Kick off meeting

The INOVACEL project officially kicked off at a meeting held on January 24, 2025, at the University of Algarve. Led by Necton, and with S2AQUAcoLAB, GreenCoLab, and CCMAR as partners, the project aims to revolutionize the paradigm of animal protein production.

With a duration of three years and a budget of €1.3 million, INOVACEL aims to develop an alternative serum for cell culture based on microalgae. This innovative approach seeks to eliminate the use of animal-derived components, respecting the principles of animal welfare, food safety, and sustainability.

During the kick-off meeting, the different phases of the project were presented, from the production of microalgae biomass to the formulation of new culture media and tests with marine cell lines. In addition, the technical and scientific challenges associated with the transition to more circular practices in the context of cellular aquaculture were discussed.

This project, funded by the Algarve2030 program and the European Union, represents a strategic step toward consolidating the Algarve as an international benchmark in blue biotechnology innovation.