The international event brought together leading experts from nine strategic sectors to connect real industry challenges with technological and sustainable solutions.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
A hundred professionals froThe international event brought together leading experts from nine strategic sectors to connect real industry challenges with technological and sustainable solutions.m the industrial, technological, and academic fields participated in the AIMPLAS Challenge Forum 2025, an international event organized by AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, under the theme “From Science to Market.” The forum addressed the main technological, environmental, and market challenges facing the plastics industry across nine strategic sectors, connecting companies with international experts, universities, and technology centers.
The event was structured over two days: the first, on June 19, featured high-level presentations moderated by science communicator Deborah García; the second, on June 20, focused on B2B meetings, where companies could present their own challenges and explore collaborative solutions.
The forum was opened by AIMPLAS Director José Antonio Costa, who emphasized, “With this forum, we aim to highlight that collaboration between science, industry, and technology, supported by public administration, is key to addressing the major challenges of plastics across different sectors. The AIMPLAS Challenge Forum becomes a strategic meeting point where companies, universities, and technology centers can connect real- world challenges with concrete solutions to drive competitiveness and sustainable growth from a responsible and transformative perspective.”
Next, Yolanda Cárcel Fons, Head of the Public Sector Innovation and Public Procurement of Innovation Service at IVACE+i Innovación, presented the program of Complementary Actions to Promote and Strengthen Innovation, which includes this initiative as part of the Sci2Market project. She emphasized the institutional commitment to innovation and sustainability, presenting the AIMPLAS Challenge Forum as “a clear example of energizing the Valencian Innovation System to involve all its stakeholders in joint work and cooperation to continue driving new R&D projects.”
Throughout the day, some of the most urgent and cross-cutting challenges related to plastics in their transition toward more sustainable and innovative models were discussed. These included the development of recyclable prefabricated systems for construction, large-format 3D printing with sustainable materials, the valorization of agri-food waste to generate new materials, and the implementation of the Digital Product Passport as a key tool for product traceability and circularity. These and many other challenges served as the starting point for over 40 B2B meetings held on the second day of the forum, where companies, universities, and experts worked together to find real and applicable solutions.
Food Packaging, Decarbonization, and Agriculture
During the presentation session, Theofania Tsironi, Chemical Engineer at the Agricultural University of Athens, was the first expert to address trends and challenges in plastics for food packaging. Tsironi outlined current practices and challenges in food preservation through packaging and highlighted the importance of selecting appropriate raw materials, ensuring food safety, and developing smart and active packaging to combat food waste.
She was followed by Joan Ramón Morante, Director of the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), who discussed decarbonization opportunities in the plastics industry. “Carbon stored in products is not waste,” he stated. Morante addressed key issues such as direct CO₂ capture technologies, the use of biogenic sources, and circular carbon from recycled raw materials to extend the lifespan of manufactured resources.
Pietro Picuno, Professor of Agriculture at the University of Basilicata, presented the TANGO-Circular project, which promotes training for farmers to valorize post-consumer agricultural plastics. He emphasized that “the active participation of the agricultural sector is key to effectively applying the concept of a circular economy.”
Circular Economy, Health, and Recycling
Continuing with the circular economy, Denisa Gibovic, CEO and founder of Blue Room Innovation, presented a portfolio of interoperable digital tools and pilot projects developed under a common vision: “Making circularity traceable, reliable, and participatory,” from citizen science to global traceability frameworks.
Robert Peeling, Director of Technical Services at Britest Limited, presented the ETERNAL project, focused on reducing the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals from the design stage. Peeling stressed the need to apply early sustainability assessment methodologies in the health sector.
José Antonio Alarcón, CEO of Iberian Global Business Solutions, advocated for a comprehensive approach to recycling. “What is not collected is not sorted, and what is not sorted is not recycled.” Alarcón emphasized the importance of designing recyclable products from the outset and improving sorting technologies, where artificial intelligence plays a key role.
Mobility, Construction, and Additive Manufacturing
After a visit to AIMPLAS and during the afternoon session, Ángel Lagraña, advisor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), addressed the strategic challenges of hydrogen as an energy source for future transportation. Lagraña explained that each technology offers a different balance between range, weight, and responsiveness, and the challenge lies in how to combine them according to the mission. He also noted that enabling hydrogen technologies in mobility involves improving production and storage efficiency with advanced materials, integrating hydrogen into hybrid energy systems, and developing smart transportation networks.
Next, Benito Lauret, Director of the Master’s in Facades at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), highlighted the potential of plastics in unique facades, especially in large- format and high-transparency applications. “Plastic can achieve larger sizes with better transparency than glass,” he stated, citing the example of the Skypool in London. He also pointed out that the main challenges lie in the transport and assembly of these formats.
Finally, Louison Poudelet, Head of R&D in 3D Printing at CIM UPC, discussed new solutions that additive manufacturing can bring to the plastics industry. He explained advances in functionalized 3D printing regarding the development of new materials, the use of multi-materials, color, and customized properties, and highlighted the potential of additive manufacturing in applications in health and energy, among others.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
B2B Meetings: Real Challenges, Collaborative Solutions
Throughout the second day, participating companies presented their own challenges in B2B sessions with experts and technology centers. These sector-specific challenges ranged from the design of sustainable materials, packaging reuse, and waste valorization to the implementation of digital technologies such as the Digital Product Passport and sensorization in transportation. Other challenges included multilayer material recycling, pharmaceutical compounding, lightweight materials for mobility, and recyclable prefabricated systems for construction.