.
Among the attendees were also the coordinators of their respective projects: Rachel Armstrong (Mi-Hy, KU Leuven) and Gonzalo Guirado (CONFETI, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), both of whom play key roles in steering the research and strategy of these forward-thinking initiatives.
The event opened with a welcome session led by Rachel Armstrong. In her opening remarks, Armstrong emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy across European innovation efforts. She highlighted the strength of the EIC CO2 and Nitrogen Management and Valorization Portfolio (EIC CO2NValorization Portflio) which brings together eight EIC Pathfinder projects—Mi-Hy, CONFETI, SUPERVAL, ICONIC, ECOMO, DAM4CO2, HYDROCOW, and MINICOR—to develop bio-based technologies that close the carbon and nitrogen loops.
The first presentation introduced Mi-Hy, an innovative initiative that integrates microbial electrochemical systems with hydroponics to simultaneously capture CO₂, recover nitrogen from wastewater, and support sustainable urban agriculture. The presentation, given by Dibyojyoty Nath, Research Fellow at the University of Southampton, highlighted the project's development of new materials for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) that can power both agriculture and environmental recovery. With a vision for real-world deployment, Mi-Hy is also working on commercial strategies under the guidance of Yannis Ieropoulos.
Susana Liébana Girona, Industry Liaison Advisor at the Parc de Recerca UAB (PRUAB), presented 'Beyond CONFETI: UAB's Contribution to Circular Bio-Based Technologies', highlighting UAB’s broader role in advancing circular bio-based innovation through multiple European initiatives, including CONFETI. Finally, she discussed CONFETI's novel method of converting CO₂ and nitrogen compounds into urea using renewable energy, an approach that promotes both decarbonization and a circular economy.
In the third presentation, Ezgi Öğün Ramalhete from KU Leuven spoke about ACORN. She positioned it as a connector across the portfolio and how it focuses on developing sustainable business models and creating market pathways for bio-based carbon and nitrogen products.
The webinar concluded with an opportunity for participants to engage directly with the speakers in themed breakout rooms. These small-group discussions sparked lively exchanges and provided a unique opportunity to explore technical details, discuss implementation challenges, and envision future collaborations.
Hosted on the DEEPSYNC platform, the webinar showcased how collaboration and cutting-edge research are driving progress in environmental sustainability and paving the way for a more circular and resilient bioeconomy in Europe.
