INNOVEN SRL

Their core work

INNOVEN is a Verona-based SME specializing in biobased and biodegradable packaging materials, with a strong focus on converting agricultural and food industry waste streams into functional biopolymers and packaging solutions. Their project portfolio shows consistent involvement in valorizing agro-food side-streams — from cheese whey and bakery waste to paper industry residues — transforming them into bioplastics, nutraceuticals, and sustainable packaging. They operate at the intersection of waste valorization and material science, bringing practical expertise in biopolymer processing and biodegradable material development to large European consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

INNOVEN's earliest H2020 projects (2016–2017) addressed broad waste valorization challenges — turning agricultural waste into useful products (NoAW) and recovering materials from wastewater (AFTERLIFE). From 2018 onward, their focus sharpened decisively toward biodegradable packaging and bioplastics, with GLOPACK, USABLE PACKAGING, and INGREEN all targeting sustainable material development from food and agro-industrial side-streams. This progression shows a clear move from general circular economy participation toward a specialized niche in biobased packaging materials.

INNOVEN is converging on sustainable packaging from biobased sources — expect them to pursue next-generation biodegradable materials with food-contact and compostability certifications.

How they like to work

INNOVEN operates exclusively as a consortium participant, never as coordinator, which is typical for a specialized SME contributing focused technical capabilities to larger research efforts. With 92 unique partners across 22 countries in just 5 projects, they work in large consortia (averaging ~18 partners per project) and appear comfortable integrating into complex multi-national teams. Their role pattern suggests they are valued for a specific technical contribution — likely biopolymer processing or material testing — rather than project management.

Despite only 5 projects, INNOVEN has built a remarkably broad network of 92 partners spanning 22 countries, giving them connections across most of the EU research landscape. This wide reach is driven by participation in large BBI and food-sector consortia rather than repeated partnerships with the same organizations.

What sets them apart

INNOVEN sits at a valuable crossroads: they understand both the waste/by-product side (what raw materials are available from food processing) and the materials science side (how to turn those into functional bioplastics and packaging). For consortium builders, this dual expertise means one partner can bridge the gap between agro-food waste generators and packaging end-users. As an Italian SME with hands-on industrial experience, they bring practical scale-up perspective that complements academic research groups.

Highlights from their portfolio

• USABLE PACKAGING
  Most directly aligned with their core identity — focused squarely on sustainable biodegradable packaging using biopolymers and bioplastics.
• GLOPACK
  Their highest-funded project (EUR 268,328) targeting low environmental impact packaging, representing their peak investment in the packaging space.
• INGREEN
  Expands their profile beyond packaging into functional food ingredients (prebiotics, nutraceuticals), showing versatility in valorizing agro-food side-streams.