Valencia to Host a European Workshop on the Circular Economy of Coffee within the ECOFFEE Project

The ECOFFEE project promotes the valorisation of coffee grounds as a strategic resource for the circular bioeconomy in Europe

Valencia, Spain | February 2, 2026

The city of Valencia will host a European workshop focused on the circular economy of coffee, organised within the framework of the ECOFFEE project—an innovation initiative funded by the Horizon Europe programme and supported by CIRCULOOS. The event will take place on Monday, February 2, from 12:00 to 13:00, at Sabadell HUB Empresa (Valencia), in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online participation.

Entitled “Circular economy applied to coffee waste recycling”, the workshop aims to increase the visibility of the ECOFFEE project, facilitate knowledge transfer, and raise awareness among public and private stakeholders about the potential of coffee waste as a raw material within sustainable, replicable, and economically viable circular economy models.

Circular economy, innovation, and European cooperation

The event is part of Task 3.4 of the ECOFFEE project, dedicated to regional dissemination and awareness-raising activities, and is organised by the Finnova Foundation, with the support of all project partners: AZTI, Euskovazza, and FumiHogar.

The workshop is conceived as a practical exchange space aimed at public administrations, companies, entrepreneurs, and European project managers, with a particular focus on the regional innovation ecosystem of the Valencian Community.

Key topics to be addressed during the session include:

• the role of coffee grounds as a strategic resource in the circular economy,
• technical challenges and opportunities for valorisation and scaling up,
• European funding opportunities for sustainability and circular economy projects, and
• the presentation of best practices and successful experiences in environmental innovation and international cooperation.

Participation of partners and international experts

The programme will feature contributions from:

• David San Martín, researcher at AZTI, who will present the scientific approach of the project, environmental validation through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and the development of applications in animal feed.
• Iker Beristain, manager at Euskovazza, responsible for the coffee grounds collection model and reverse logistics, which are key to ensuring traceability and the viability of the circular model.
• Carlos Ramos, Operations Director at FumiHogar, who will showcase the development of bio-based solutions and natural biocides derived from coffee waste.
• Milton Restrepo, representative of Ibagué Limpia, who will present the Glocal Circular Economy Summit, reinforcing the international dimension of the event.

The debate will be moderated by Juanma Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation.

A project aligned with European priorities

With a total budget of €256,451.25 and a duration of 12 months, ECOFFEE is fully aligned with the European Green Deal, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

The project brings together a multidisciplinary consortium made up of AZTI, Euskovazza, FumiHogar, and the Finnova Foundation, combining scientific, industrial, technological, and communication capacities to demonstrate a circular innovation model that is replicable and scalable across the European Union.

👉 More information about the ECOFFEE project:
 https://ecoffeeproject.eu/