PACK’s objective is to reduce customs congestion by drastically decreasing the number of trucks required to stop for physical inspection. This goal is achieved by developing and utilizing an integrated system of sensors, artificial intelligence, and advanced software, which enables automatic risk assessment and fully automated customs inspections without compromising security.

Brief Project description: 

The PACK project aims to drastically reduce the number of trucks required to stop for customs inspection through reliable and automated risk assessment during transport. To this end, the system integrates and upgrades advanced detection, monitoring, and data analysis capabilities, utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms. 

The PACK approach is based on a smart customs seal with Internet of Things capabilities to prevent tampering, combined with a smart sensor array equipped with artificial intelligence for continuous and autonomous cargo monitoring. With this setup, the system can independently assess risk and decide to issue alerts to the relevant supervisory authorities, significantly simplifying on-site and on-the-go checks.

Implementing PACK at EU level could significantly reduce truck waiting times at external borders. With only 10% market penetration, it is estimated to generate savings of €241 million and 2.35 million man-hours annually, reduce fuel consumption by about 70.5 million liters, and cut CO₂ emissions by approximately 190,000 tons per year. 

Role of ICCS: 

ICCS contributes to the project by developing and adapting a chemical detection device that constitutes a core component of the sensor array for cargo monitoring. The device is capable of real-time detection of the potential presence of target compounds, leveraging a field-deployable, state-of-the-art mass spectrometry-based analytical technique with fast response times. 

This approach provides chemical measurements with high accuracy, sensitivity, and minimum false alarms. Within the project, ICCS will investigate the application of artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to further enhance detection performance.

Project website: https://pack-project.com/

LinkedIn page: PACK Horizon Europe project: Overview | LinkedIn

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Grant Agreement No. 101225875.

The investment will support the company’s first-in-human clinical trial of its InvivoLPrint-U platform – the world’s first bioprinter designed to reconstruct bladder tissue directly inside the patient’s body during surgery.

Founded in 2019 as a spin-off of the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), PhosPrint emerged from years of research conducted at the School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences under the supervision of Professor Ioanna Zergioti.

Each year, more than 150,000 patients worldwide are candidates for bladder removal (cystectomy) due to cancer. Current reconstructive procedures rely on intestinal tissue and are frequently associated with serious complications, including infections, adverse events, and significant deterioration in quality of life. PhosPrint’s innovation enables urologists to create a fully functional neobladder without these side effects by printing the patient’s own healthy cells directly onto the tissue during surgery.

A Milestone: The First Clinical Trial

Ioanna Zergioti, co-founder and CEO of PhosPrint, told Capital.gr and Forbes Greece that the investment represents a strong vote of confidence in both the technology and the team. According to her, the funding brings the company closer to completing its first clinical trial—a critical milestone, as demonstrating product safety is a prerequisite for attracting follow-on investment.

The capital will primarily be allocated to cover the substantial costs associated with conducting a first-in-human clinical study. Part of the funding will also support the maintenance and expansion of the company’s patented technology portfolio, a process that is both complex and capital-intensive.

Approval by EMA and EOF

A defining development has been the approval of the first clinical trial by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the National Organization for Medicines (EOF). As Zergioti explained, the evaluation process was particularly demanding because the product is classified as a combination therapy, integrating cell therapy with laser-based medical device technology. Notably, the regulatory submission exceeded 7,000 pages.

The trial will be conducted in collaboration with Laiko General Hospital of Athens and Gennimatas General Hospital of Athens, involving specialized medical teams from leading urology departments. According to Zergioti, this is one of the few Phase I studies currently being implemented in Greece – particularly for such an innovative product – underscoring the significance of the initiative.

Despite Greece’s high scientific standards, Phase I trials remain limited in number, as they require substantial risk-taking, complex coordination, and adequate funding. As she noted, the country is still in the early stages of development in this field.

Future Applications and International Expansion

Strategically, PhosPrint is continuing its research beyond bladder applications, with cartilage regeneration identified as the next clear priority. Other potential applications, including skin tissue, are also under evaluation, though no final decisions have yet been made.

International expansion will be essential for the next funding round. The second and third phases of clinical trials will require collaboration with additional hospitals abroad, as well as access to capital markets outside Greece.

The company estimates that commercial availability of the product could be achieved in approximately four years, provided that all three phases of clinical trials are successfully completed.

Secondary Products and Revenue Diversification

In parallel, PhosPrint is exploring additional revenue streams through secondary products derived from its research activities.

The company’s team currently comprises around 15 members, including external collaborators and advisors. Alongside Ioanna Zergioti, the co-founders include Dr. Apostolos Klinakis (Clinical Director) and Maria Pallidou (CFO).

Source: Forbes Greece

This distinction reflects NTUA’s overall performance across key areas, including quality of education, research activity, international engagement, and the institution’s connection with society and the economy.

The ranking is based on quality criteria grouped into five sections, from which each institution selects three for evaluation:

• continuous improvement of core academic activities,
• research excellence and performance,
• engagement with society, the labor market, and knowledge utilisation,
• internationalisation,
• quality of the university environment.

In all evaluated areas, NTUA not only achieved the highest scores among Greek higher-education institutions but also recorded improvements compared to the previous year, notably in the area of societal engagement and knowledge transfer.

The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), as a principal research institute of NTUA and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, plays a substantial role in maintaining the University’s consistently high ranking. ICCS’s contribution is evident in the generation of high-quality scientific knowledge, participation in competitive national and international research projects, and technology transfer and innovation activities that benefit society and the economy.

Professor Ioannis K. Chatzigeorgiou, Rector of NTUA, expressed his congratulations to all members of NTUA’s academic community for their dedication and contribution to this achievement, highlighting that the ranking reflects the high quality standards that characterise the University across education, research and academic excellence.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all – NTUA’s faculty, researchers, students, and administrative staff for their dedication and contributions to this remarkable achievement. ICCS remains committed to upholding the highest standards of academic and research excellence, ensuring that NTUA continues to set new benchmarks in education and innovation.

The need to implement complex physics systems is critical across various scientific and engineering domains. However, traditional numerical models for simulating these systems are computationally expensive, requiring significant time, resources, and cost. Recent advancements in AI present a promising alternative, with AI models demonstrating the ability to capture the dynamics of complex physical systems. Despite these successes, AI models suffer from key limitations, including challenges with generalization, vulnerability to bias, ethical concerns, and accuracy, particularly when applied to unseen tasks or variable-range predictions. These limitations are collectively viewed as issues of robustness.

The TURING project aims to address these shortcomings by developing robust AI-driven solutions. It integrates multidisciplinary advancements from Machine Learning, Computer Engineering, Physics, and SSH to pre-train generative, multimodal foundation models capable of capturing the physics of dynamic systems that share common properties. Starting with a cautious approach, the models will incorporate representations of increasingly complex physical systems as robustness is ensured.

Once pre-trained, these foundation models will be fine-tuned for specific tasks, enhancing their domain-specific robustness. The tasks will target critical engineering and physics problems in nuclear energy, particle physics, and meteorology, which are of high priority for the EU. The task-specific and foundation models, collectively termed “TURING models”, will be developed in collaboration with partners from India, Canada, and Switzerland.

To maximize the impact of TURING models, the project will ensure compliance of its activities with regulations such as the EU AI Act and then publicly release those models, along with the TURING Framework (MLOps SW tools and web-based app with conversational capabilities), enabling developers and end users to leverage this technology for their applications.

Website: https://turing-project.eu
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/turing-project/
X: https://x.com/Turing_project/
Zenodo community: https://zenodo.org/communities/turing-heu/

This project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2021-2027) under the grant agreement No 101215032. 

The Castilla y León Hydrogen Valley (CyLH2Valley) is a pioneering strategic initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, designed to transform the Castilla y León region into a premier European hub for renewable energy innovation. By integrating the entire hydrogen value chain—from large-scale production using wind and solar power to distribution and multi-sectoral end-use—the project aims to produce over 1,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually during its initial stages, with a long-term roadmap to reach over 16,000 tonnes. The initiative encompasses eleven diverse pilot projects that demonstrate the versatility of green hydrogen, including its application in heavy-duty road transport, zero-emission maritime and aviation fuels, industrial decarbonization, and the production of green methanol and ammonia. 

Beyond its technical objectives, CyLH2Valley is a catalyst for regional economic growth, projected to create approximately 2,000 “green” jobs and attract significant sustainable investment, while utilizing advanced digital tools like a dedicated Data Space for transparent energy management. Ultimately, the project serves as a replicable blueprint for the European Green Deal, proving that regional energy autonomy and industrial decarbonization can be achieved through a coordinated, large-scale ecosystem approach.

This project receives funding from the HORIZON program, through the CLEAN HYDROGEN PARTNERSHIP, an organization with which the Region, through the Regional Energy Agency, has signed a Collaboration Agreement for the development of various activities.

This interconnected network of smart modular parts form a decentralized system, the Internet of Modularity (IoM²), that facilitates self-aware and adaptive building environments. Le Colaz also prioritizes environmental and economic impact through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), while validation is done in contrasting climatic zones, Athens and Trondheim, via actual Living Labs, as well as simulation testing.

Le Colaz’s long-term vision is to minimize construction waste by promoting reusability, reinnovation, and recycling, thereby facilitating the transition towards circular and sustainable living communities. Therefore, it offers a scalable solution for future climate-adaptive, resilient, and smart neighbourhoods.

LinkedIn page

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No. 101236003.

Transforming Regenerative Surgery

Each year, more than 150,000 patients worldwide are eligible for bladder removal (cystectomy) due to cancer. Current reconstructive surgeries rely on intestinal tissue and often cause severe side effects such as infections, metabolic complications, and reduced quality of life. PhosPrint’s innovation enables Urologists to create a fully functional, side-effect-free neobladder through the printing of a patient’s own healthy bladder cells directly onto tissue during surgery. In extensive pre-clinical studies in pigs, this approach restored normal bladder function with none of the known complications of conventional orthotopic neobladder surgery.

“Current surgical approaches of bladder cancer seriously downgrade patients’ quality of life” said Professor Ioanna Zergioti, CEO of PhosPrint. “Our InvivoLPrint-U innovation eliminates the side effects of current surgical options, offering patients a fully functional, side-effect-free neobladder. This investment brings us one step closer to the clinic and to transforming the field of regenerative medicine”.

Co-founder Dr. Apostolos Klinakis (Clinical Director) and Maria Pallidou (CFO) highlight the platform’s versatility which extends beyond bladder reconstruction, and is applicable in numerous indications including cartilage and heart repair, addressing multi-billion-euro global markets.

Backed by leading investors

“PhosPrint is breaking new ground at the intersection of bioprinting, laser technology, and regenerative medicine”, said Dr. Stefanos Capsaskis, Partner at Corallia Ventures. “We are proud to back a world-class team whose breakthrough platform has the potential to redefine outcomes for millions of patients worldwide”.

Dr.  Lars Rasmussen added: “I’m beyond proud to be backing Ioanna and her talented team! PhosPrint has likely invented the first successful bladder replacement procedure, which will likely be the first approved surgical procedure involving a bioprinter. And that’s just the beginning of what their impressive technology has in store!”

Next steps and global potential

The newly secured funds will enable PhosPrint to:

• Complete its first-in-human trial application this year;
• Launch patient trials in 2026 at leading European hospitals;
• Expand its team of biologists, engineers, and regulatory experts;
• Develop benchtop bioprinters for R&D labs as an early revenue stream starting in 2026.

The company is targeting EMA and FDA approval by 2029, with initial market entry planned in Europe and the US.

About PhosPrint

Founded in 2019 as a spinoff of the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), PhosPrint develops cutting-edge in vivo laser bioprinting solutions for tissue repair. Its flagship platform, InvivoLPrint-U, enables the direct printing of live autologous cells during surgery, offering unprecedented outcomes in bladder reconstruction and beyond. With 5 patent families, proprietary manufacturing know-how, and a team of leading scientists in laser physics, biomedical engineering, and clinical research, PhosPrint is shaping the future of regenerative medicine.

For more info visit: www.phosprint.eu/

The project develops five pilots that showcase AI across the energy landscape:
1️⃣ Smart Grids in Portugal: Advancing fault detection and resilience with AI-driven digital twins of the transmission system.
2️⃣ Microgrids in Spain: Predictive maintenance to keep renewable energy equipment reliable and efficient.
3️⃣ Hydrogen & Hybrid Energy Systems in France, Spain, and Italy: Optimizing electrolysers and hybrid plants through AI-powered digital twins.
4️⃣ Buildings in Latvia: Enhancing energy efficiency in residential complexes with AI-driven building digital twins.
5️⃣ Energy Communities in Italy: Improving the performance of local renewable energy communities through AI experimentation.

DSS Lab assumes the technical coordination of the Latvian pilot 4, where AI-powered digital twins are applied to multi-apartment residential buildings in Riga. By combining real consumption data with advanced modelling, the pilot explores how to optimize heating, cooling, and overall energy use in everyday living spaces. The aim is to demonstrate measurable efficiency gains and cost savings for residents, while contributing directly to Europe’s climate and digital transition goals. EFI-DSS tool developed by DSS Lab will play a key role in this process. More information on EFI-DSS can be found here.

Also, DSS Lab coordinates the Portuguese Pilot 1, where a digital twin of the country’s transmission system will be used along with forecasts of energy production and consumption. These forecasts will be provided by DeepTSF, which is an automated codeless forecasting application based on AI / ML algorithms, and developed by DSS Lab. The goal is to use these forecasts to validate energy market results while increasing efficiency and decreasing the imbalances of the grid. More information on DeepTSF can be found here.

The EnergyGuard project is co-funded by the Horizon Europe Programme of the European Union under grant agreement No. 101172705. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

EnergyGuard brings together five large-scale laboratories and Meluxina (Europe’s greenest high-performance computer) into a unified service. The result is a one-stop platform where startups, SMEs, and researchers can develop, test, and certify AI solutions in realistic conditions without real-world risks.

As coordinator, DSS Lab steers a pan-European consortium into a single, service-oriented facility. The network spans Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Latvia, with each site offering unique assets — from grid-scale digital twins and hydrogen production lines to microgrids and Soviet-era apartment blocks. A curated catalogue of digital twins, datasets, models, and APIs makes these resources accessible through a common cloud portal.

Complementing the physical labs is the Meluxina supercomputer in Luxembourg, powered entirely by renewable energy. Developers can scale simulations across thousands of CPU and GPU cores while maintaining a transparent carbon footprint. Preconfigured container workspaces with open-source libraries give even small teams access to petascale computing, with results delivered in minutes.

For innovators, the benefits are clear: dramatically shorter development cycles, lower capital expenditure and a structured path to compliance with the forthcoming EU AI Act. The TEF’s Acceptance Environment measures algorithms against a comprehensive risk database, covering cybersecurity threats, data bias, functional safety and more. Passing solutions receive a digital badge that signals trustworthiness to investors, customers and regulators alike.

Looking ahead, DSS Lab will use its role as coordinator to seed pilot projects, open new datasets, and mentor early-stage companies. By combining world-class infrastructure with transparent governance, EnergyGuard aims to position Europe as the go-to market for responsible, high-impact energy AI.

👉 Call to innovators: AI startups, researchers, and technology providers can request access or subscribe to updates at EnergyGuard TEF Project.

The EnergyGuard project is co-funded by the Horizon Europe Programme of the European Union under grant agreement No. 101172705. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The project will integrate five significant European large-scale testing and experimentation facilities that cover the full energy value chain, supported by European’s greenest HPC infrastructure (Meluxina). This includes a digital twin (DT) of the Portuguese Transmission Network (RDN), the CEDER-CIEMAT Microgrid with its Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), the Hydrogen testing platforms at CEA LITEN, CARTIF, BER and CIEMAT, a high-fidelity local DT of Riga’s multi-apartment residential buildings and the Antrodoco Renewable Energy Community. The process requires a wide range of elements to cover diverse AI test needs, including wind power, photovoltaic systems, hydropower plant, AEM, PEM and SO eletrolyzers, fuel cells, EV charging stations, electric and public buses and battery storage systems. The facilities will be accessible to EnergyGuard end-users through a set of properly configured Digital Twins (DTs) and curated assets, including data, models, inference APIs, services, and applications through an AI development Testing environment.

EnergyGuard will enable easy seamless access to assets from the EU ecosystem including AIOD, Data Spaces, DIHs and other TEFs. Moreover, the project facilitates users to validate their products with an Acceptance Environment and a common open AI risks database for a wide range of cybersecurity and trustworthy AI assessments.

The TEF will serve as full infrastructure to support national AI regulatory sandbox initiatives and deliver 5 pilot cases for the private and public sector. EnergyGuard will build upon a long-term, self-sustainable business model driven by a new entity, incorporating market-ready features early in the design, such as a subscription/plan framework, billing, and professional support.

The EnergyGuard project is co-funded by the Horizon Europe Programme of the European Union under grant agreement No. 101172705.