The YPACK project was evaluated by the European Commission’s Innovation Radar as “Business Ready”, in terms of market maturity, revealing itself as an innovation that brings together concrete market-oriented ideas. In terms of “market creation potential”, the innovation presented by the YPACK was classified as “Noteworthy”.
Innovation Radar is a European Commission initiative and method aimed at identifying high potential innovations and the key innovators behind them in EU-funded Research and Innovation projects. The data collected by this method is used to classify EU-funded innovations in terms of market maturity and disruptive potential, based on indicator systems developed by the Joint Research Centre. It supports innovators by suggesting a series of specific actions to help them realize their potential in the market.
It not only collects data sets on innovative potential, but also ensures that during the duration of their projects, EU-funded researchers and innovators receive expert advice on the most appropriate steps to reach the market with their innovation.
Innovation Radar aims to create a constant flow of promising technological companies that can scale up to future “industrial champions”. It is supported in this context by the EU-funded Innodec project, which is bridging the gap between investors and the investment opportunities presented by the emerging results of the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Using radar, the best EU-funded innovators are identified to compete with their EU-funded innovation for the annual Radar Innovation Prize.
The YPACK – Blow-extrusion of bio-degradable films of poly-hydroxyalkanoates (PHA) for production of flow pack bags and other packaging products project, developed in partnership with The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has as its main objective the pre-industrial scale and validation of two innovative food packaging solutions (thermoformed tray and flow pack) based on PHA, with active and passive barrier properties. The new packaging will use the by-products of the food industry (cheese whey and almond rind), ensure biodegradability and recyclability and reduce food waste, as part of the EU’s Circular Economy strategy.
António Vicente, researcher responsible for this project at the University of Minho, says that the new packaging already produced in pre-industrial quantities by YPACK will be tested very soon by the partners that the project has as representatives of the large distribution, in products such as lasagna ready to eat, meat products, among others. The project also included a study on the acceptance of the new packaging materials by consumers, with very encouraging results from this point of view as well.
The project has a duration of 36 months, ending in October 2020. More information about the project can be found at
