Italian aquaponics company in Termeno Tramin seeks research partner for LIFE project on phosphorus recovery from land-based aquaculture; EoI deadline Sep 10 2026
Italian aquaponics company seeks research partner for LIFE project on phosphorus recovery from land-based aquaculture | Enterprise Europe Network
Term of Validity: 27 August 2026 - 27 August 2027
Deadline for EoI: 10 Sep 2026
Deadline of the call: 22 Sep 2026
Summary - Profile Type - Research & Development Request - POD Reference - RDRIT20260827017 - Term of Validity - 27 August 2026 - 27 August 2027 - Company’s Country - Italy - Type of partnership - Research and development cooperation agreement - Targeted Countries - All countries General information - Short Summary - An Italian aquaponics company is preparing a LIFE proposal on sustainable land-based aquaculture, focused on phosphorus recovery, agricultural reuse and resource efficiency. It seeks a research partner with expertise in recovering and conditioning phosphorus-rich liquid and solid streams and assessing their agronomic use. The project also covers sustainable fish production, animal welfare and replication in different agricultural regions. - Full Description - The innovative Italian company specialises in the development and demonstration of aquaponic systems for sustainable land-based freshwater fish production. Its technology combines recirculating aquaculture with the productive reuse of water and nutrients in agriculture, aiming to reduce freshwater consumption, nutrient losses and the environmental footprint of fish farming. The company develops integrated solutions covering aquaculture engineering, water and nutrient management, renewable energy integration, digital monitoring and agricultural applications. At its demonstration and research site in Termeno
Tramin (South Tyrol, Italy), the company operates and tests aquaponic and aquavoltaic systems under real production conditions, and collaborates with research institutions, agricultural partners and technology providers in regional and European R&D projects. Through its upcoming LIFE Programme project, the company aims to scale and further optimise this integrated system, focusing on the recovery and conditioning of phosphorus-rich liquid and solid streams and on assessing their agronomic use. The project will also test the system’s performance and transferability across different climatic and agricultural regions, addressing sustainable fish production, animal welfare and wider replication of the technology. To carry out this work, the company is seeking a university, research centre or applied research organisation with strong expertise in phosphorus recovery from nutrient-rich streams and in the agronomic evaluation of recovered fertilising products — able to combine process-side technology assessment with the scientific design and supervision of field trials (see “Type and Role of Partner Sought” below for full details). - Stage of Development - Already on the market - Sustainable Development Goals - Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being - Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Goal 2: Zero Hunger - Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - IPR status - IPR granted Partner Sought - Expected Role of a Partner - The Italian company is looking for a university, research centre or applied research organisation with strong expertise in phosphorus recovery from liquid and solid nutrient-rich streams, ideally with experience in aquaculture, wastewater, agricultural residues or comparable circular resource systems. The sought partner should combine theoretical and applied research capabilities. On the process side, the partner is expected to assess, compare and help select suitable technologies for the separation, recovery, concentration and conditioning of phosphorus originating from land-based aquaculture and aquaponic systems. Particular attention should be given to recovery efficiency, phosphorus availability, product quality, stability, technical feasibility and suitability for subsequent agricultural use. Expertise in nitrogen management is also welcome, but phosphorus recovery is the primary focus of the collaboration. On the agronomic side, the partner should contribute to the design and scientific supervision of field trials using phosphorus-rich recovered or conditioned fractions. This should include the definition of experimental protocols, monitoring and sampling strategies, laboratory analyses, data evaluation and the assessment of phosphorus availability, plant uptake, soil effects and potential environmental impacts. The agricultural partners and the company can carry out routine sampling and field operations according to agreed protocols, while the research partner provides the scientific methodology, supervision and interpretation of results. The ideal partner should therefore be able to connect phosphorus recovery technologies with practical agricultural validation. Access to suitable laboratory facilities for phosphorus analysis and characterisation is highly desirable. Experience with phosphorus speciation, fertiliser development, soil-plant systems, nutrient balances, circular economy approaches or agricultural by-product valorisation would be an advantage. Within the LIFE project, the research partner is expected to contribute to: • the identification and scientific assessment of suitable phosphorus recovery and treatment processes; • the comparison of different recovery, concentration and conditioning strategies; • the development of phosphorus and mass balances for relevant liquid and solid streams; • the design and scientific supervision of agronomic field trials; • the evaluation of phosphorus availability and recovery efficiency; • the assessment of soil, plant and environmental effects; • the scientific validation of results and their transferability to other agricultural and climatic contexts; • the preparation of recommendations for replication and wider implementation. The project is intended to demonstrate an integrated approach linking sustainable land-based aquaculture, phosphorus recovery and agricultural reuse. The research partner should therefore be interested in working closely with the company and agricultural demonstration partners under real operating conditions. Geographical proximity to South Tyrol would be advantageous for regular coordination, site visits and scientific supervision, but it is not a mandatory requirement. Research organisations with particularly strong expertise in phosphorus recovery, aquaculture-related phosphorus streams or agronomic validation are explicitly encouraged to participate, even if located further away. Where appropriate, routine sampling can be carried out by the company and agricultural partners according to agreed protocols, while samples can be shipped to the research partner’s laboratories for analysis. This allows specialised institutions from other European regions to contribute their expertise without the need for permanent on-site presence. - Type and Size of Partner - R&D Institution - University - Other - Type of partnership - Research and development cooperation agreement Call details - Framework program - Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials - Call title and identifier - LIFE-2026-SAP-ENV-ENVIRONMENT – Circular Economy and Zero Pollution - Coordinator required - Yes - Deadline for EoI - Deadline of the call - Web link to the call - https:
standard-action-projects-saps-circular-economy-and-zero-pollution-environment-0_en - Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials Dissemination - Technology keywords - 07001001 - Agriculture Machinery
Technology - 010002009 - Water Pollution
Treatment - 010002008 - Soil Pollution - 07003001 - Aquaculture - Market keywords - 08004003 - Water treatment equipment and waste disposal systems - 05009002 - Fish health - 09005 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Animal Husbandry & Related Products - 08001022 - Agricultural chemicals - Targeted countries - All countries