Seeking Horizon Europe Partners: Nature-Positive Marine Materials, Biodiversity Restoration and Coastal Resilience

Project Cooperation – Nature-Positive Marine Infrastructure and Coastal Ecosystem Restoration

We are seeking international research partners and Horizon Europe consortia working on biodiversity restoration, circular materials, nature-based solutions and climate-resilient coastal infrastructure.

Our Research Background

At the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), we are developing the HAPmarine project, funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN), focusing on sustainable and cement-free marine materials derived from waste seashells and other calcium-rich resources.

Our research combines circular resource utilisation, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), calcium phosphate/hydroxyapatite (CaP/HAP), and biomineralisation technologies to develop environmentally compatible materials for artificial reefs and marine infrastructure.

Potential Contributions to Horizon Europe Projects

We can contribute expertise in:

• Circular marine materials: Valorisation of waste shells and calcium-rich resources into sustainable, cement-free marine materials.

• Biomineralisation and material engineering: Development of CaCO₃/CaP-based materials with tailored surface chemistry, mineral composition and porosity.

• Nature-positive marine infrastructure: Development of eco-engineered reef substrates with the potential to support marine biodiversity and ecological restoration.

• Coastal resilience: Investigation of material durability, marine environmental performance and applications in resilient coastal infrastructure.

• Environmental sustainability: Assessment of resource circularity, material performance and environmental impacts.

Collaboration Opportunities

We are particularly interested in joining or co-developing Horizon Europe proposals addressing:

• Marine and coastal ecosystem restoration

• Biodiversity enhancement and ecological resilience

• Nature-based and nature-positive infrastructure

• Circular economy and sustainable material solutions

• Climate adaptation and resilient coastal environments

We welcome collaboration with universities, research institutes, marine ecologists, coastal engineers, environmental organisations, public authorities and industry partners.

Our Role in a Consortium

We are open to participating as a research partner, contributing to work packages on sustainable material development, marine infrastructure, biomineralisation and ecological substrate engineering. We are also interested in collaborative field demonstrations and biodiversity assessments with complementary ecological partners.

We look forward to connecting with potential coordinators and partners to develop competitive interdisciplinary Horizon Europe proposals.