Fifteen organisations, eight countries, one shared mission: on June 11 and 12, the FERM4FOOD consortium gathered in Valencia for two days of introductions, planning and hands-on collaboration.
Valencia, June 2026
The FERM4FOOD project officially came to life in June 2026, as representatives from all 15 partner organisations travelled to Valencia for the project's kick-off meeting (KOM), hosted by coordinator AINIA.
The meeting opened with each partner introducing themselves and their organisation, bringing together research centres, SMEs and industrial leaders from Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Germany and beyond. Partners were then walked through the project's ten work packages, before splitting into task-focused working groups to start shaping the roadmap ahead — timelines, dependencies and first concrete steps. The technical sessions closed with a visit to AINIA's facilities.
Beyond the meeting rooms, the first afternoon of the KOM included a guided tour of Valencia, organised by AINIA — a chance for partners to get to know the host city and each other outside a strictly work setting.
With introductions made, work done and relationships already forming, FERM4FOOD leaves Valencia with strong momentum for the work ahead.
