SIMBA - Clúster Alimentario de Galicia

The SIMBA project consists of the development of a collaborative intelligence platform designed to promote industrial symbiosis between the agro-food and biotechnological sectors. Through advanced digitalization tools such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, this initiative seeks to transform waste and by-products into valuable resources to create sustainable business models.The consortium, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, brings together a total of seven entities: CLUSAGA, BIOGA, KAT, IG MONTES, TRIPLEALPHA, MEDRAR, and ODS. This multidisciplinary group enables direct connections between by-product generators (the food sector) and technology providers and valorisation solutions (the technological and biotechnological sectors).

Objectives

Identify key variables of by-products and technologies to facilitate efficient valorisation connections.
Develop an automated system that detects viable opportunities for industrial symbiosis.
Create an interactive dashboard with a conversational assistant to analyse and manage information.
Validate the platform in a real industrial environment, reaching TRL 5 level.
Co-design the platform with sector stakeholders to ensure its usefulness and scalability.

Impact

The project aims to provide the agro-food and biotechnological sectors with advanced digital tools that promote the circular economy, optimise waste valorisation, and enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and digital transformation of companies.

Project Consortium

Agro-food companies: KAT and IG MONTES
Technology companies: TRIPLEALPHA and MEDRAR
Biotechnological companies: ODS
AEIs: Clusaga (lead entity) and BIOGA (collaborating entity)

Benefits

The integration of these technologies enables a flexible and scalable solution that facilitates by-product valorisation, reduces costs and environmental impact, and improves efficiency and competitiveness, especially for SMEs in the agro-food and biotechnological sectors.

Funding

SIMBA is funded under the 2025 call of the support programme for Innovative Business Groupings (AEIs) from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, and is coordinated by the Galician Food Cluster (Clusaga).