Extending the network through specialist partnerships
Twelve associated partners broaden the capabilities of FAroGels by contributing specialist knowledge, research facilities and access to academic and industrial environments. Their involvement supports doctoral education, secondments and application-focused work across the network.
Five academic organisations contribute degree-awarding capacity and complementary expertise, while seven non-academic partners connect the project with product development, manufacturing, scale-up and market-oriented testing. Together, they strengthen the exchange of knowledge between research and practice.
12 Associated Partners
5 academic organisations
7 non-academic organisations
7 countries
Academic associated partners
These universities complement the beneficiary network through PhD-awarding arrangements, specialist academic expertise, research facilities and contributions to doctoral supervision and training.
USAAR
Universität des Saarlandes
Academic associated partner · Germany
Serves as the PhD-awarding institution for DC6 and contributes expertise in biopharmaceutics and pharmaceutical technology, supporting research on nutraceutical formulation, stability and delivery.
SU
Selçuk Üniversitesi
Academic associated partner · Türkiye
Serves as the PhD-awarding institution for DC4 and contributes expertise in physics to the candidate’s research, academic supervision and training.
UPV
Universitat Politècnica de València
Academic associated partner · Spain
Serves as the PhD-awarding institution for DC1 and DC9 and contributes food-technology expertise relevant to bio-based aerogels, food applications and sustainable packaging.
KCL
King’s College London
Academic associated partner · United Kingdom
Hosts doctoral secondments and contributes specialist expertise in oral lubrication, tribology and contact-based imaging, helping the network examine how aerogel systems influence texture, sensory behaviour and oral processing.
UNIMI
Università degli Studi di Milano
Academic associated partner · Italy
Supports doctoral secondments and co-advisory activities through expertise in food-packaging science, including food-contact safety, migration and interactions between packaging materials and food.
Non-academic associated partners
These organisations connect doctoral research with specialist services, industrial facilities, product development and application-focused testing. Their participation gives researchers direct experience of translating scientific knowledge into practical processes and solutions.
BKEA
BKEA Ltd.
Non-academic associated partner · Malta
Hosts doctoral secondments and training in chemometrics, sustainable extraction and data-driven food analysis, strengthening researchers’ capabilities in modelling, multivariate analysis and structure–function assessment.
PT
Perfat Technologies Oy
Non-academic associated partner · Finland
Contributes expertise in plant-based lipid alternatives and product formulation, helping researchers assess how aerogels can be incorporated into sustainable food products under practical formulation constraints.
AVOYA
Gürok Turizm ve Madencilik A.Ş.
Non-academic associated partner · Türkiye
Hosts doctoral secondments and supports application-focused studies involving mineral-rich beverages and functional foods, connecting aerogel performance with product development and industrial validation.
AIt
aerogel-it GmbH
Non-academic associated partner · Germany
Provides pilot-scale infrastructure and specialist knowledge for scaling aerogel production, allowing researchers to engage with industrial synthesis, process optimisation and reproducibility challenges.
EuT
Eurotechnica GmbH
Non-academic associated partner · Germany
Contributes specialist expertise in high-pressure equipment and processing, including supercritical carbon dioxide drying and process intensification, through doctoral secondments and practical training.
SM
Sunar Mısır Entegre Tesisleri A.Ş.
Non-academic associated partner · Türkiye
Provides access to large-scale agro-industrial and food-processing environments, supporting doctoral secondments and application-focused work involving starch-based systems, enzyme immobilisation and scale-up assessment.
BRL
Barilla G. e R. Fratelli S.p.A.
Non-academic associated partner · Italy
Connects FAroGels with market-oriented product development by hosting doctoral secondments, contributing to prototype assessment and helping align food and packaging concepts with consumer needs and industrial feasibility.
How associated partners strengthen FAroGels
Associated partners expand the network beyond its beneficiary organisations by opening access to additional expertise, facilities and professional environments. Their involvement helps doctoral researchers connect scientific investigation with specialised methods, industrial practice and application-focused development.
Their contribution includes
- PhD-awarding arrangements and academic guidance
- Research secondments in academic and industrial settings
- Specialist methods, facilities and professional training
- Scale-up, prototype assessment and application validation