Overview

The APRISE Project (Alternative Protein Research and Innovation Skills Enhancement) aims to strengthen the research and innovation (R&I) capacity of Widening Countries (WCs) by building advanced competencies in the Alternative Proteins (APros) sector. By enhancing scientific, technical, and professional skills, APRISE supports Europe’s transition to a sustainable, resilient, and ethical food system aligned with the EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy.

Main Objectives

  • Enhance research capacity in Widening Countries through advanced training on APros development, processing, and characterization.
  • Promote professional and transferable skills (entrepreneurship, AI literacy, open science, and project management) to strengthen career development.
  • Encourage intersectoral and international mobility through structured secondments, fostering collaboration between academia and industry.
  • Equip researchers with policy and stakeholder engagement skills to influence APros-related strategies at national and EU levels.
  • Integrate sustainability and circular economy practices across the APros value chain.
  • Ensure effective dissemination and exploitation of results through coordinated communication, outreach, and stakeholder involvement.

Project Consortium

The APRISE (Alternative Protein Research and Innovation Skills Enhancement) project brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of 18 partners across 11 countries, combining expertise from academia, research, industry, and non-profit organizations.

The partnership reflects a strong North–South and East–West European collaboration, with a focus on strengthening research and innovation capacity in Widening Countries (WCs).

Key Features of APRISE

  • Secondments-Based Model: Researchers (“Talents”) from widening countries undertake cross-sectoral secondments in academia and industry, promoting mobility, knowledge transfer, and sustainable innovation capacity.
  • Training & Mentorship: Structured modules in technical, professional, and policy skills across the APros (Alternative Proteins) value chain.
  • Policy and Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitated dialogues with policymakers, SMEs, and civil society to drive responsible APros development.
  • Communication and Dissemination: Led by NHI (Sweden) to ensure visibility, outreach, and knowledge sharing through events, publications, and policy briefs.