Almudena Sanchez

🚀 I N N O V A T O R 🚀
I work at the interface between applied research, innovation strategy and EU funding, supporting CETENMA, companies, public authorities and European consortia in shaping strong project concepts and building competitive partnerships.

I have 10+ years of experience in drafting, submitting, implementing, technically executing and financially justifying EU-funded projects across sectors such as circular bioeconomy, green & digital transitions, health, smart cities, defence and business creation & consolidation.

I specialise in connecting people and innovative projects, products and services through effective international communication, and I thrive in multicultural and complex environments, with a strong ability to identify and capitalise on business opportunities.

My core areas of work include:

🟢 Horizon Europe proposal strategy and grant writing
🟢 Concept development, topic interpretation and impact design
🟢 Management and coordination of individual and consortium R&D projects at European level
🟢 Consortium building, international networking & public-private partnerships
🟢 Living Labs, pilots and place-based innovation approaches
🟢 Development of strategic R&D&I plans – from idea to market
🟢 Impact, exploitation, risk & quality management
🟢 Stakeholder targeting and quadruple helix clustering (academia, public sector, industry, SMEs)
🟢 Communication & dissemination plans

I also contribute to training and capacity building for public and private institutions in business acceleration, internationalisation and R&D, and have experience in preparing and simulating ERC and EIC Pathfinder proposals.

My project experience spans programmes such as Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, INTERREG, ENI CBC MED and EC initiatives, including projects on circular economy, urban security, digital transformation and nutrient management (e.g. balancing nitrogen and phosphorus flows at regional scale).

I am particularly interested in projects combining bioeconomy, soil health, circular nutrients, water systems and climate-neutral value chains, with a strong focus on real-world impact.

Let’s connect and explore ideas. 🌱