On July 7, 2025, the Excel4Pro consortium convened in Athens, Greece, for its first General Assembly. Held at the Library and Information Center of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), the gathering marked a major milestone in the project’s early development, bringing together all 17 consortium partners to review progress, align on priorities, and collectively shape the next stages of work.

This full-day meeting offered an inspiring environment for collaboration and knowledge exchange. Partners presented the outcomes of key activities from the first project semester, including desk studies conducted across the project’s three Ecosystem Countries (Türkiye, Greece, Ukraine), validation tests at lab scale, and initial evaluations of potential model crops for further investment.

Among the most critical discussions was the selection of crops to be prioritised in Excel4Pro’s future activities. Based on unweighted scoring results and cross-country analyses, the partnership agreed to focus on chickpeas and lupin (legumes), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (oilseeds), and champignon (mushrooms). These crops will form the basis for upcoming processing trials and product development efforts that aim to unlock the full potential of plant-based proteins.

reframe.food’s Role: Driving Collaboration, Innovation, and Impact

reframe.food plays a central role in Excel4Pro’s implementation. As the leader responsible for establishing the Joint Steering Committee, reframe.food is shaping the collaborative R&I framework that underpins the project. This governance structure ensures all actors—from research to policy to market—are aligned in their efforts to accelerate the shift toward sustainable food systems.

reframe.food also co-leads the development of policy and funding recommendations, which aim to embed Excel4Pro’s results into long-term European food and innovation agendas. This includes targeted advocacy and awareness-raising among decision-makers to strengthen support for plant protein innovations.

Notably, reframe.food is also leading the design and management of the Open Call—a cornerstone of Excel4Pro’s innovation acceleration strategy. Set to launch in the coming months, the Open Call will offer financial support to start-ups and SMEs working on advanced solutions in:

  • Protein structure–function relationships
  • Nutritional quality
  • Process design for plant-based ingredients

Through these calls, the project aims to strengthen the plant-based food innovation ecosystems in Türkiye, Greece, and Ukraine—three countries with significant potential to scale sustainable alternatives in the agri-food sector.

reframe.food’s involvement also extends to developing sustainable business models tailored to the regional context. These models will guide the commercialisation of plant-based food products and help ensure that innovations developed under Excel4Pro are both economically viable and socially impactful.

Looking Ahead

With the first semester completed, the Excel4Pro consortium is moving forward with a clear focus and shared purpose.

The upcoming phases will further deepen cross-country collaboration, support SMEs through targeted funding, and drive innovation in plant protein development with long-term systemic impact.

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