ABS-INTERNATIONAL

Their core work

ABS-International is a Belgian SME specializing in applied microbiology and bioprocess services for the food, agriculture, and marine sectors. They bring expertise in microbial community analysis, strain engineering, and bioactive compound development to EU research consortia. Their work spans from marine biorefinery processes and aquaculture sustainability to biogas optimization through synthetic microbial communities. They serve as a technical partner translating microbiome science into practical applications for circular bioeconomy and food system challenges.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ABS-International's early H2020 work (2016) centered on marine resource valorization — extracting value from macroalgae (MACRO CASCADE) and training the next generation of marine biodiscovery scientists (MarPipe). From 2021 onward, their focus sharpened significantly toward microbiome applications, with projects applying microbial communities to biogas production, crop disease suppression, and aquaculture sustainability. The trajectory shows a clear shift from broad marine bioprocessing toward targeted microbiome engineering for circular economy and food security outcomes.

ABS-International is converging on microbiome-based solutions for food and agriculture, positioning them well for Horizon Europe calls in sustainable food systems and circular bioeconomy.

How they like to work

ABS-International operates exclusively as a consortium participant, never taking the coordinator role across all five projects. With 60 unique partners across 18 countries, they demonstrate broad network reach and avoid clustering with the same groups repeatedly. This pattern suggests a flexible, service-oriented SME that integrates into diverse consortia as a technical contributor rather than driving project direction — making them a low-friction partner to onboard.

Broad European network spanning 60 unique partners across 18 countries, reflecting involvement in medium-to-large RIA and MSCA consortia. No single geographic cluster dominates — their partnerships are distributed across the EU research landscape.

What sets them apart

ABS-International occupies a niche at the intersection of marine biotechnology and applied microbiology — a combination relatively rare among Belgian SMEs. Their ability to work across both training networks (MSCA) and large research-innovation actions (RIA, BBI-RIA) shows versatility in consortium formats. For a consortium builder, they offer hands-on microbiome and bioprocess expertise without the overhead of a large research institute.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MARBLES
  Their largest project (EUR 489K) and most thematically rich — combines marine bioprospecting, microbiome science, and agricultural bioprotection in a single effort.
• MICRO4BIOGAS
  Represents their circular economy pivot, applying synthetic biology and microbial engineering to renewable energy production.
• MACRO CASCADE
  Their earliest H2020 project, establishing their marine biorefinery credentials through macroalgal cascading valorization.