On September 23, Zamora breathed innovation: researchers, doctors, technologists, companies, and institutions came together with a single goal in mind—the future of health and well-being.
The National Health and Wellbeing Forum, promoted byCARTIFtogether with ITCL as part of the CENTRATEC program, which was held in the city, became a space where innovation was not just a technological opportunity, but a key tool for improving people’s lives.
Technology at the service of care
The institutional opening was marked by the speech given by Isabel Blanco, Vice President of the Regional Government of Castile and León and Minister for Family and Equal Opportunities, who highlighted the importance of putting technology at the service of care. This message resonated throughout the day and set the tone for the work: innovation, yes, but always with the patient at the center.
The conversations began to flow with the first of the topics, moving from health research to the development of concrete solutions. The RIS3 strategy for Castile and León (2021-2027) recognizes health as one of its priority areas, focusing on fields with enormous potential such as personalized medicine, advanced therapies, and technological health products.
“ The objective of RIS3 is to position Castilla and Leon as a key actor facing new challenges and opportunities to improve people’s lives.“
-Beatriz Asensio, Head of the Technology Transfer Unit at the Institute for Business Competitiveness of the Regional Government of Castile and León.-
The underlying reflection was shared by all: how to translate enormous scientific potential into concrete results for patients, ensuring speed, safety, and sustainability?
Digital health: from data to decision
The digital future was also a key topic. Concepts such as artificial intelligence, big data, and telemedicine made it clear that the future is already here, and that the challenge is to learn how to use digital tools responsibly, both in prevention and in personalized care.
Ethics, training, and adaptation of healthcare systems were recurring themes in a passionate debate.
But if there was one moment when everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction, it was when discussing public-private partnerships. Companies, startups, research centers, and government agencies agreed that the key lies in joining forces to ensure that innovations actually reach the healthcare system and the market.
“ We must commit to projects that can be implemented in real life.“
-Manuel Ángel Franco, Head of Psychiatry and Mental Health Services at the Zamora Healthcare Complex.-
“ The key is to optimize processes to make things easier for everyone, both professionals and users.“
-Alberto Saez, IT responsible of Affidea-
“ Users must always be at the center“
-Juan Ignacio Coll, Vice President of the Health Informatics Society-
In the demonstration area, that vision became tangible: a place full of technological solutions and ongoing projects that could be experienced firsthand and that seemed to open the door to new ways of caring.
Do you believe in second opportunities? At CARTIF, we believe in RElife!
Bagasse is the residue left after crushing, pressing, or macerating fruits, seeds, or stems to extract their juice. It’s a very common byproduct in the production of foods and beverages such as wine, beer, and plant-based drinks. We naturally refer to “oat bagasse,” “beer bagasse,” or “grape bagasse,” yet in other similar cases, we use specific names like okara or magaya. Why is this?
The difference lies in the cultural context and historical use. Magaya is a traditional word from northern Spain—especially in Asturias and Galicia—where cider production is part of everyday rural life. Due to its continuous presence and local value, this waste product has earned its own name. The same is true of okara, a term of Japanese origin that refers to the residue left over after making soy milk or tofu, widely used in the traditional cuisine of Japan, Korea, and China. When a waste product has been historically used in food or daily life and has acquired social or economic value, it is common for it to receive a specific name. Naming it is a recognition of its value and usefulness.
Magaya
Residue from pressed apples used to make cider
Okara
Insoluble parts of soybeans that remain after filtering soybean mash during the production of soy drinks or tofu
There are other examples of food by-products with their own names that reflect this tradition of use: pomace, the solid residue left over from grape pressing and used to distill spirits; middlings, the product of sifting flour and used in animal feed; brine, the liquid left over from cheesemaking or pickling, rich in salts and nutrients; molasses, a thick by-product of sugarcane or beet refining that can be used for fermentation or animal feed; or whey, a protein-rich liquid left over from cheesemaking and transformed into beverages or supplements. These names may sound strange, but they all have one thing in common: they are by-products, the “leftovers” after making something… and they still have a lot to offer.
CARTIF researcher at the food laboratory making tests with meat products.
Giving leftovers or waste a second life or a second chance is called valorization. It’s about turning what seemed like an end into a new beginning. It’s about reincorporating them into the value chain so they can have life again, a Revival. At CARTIF, we like RE: the Challenges of innovation, the Rewards of the food industry, the Recirculation of resources, and the Revalorization of waste. Because, for us, throwing away is not an option. And not only because the new Law on the Prevention of Food Loss and Waste has been in force since this year, but because innovating solutions to return this value to the food chain itself has been in our DNA for 30 years.
From meat processing waste, we obtain high-value ingredients such as heparin, functional fats, and proteins. From magaya, we extract natural pectins for food and cosmetic applications. With okara, we develop protein-rich, healthy, and sustainable snacks. And what’s left of all that? We also reclaim it: we transform it into biostimulants for agricultural soils. And then, when we’ve exhausted all other options? We continue to use it to produce biogas, hydrogen, and syngas, generating energy and thus closing the loop.
At CARTIF, we believe that waste isn’t trash, but rather resources waiting for a second chance. Through innovation, science, and collaboration with industry, we’re demonstrating that a more circular model is possible. Will you join the Revalorizar challenge and help us give this “waste” a proper name?
If innovation is return, impacto, income… why don´t we innovate more?
During the time I´ve been working on innovation and, in my case, boosting the use of technologies by entities through the transfer process, I´ve been able to speak and see examples of why do we find difficult to innovate.
We find it difficult because we struggle to dedicate time, resources and energy to planning what to innovate in, because we find it hard to accept that competition is growing because it has made innovation its main strategy.
Because we find it hard to propose new ways of doing things, new projects, new ideas to our superiors, because it’s easier to stick with what we’ve always done and not get involved in “other issues.”
Because it´s hard for us to leave that comfort zone, of that acquired routine that, although it no longer challenges us, offers us security in achieving results.
We struggle because innovation means venturing into uncertainty, and that scares us. We fear error, the possibility of failure, the idea that the resources we put in may not yield the expected results.
We struggle because the unknown is frightening, and even more so when achieving it requires overcoming certain barriers and facing risks that, although sometimes known, we don’t always understand how to manage.
It´s also difficult for us because innovation requires a change in mindset. It’s not just about investing in new technologies or products; it’s about transforming our way of thinking, questioning what we take for granted.
We struggle because we often prefer what we know, even if it means remaining stagnant.
And yet, the truth is that the real risk isn’t in innovating, but in not doing so. The real danger lies in looking to the future and realizing that we’ve been surpassed by those who dared to change.
For all these reasons, the key to innovation is understanding and, above all, accepting that risk is part of the process. This way, you can identify how risk affects you and establish the conditions to mitigate it.
“The key to innovation is understanding and, above all, accepting that risk is part of the process.”
How to manage risk in innovation
A risk management system inherent to the innovation process is the first step toward unlocking this fear of innovation. This isn’t just a theoretical process, but rather a matter of implementing certain concrete actions that create an ideal environment to stimulate innovation.
In my experience, the factors that are crucial for creating a good risk mitigation system are:
Create your own innovation ecosystem and surround yourself with strategic partners: technology centers, universities, startups, client or supplier companies to promote the transfer of know-how from these entities and accelerate collective learning, thus reducing the time to impact.
Planning innovation budgets: allocating specific resources to innovative projects within a specific timeframe, avoiding innovation depending on improvisation or success associated with competitive competition. Resources should not be allocated that jeopardize the organization’s core business, but sufficient resources should act as a driving force. One percent of a year’s budget is already a lot. It’s important because just as what isn’t on the agenda isn’t a priority, what isn’t budgeted doesn’t exist.
Leadership drive: Firm commitment from the top is the engine that gives legitimacy and continuity to innovation and allows the ecosystem you’ve chosen to endure over time and achieve results. This commitment is reflected in actions, not only budgetary but also through participation in meetings on new initiatives or in ecosystem analysis and selection.
Implement innovative routines: Incorporate practices that make innovation a constant. Innovation isn’t a one-time or improvised effort. It’s about encouraging trial and error and fostering ideation, the generation of new proposals for change, and an entrepreneurial spirit among teams. It’s about creating an innovative culture that permeates the organization horizontally.
Adapted profitability indicators: Designing specific metrics that realistically measure innovation, considering technological and market maturity and its potential impact and scalability. This means moving away from traditional economic indicators, which are adequately designed for investment projects or continuous improvement projects in general, but are ill-equipped to measure the results or profitability of risky projects that require much broader and more flexible ranges and that require accepting the need to abandon a project at a certain point.
All of this pursues a very clear objective: to build CONFIDENCE in the process, because if risk is a constant in innovation, trust is the constant that balances it.
Trust is like the lifeblood of innovation processes because it’s what we don’t see, but it connects all the elements that make innovation possible and, above all, helps mitigate risk. Trust connects people’s courage to propose ideas, management’s vision to drive them forward, and relationships with your ecosystem. It helps you acknowledge and accept that mistakes are part of learning and the innovation process.
Ultimately, the key is that innovation doesn’t progress solely through technology or resources; it progresses through the people who drive it and, above all, through the shared trust between them. This trust is what turns risk into opportunity and allows us to bring the future into the present.
Innovate for you, innovate for me, innovate for us.
In today’s context, agriculture is increasingly affected by the consequences of climate change. Sudden weather variations—such as torrential rains or unusually high temperatures at atypical times of the year—are contributing to the development of resistance among pests and diseases to conventional chemical treatments. For this reason, the search for natural and sustainable solutions has become a priority. In this scenario, beneficial microorganisms and spontaneous vegetation are emerging as key allies in defending both strategic crops and our urban spaces.
Agricultural soils host millions of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi (Trichoderma spp., Bacillus, and Pseudomonas), which, either acting on their own or in symbiosis with plants, play a fundamental role in protection against pests and diseases. These microorganisms act in various ways: they compete with pathogens for nutrients and space, produce antimicrobial compounds that inhibit pathogen action, induce plant defense systems, and improve soil nutrition and structure—thus enhancing the resilience of the plants growing there, including ornamental trees in cities.
Likewise, spontaneous vegetation, traditionally considered ‘weeds’, can be a great ally against pathogens if properly managed. These naturally growing plants, fully adapted to their environment, offer a wide range of benefits that should be exploited. They host natural enemies of pests—such as predatory insects and parasitoids—promote the presence of beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere (as they already possess their own microbial ecosystem), act as physical or biological barriers against pathogens, and significantly contribute to the functional biodiversity of ecosystems.
Therefore, incorporating these plants becomes essential to understanding the surrounding ecosystem and using it to generate a natural and effective system of defense against the pests and diseases affecting crops.
Spontaneous vegetation
Interaction between microbiota and spontaneous vegetation
The synergy between both elements is fundamental. Spontaneous vegetation influences the composition of soil microbiota through root exudates and can act as a reservoir for protective microorganisms. Recent studies show that plots with diverse vegetative cover present greater resistance to diseases.
These synergies are being successfully applied in strategic crops such as grapevine, almond, olive, and pistachio, providing resilience and sustainability in the face of adverse climate conditions.
The strategy to ensure this interaction is fully functional and effective involves the identification and inoculation of native microbial consortia—microorganisms fully adapted to the environment and unlikely to be rejected—alongside appropriate management of spontaneous vegetation by creating seed mixes tailored to each crop or context. Moreover, minimizing tillage and maintenance tasks helps reduce energy consumption and our carbon footprint.
Practical applications of spontaneous vegetation in Castilla y León
In Castilla y León, numerous species of spontaneous vegetation have been identified that can be strategically integrated into cultivation systems. Species such as Papaver rhoeas (common poppy), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard), Plantago lanceolata (ribwort plantain), and Stellaria media (chickweed) are common in dryland areas and field margins. These plants not only compete with invasive species but also provide habitats for beneficial insects and enhance soil biodiversity.
One of the simplest and most practical applications of these natural resources is their implementation in urban areas (Fig. 1), transforming degraded and low-value spaces into high-biodiversity zones that significantly contribute to the human-plant-soil interaction axis.
Fig 1. Degradeed tree pit (left) and blooming tree pit with spontaneous vegetation (right). 2022. Source: Aragon newspaper
The selective management of these species, using techniques such as differential mowing or designing vegetative cover strips, is proving agronomically and ecologically beneficial in recent field trials in cereal, grapevine, and olive crops.
Conclusion: nature as an ally for agricultural sustainability
The integration of beneficial microorganisms and spontaneous vegetation represents an effective strategy for a more natural and sustainable agriculture. Promoting these practices not only helps protect strategic crops and urban gardens but also improves soil health, reduces dependency on chemical inputs, and helps control energy consumption. It is time to view the soil and surrounding environment as our true allies in agricultural protection.
– FAO (2022). *Harnessing the potential of soil biodiversity in agroecosystems*. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. – Poveda, J., & González-Andrés, F. (2021). *Biological control of plant diseases through the rhizosphere microorganisms: Emerging strategies and challenges*. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 671495. – European Commission (2020). *Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives*. – Martínez-Hernández, C. et al. (2023). *Vegetation management and soil microbiota interactions in Mediterranean agroecosystems*. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 43(2).
Have you ever wondered what a world where renewable energy storage is efficient and affordable would look like?
One of the challenges society must address to achieve effective decarbonization is increasing the generation and penetration of renewable energy. Despite the progress made, the intermittency of sources such as solar and wind, jalong with the need to optimize complex systems, limits the potential of these energies. Furthermore, energy storage technology developers face high risks when testing new devices in changing environments which can limit the insights gained.
At CARTIF, we have a multi-system test bench that allows us to store these surplus potentials in different formats: batteries, hydrogen and heat. In addition to evaluating the transformation chain in each case, we can characterize its behaviour in response to variations in demand, assessing its dynamic behaviour.
It is designed to replicate real-life energy scenarios, offering a unique environment where companies can confidently validate strategies and devices. We highlight some of its features:
Advanced technology: Includes PEM fuel cell, AEM electrolyzer, electric batteries, and hydrogen storage in metal hydrides.
Realistic simulation: Ability to emulate energy generation and demand profiles when interconnected with a data acquisition system.
Intelligent control: Incorporates a multi-level control system that optimizes operations in real time and allows for long-term analysis.
How can energy companies maximize the efficiency of its systems?
Here is where our test bench enters in game. These are some of the key advantages:
Accelerated innovation: Mathematical models have been developed to scale and visualize the performance that would be achieved with larger installations.
Risks mitigation: It allows for a reduction in the risk of technological scaling, as new technologies can be validated and development costs can be reduced by anticipating potential errors.
Superior energy efficiency: Through tests simulating its operation in the residential sector, up to 90% of the generated energy surpluses have been utilized, reducing peak demand, installed base power, and dependence on the electrical grid by up to 50%.
Regulatory compliance: The information extracted can also be used to ensure compliance with environmental and safety legislation.
CARTIF Multi-system Test Bench
Why you should be interested on this solution?
The energy sector is immersed in a critical transition to clean energy sources. The decisions you make now could determine the success of your projects in the coming years. Our test bench offers you the security and flexibility you need to lead this revolution.
Join the transformation! If you are an energy company looking to optimize resources or a developer needing to validate your products, this test bench is for you.
Discover the power of controlled innovation. Maximize your systems, reduce risks, and lead the way toward a sustainable energy future.
Contact us and take the next step toward technological excellence!
Luis Ángel Bujedo.Industrial Engineer. He works on energy efficiency and integration of renewable energy in buildings and industrial processes, especially on photovoltaic applications, monitoring and control of solar facilities and identification of cold facilities.
Three problems, one only answer: water-energy-food nexus
This year we´ve experienced situations as diverse as a widespread blackout that left us without power and basic services for several hours; a period of intense rain that, while providing sufficient water, also caused flooding in certain regions, and heat waves that have led to fires and droughts affecting forests and farmland.
If all these events are causing a huge headache for us, who live in a socially and technologically developed country with the capacity for prevention and response, it is logical to assume that in other contexts with far fewer possibilities, their impacts will be exponentially more damaging.
A clear example of this is the African continent, which, despite having a vast array of natural resources, constantly faces energy, food, and resource management challenges. To make matters worse, its current and future economic and demographic development only exacerbates these problems, as greater social growth implies greater demands for electricity, water, and food.
Everything is connected (even it seems it doesn´t)
When we experience a drought, our minds often focus on the lack of water for drinking or irrigating crops. However, a drought can also mean less hydroelectric production and, therefore, more pressure on the grid and electricity prices. If harvests are reduced due to lack of water or extreme heat, food production plummets and, consequently, food prices skyrocket. If a power outage prevents water from being pumped or food from being stored, the problem worsens.
This web of interdependencies is no coincidence. Water, energy, and food form an interconnected system where any change in one element can trigger effects on the others. That’s why the approach known as the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Methodology (or WEF Nexus Methodology) has been promoted for years.
Graphical representation of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. Clean Energy Solution Center, Clean Energy Ministerial (2011)
What is the NEXO approach?
NEXO proposes, like many other theories, that the best way to address challenges related to natural resources is to move away from traditional silo thinking (understanding each resource as an individual entity, separate from the rest) and instead approach them in an integrated manner, understanding them as complex and interconnected systems in which acting on one will affect another, either negatively or positively. This systemic methodological approach analyzes how water, energy, and food interact with each other, while also including the influence of other associated factors such as the economy, demographics, climate change, and so on.
Rather than thinking “how do we improve agriculture?” or “how do we guarantee the electricity supply?”, the NEXO approach leads us to ask how we can guarantee sustainable access to all three resources simultaneously, without harming any and maximizing joint benefits. This approach allows us to anticipate conflicts, optimize resources, and make more balanced decisions in highly complex contexts.
Model to understand (and to decide better)
But of course, understanding and predicting these relationships is not easy. How do you measure the impact of a new dam on agricultural production? What effect does an increase in fuel prices have on water use in a region? How does urban growth influence food security?
To answer these questions, we need to study how these relationships have worked in the past. This is achieved through real historical data that feeds models: tools that digitally represent the relationships between the different elements of the system. These models draw on historical values to simulate different future scenarios, allowing us to analyze the effects of different political or strategic decisions. They do not seek to offer a single answer, but rather to create a framework for evaluating alternatives and making informed decisions.
Africa has a real laboratory: ONEPlanET case
The ONEPlanETProject, of which CARTIF is a key partner and a key element, was born from this approach. As part of the Horizon Europe research program, ONEPlanET began in November 2022 and will hold its final event next October in Cape Verde. Its main objective is to contribute to sustainable development in Africa by creating a common WEF Nexus modeling framework, which allows for the simulation and evaluation of different policy and resource management alternatives. To this end, three river basins have been chosen as case studies: the Inkomati-Usuthu Basin (South Africa), the Bani River Basin (Mali-Ivory Coast), and the Songwe River Basin (Tanzania-Malawi).
The initial stages consisted of an in-depth study of the case studies, organizing in-person workshops with local stakeholders (NGOs, policymakers, universities, etc.). The more technical sections then began, involving the characterization of the specific models for each pilot, the collection of data to feed them, and the development of the models themselves and their visualization tools. Currently, work is focused on the presentation and accessibility of the results. To this end, two avenues have been designed: an online tool aimed at technical users and a board game to raise awareness among broader audiences about the challenges of the nexus.
CARTIF has participated in every stage of the project: from workshops with local organizations and data collection to the creation of the models and the development of the two results visualization options.
A tool to understand the present and design the future
Although ONEPlanET is being developed in Africa, the NEXO approach and the modeling tools it promotes are replicable anywhere in the world and at any scale, provided the required data are available. In an increasingly interdependent global context, marked by climate change, resource pressure, and growing uncertainty, understanding how water, energy, and food interact is more urgent than ever.
Because the challenges of the future and the present don’t come in watertight compartments. And neither should the solutions.
