Spanish aquaponics SME operating integrated fish-and-vegetable production systems, serving as a research demonstration site for sustainable food technologies.
TILAMUR is a Spanish SME rooted in horticulture and plant nurseries (as its legal name suggests) that has expanded into aquaponics — integrated systems combining fish farming with soilless vegetable production. Operating from Lorquí in the Murcia region, they develop and operate eco-innovative aquaculture systems that couple fish nutrition and welfare with crop cultivation. Their EU project work spans from aquaponic system design and organic fish feed development to field-testing digital agriculture technologies including sensors, biofertilizers, and biopesticides.
Central theme across all three projects: EASY (eco-innovative aquaculture system), EASYTRAIN (aquaculture-aquaponics training), and PestNu (aquaponic component in digital agriculture demonstration).
EASYTRAIN focuses specifically on organic fish feed, fish welfare, chronobiology, and metabolic rhythms in aquaculture species.
PestNu involves field-testing sensors, digital technologies, Copernicus satellite data, and robotics for sustainable crop management.
PestNu includes demonstration of agro-ecological inputs — biofertilizers and biopesticides — as alternatives to conventional agrochemicals.
TILAMUR began in 2015 with a focused SME Instrument Phase 1 feasibility study (EASY) to validate their eco-innovative aquaculture concept — a classic entrepreneur testing a business idea through EU support. By 2021, they had matured enough to join two substantial collaborative projects: EASYTRAIN, an MSCA industrial doctorate program deepening the science behind aquaponics (chronobiology, microalgae, fish nutrition), and PestNu, a large Innovation Action applying digital and space-based technologies to agriculture. This trajectory shows a company that moved from validating a product concept to contributing operational expertise in multi-partner research and demonstration projects.
TILAMUR is evolving from a standalone aquaponics operator into a demonstration site and industry partner for research consortia working on sustainable food production and precision farming.
TILAMUR started as a coordinator on a small SME Instrument project (EASY) and then joined two larger consortia as a participant, suggesting they are comfortable both leading their own initiatives and contributing domain expertise to bigger teams. With 26 unique consortium partners across 10 countries from just 3 projects, they have quickly built a broad European network. Their role is likely that of an SME end-user and demonstration site — providing real-world aquaponic facilities where research concepts are tested and validated.
Despite only three projects, TILAMUR has collaborated with 26 distinct partners across 10 countries, reflecting the large consortia typical of MSCA-ITN and Innovation Actions. Their network likely spans Mediterranean and Northern European research institutions and agri-food companies.
TILAMUR occupies a rare niche: a working aquaponics SME in southern Spain that bridges commercial horticulture with aquaculture research. For consortium builders, they offer something hard to find — an operational aquaponic facility in a Mediterranean climate zone that can host industrial PhD researchers (EASYTRAIN) and serve as a real-world demonstration site for new agri-tech (PestNu). Their dual identity as both a nursery business and a research-engaged SME makes them a credible industry partner for proposals needing genuine end-user validation.
