FUNDACION EMPRESA UNIVERSIDAD GALLEGA

Their core work

FEUGA is the Galician Business-University Foundation, a bridge organization that connects academic research at Galician universities with industry needs. In H2020 projects, they specialize in technology transfer, knowledge dissemination, and multi-actor engagement — translating scientific findings into practical applications for farmers, industry, and regional authorities. Their core contribution is managing the communication, training, and exploitation pathways that help research results reach end users, particularly in agri-food systems and sustainable agriculture. They also bring regional demonstration capacity in Galicia, one of Europe's key wine-growing and agroforestry regions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FEUGA's early H2020 involvement (2015-2018) was broad and exploratory — smart cities, urban energy districts, governance, and citizen co-creation through projects like SMARTER TOGETHER and WINETWORK. From 2019 onward, their portfolio sharpened dramatically toward sustainable agriculture: soil biodiversity, pesticide reduction, agroecology, IPM knowledge networks, and livestock genomics. This shift signals a strategic decision to concentrate on agri-food systems where Galicia has natural strengths — viticulture, agroforestry, and livestock farming.

FEUGA is consolidating around agri-food sustainability — expect future involvement in pesticide alternatives, precision agriculture, and climate-resilient farming systems.

How they like to work

FEUGA never coordinates — they operate exclusively as a participant or third party, which fits their mission as a transfer and dissemination organization rather than a research leader. With 259 unique partners across 35 countries, they are a connector rather than a repeat-partner organization, joining large consortia (typical for multi-actor RIA and IA projects). This makes them easy to integrate into new consortia: they bring dissemination infrastructure, regional demonstration sites, and farmer/industry engagement without competing for the scientific lead.

Exceptionally broad network of 259 partners across 35 countries, reflecting their participation in large multi-actor consortia. Their geographic reach spans all of Europe with no single-country concentration, making them well-connected across Southern, Western, and Northern European research communities.

What sets them apart

FEUGA's distinctive value is the university-industry bridge function: they are neither a university nor a company, but a foundation specifically designed to move knowledge between the two. In Galicia — a region with strong wine, agroforestry, and livestock traditions — they provide access to regional farmer networks and demonstration environments that pure research institutions cannot offer. For consortium builders, FEUGA solves the common problem of "who handles dissemination and end-user engagement in Spain's northwest."

Highlights from their portfolio

• TransformAr
  Their largest single funding (EUR 333,625) and a move into climate adaptation — signals strategic expansion beyond traditional agri-food work.
• GEroNIMO
  Genome and epigenome breeding project represents FEUGA's entry into advanced genetics/genomics, their most scientifically ambitious topic area.
• IPMWORKS
  EU-wide farm demonstration network for integrated pest management — epitomizes FEUGA's core strength in multi-actor knowledge sharing across farming communities.