In a recent episode of the UNLOCK Podcast, host Sergio Pernas welcomed Charalambos Panayiotou from Atlantis Consulting to discuss the innovative European Union-funded UNLOCK project. This initiative aims to convert chicken feathers into bio-based plastics, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. The conversation explored the project's objectives, the role of Atlantis Consulting, and the broader implications for society and the economy.

Introduction to Atlantis Consulting

Charalambos Panayiotou began by introducing Atlantis Consulting, an organization founded in 2000 with a primary focus on environmental management. Atlantis Consulting believes in consolidating economic development with environmental protection through innovation. Their services include environmental monitoring and assessment, strategic environmental assessments, carbon footprinting, life cycle assessments, and eco-innovation projects.

Atlantis Consulting's Role in the UNLOCK Project

In the context of the UNLOCK project, Atlantis Consulting serves as the exploitation partner. They are responsible for developing exploitation and business plans, identifying value propositions within the value chain, and optimizing business models for each organization involved. This role involves ensuring that the project's results are viable for commercial exploitation.

Exploitation vs. Dissemination

Panayiotou explained the difference between exploitation and dissemination in the UNLOCK project. Exploitation focuses on maximizing the use of project results, finding pathways to bring them into the market, and developing business models for industrial partners. Dissemination, on the other hand, involves publicizing the project's achievements and making stakeholders aware of the results.

Key Exploitable Results

The UNLOCK project has identified several key exploitable results, grouped into three categories:

1. Commercially Exploitable Results: End products such as geotextiles, hydroponic foams, and mulches targeting the agricultural sector.
2. Technologies and Processes: Upstream technologies like steam explosion and microbial fermentation processes that condition feathers for further use.
3. Non-Commercial Results: Know-how and data for additional research, training, standardization, and policy development.

Exploitation Roadmap

Panayiotou outlined the exploitation roadmap for the UNLOCK project, which includes:

1. Negotiations with Industrial Partners: Engaging industrial partners to scale up production.
2. Optimization and Scaling Up: Collaborating with industrial partners to optimize processes.
3. Finalizing Value Proposition: Determining costs and pricing for products.
4. Marketing and Sales Strategy: Updating strategies based on optimized processes.
5. Joint Research: Continuing research within the UNLOCK project team.
6. Dissemination and Demonstration: Promoting results to policymakers, academia, and organizations.

Future of the UNLOCK Project

Panayiotou expressed optimism about the future of the UNLOCK project, highlighting the potential for technologies like feather conditioning to enter the market quickly. However, he noted that engaging industrial partners and addressing pricing barriers will be crucial for the project's success. Policy development, such as subsidies for bio-based products and regulatory enforcement, will also play a key role in driving market adoption.

Conclusion

The UNLOCK project, with its innovative approach to converting chicken feathers into bio-based plastics, has the potential to make a significant impact on sustainability and the economy. Atlantis Consulting's efforts in exploitation planning and business model optimization have been essential to the project's success. As the project moves beyond its initial phase, continued collaboration and exploration of new opportunities will be crucial in realizing its full potential.