We are thrilled to announce our newly funded Horizon Europe project, NEXTMARINE: Pioneering Discovery in Extreme Marine Environments!
PLOATECH is leading WP1: Exploring and Sampling of Marine Resources, delivering advanced imaging and mapping solutions for sustainable, non-invasive sampling. Our expertise in engineering for extreme environments will support the creation of tools that respect fragile ecosystems.
On 27–28 November 2025, twelve partners from nine countries gathered at the University of Crete to launch NEXTMARINE, a €4.5M Horizon Europe project driving innovation at the intersection of ocean research and sustainable bioeconomy.
NEXTMARINE explores extreme marine ecosystems—from hydrothermal vents in the Aegean to anoxic zones in the Baltic—home to extremophiles with unique abilities to thrive in harsh environments. These microorganisms hold a vast genetic reservoir of enzymes with transformative potential for green industrial applications in food, biomaterials, and pharmaceuticals.
Using cutting-edge technologies – AI, machine learning, robotic sensing – the project aims to develop sustainable sampling and mapping methods, bridging fundamental science with real-world solutions.
The kick-off featured inspiring discussions, presentations, and collaboration opportunities with sibling projects XTREAM, EXPLORA Project and Xtremolife, laying the foundation for joint activities across the Horizon Europe cluster.
Stay tuned for updates and subscribe to the first joint newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/dE2AhAiu
