Bringing the future of sustainable chemistry to Lisbon!

Lisbon, Portugal – 3rd March 2026

Last 3 February, the iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences team had the pleasure of showcasing the SURFS UP project at the Técnico Innovation Summit 2026 (TIS2026), one of the most vibrant gatherings of the Técnico ecosystem, bringing together research units, spin-offs, startups, companies, and institutional partners under one roof.

They presented the project's vision, the international consortium, and most excitingly a live demonstrator showing how non-conventional yeasts can produce biosurfactants from sustainable, renewable substrates.

It was inspiring to exchange ideas with such a dynamic audience, and particularly meaningful to have policymakers in the room, including the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, and the Minister Adjunct for State Reform, Gonçalo Matias. Conversations like these remind us why bridging science and policy matters.

The project is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members under grant agreement No 101157586 and UKRI grant agreement No 10115826.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CBE JU, or UKRI. Neither the European Union, CBE JU, nor the UKRI can be held responsible for them.