CONTACTICA SL

Their core work

Contactica is a Madrid-based SME specializing in the valorisation of agri-food by-products and biomass into high-value functional ingredients, bio-based materials, and sustainable food and feed products. They develop biorefinery processes that transform waste streams from olive, grape, eucalyptus, and macroalgae processing into usable compounds such as polyphenols, prebiotics, natural antioxidants, and alternative proteins. Their work spans the full chain from extraction technology to application in animal nutrition, human food, and bio-based materials like bioplastics and activated carbon.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), Contactica worked on diverse material processing — olive oil valorisation, lignin-to-carbon-fibre conversion, and activated carbon regeneration — suggesting a broad industrial chemistry orientation. From 2019 onward, their focus sharpened decisively toward food system sustainability: alternative proteins, functional food ingredients, natural antimicrobials for livestock, and circular biorefinery from agricultural waste. This shift reflects a clear strategic pivot from general materials chemistry toward the agri-food bioeconomy.

Contactica is consolidating around circular bioeconomy for food systems — expect them to pursue projects on plant-based proteins, functional ingredients from waste streams, and natural alternatives to antibiotics in livestock.

How they like to work

Contactica balances leadership and partnership roles almost evenly (4 as coordinator, 5 as participant), indicating an organization comfortable both driving projects and contributing specialized expertise within larger teams. With 103 unique consortium partners across 21 countries, they maintain a broad and diverse European network rather than relying on a small circle of repeat collaborators. This makes them a flexible partner who can bring connections and coordination experience to new consortia.

Contactica has built a wide network of 103 unique partners across 21 countries through 9 projects, demonstrating strong pan-European reach. Their collaboration footprint spans Southern, Western, and Northern Europe with no apparent geographic concentration beyond their Spanish base.

What sets them apart

Contactica occupies an unusual niche as a Spanish SME that bridges industrial bioprocessing with agri-food application — they don't just extract compounds, they understand how to turn agricultural waste into market-ready food, feed, and biomaterial products. Their coordination track record (4 of 9 projects led) is remarkable for an SME, signalling strong project management and proposal-writing capability. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: hands-on biorefinery expertise, proven coordination skills, and a 100+ partner network across Europe.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ALEHOOP
  Their largest-funded project (EUR 413K) and a coordinator role, tackling sustainable proteins from macroalgae and legumes — directly aligned with the EU protein transition agenda.
• EUCALIVA
  Demonstrates their earlier materials science capability — converting eucalyptus lignin waste into advanced carbon fibres, a technically demanding cross-sector application.
• NeoGiANT
  Addresses the urgent need to reduce antibiotic use in livestock by developing grape-derived natural antimicrobials — a topic at the intersection of food safety, animal welfare, and One Health policy.