3i Grant Program for Comprehensive Support for Innovation, Internationalization, and Investment for the Year 2023
The project “International Expansion of the New 5G Solution with Global Connectivity and New Services for Reducing Food Waste and Emissions,” with file number 6/12/3I/2023/00017, has been one of the projects selected to receive a grant from the internal budgets of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia.
3i Program
Through this grant program, the following objectives are intended to be achieved:
a) Promote innovative projects with high potential impact, carried out by companies based in Bizkaia.
b) Foster innovation, internationalization, and investment as key drivers of business growth and sustainability.
c) Provide intense public support to strategic and high-impact projects of companies that consolidate and expand their presence in the Historical Territory of Bizkaia.
Grant awarded for the project “International Expansion of the New 5G Solution with Global Connectivity and New Services”
The project “International Expansion of the New 5G Solution with Global Connectivity and New Services for Reducing Food Waste and Emissions,” presented by the company Arctic Sea SL in response to the 2023 call for proposals, has been selected for a maximum grant of €450,000 for an eligible base of €2,088,475.20, with a deadline for execution until December 31, 2024.
Project Description
The main goal of the project is to successfully launch new 5G monitoring services in international markets, thereby generating a significant impact on the company’s competitiveness, while contributing to wealth creation in its surrounding area and to the global reduction of food waste and emissions.
This project is crucial for Arctic Sea SL, a company founded with an impact-driven mission to contribute to the reduction of food waste. The FAO estimates that approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption globally is lost or wasted, with 30% to 50% of this waste occurring during the storage and transportation phases. Wasted food generates an estimated 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year (8% of total emissions), as well as causing disastrous impacts on farmland (almost 1.4 billion hectares of land are used to produce food that is not consumed) and water resources (70% of freshwater is used in agriculture, and every wasted food item represents wasted water).
In this context, the project contributes to the achievement of target 12.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aims to halve global food waste per capita, and it is also related to SDG 13 on Climate Action and SDG 2 on Zero Hunger.
The project includes multiple comprehensive actions in the areas of Innovation, with the launch of new services and processes; Internationalization, with market exploration and entry into new markets; and Investment in the fleet of devices.
This project also stands out for its ability to promote global sustainability through the use of advanced technology. By implementing 5G connectivity in logistical processes, the goal is not only to optimize the food supply chain but also to minimize losses throughout the chain, from storage to distribution. This leads to significant improvements in both reducing emissions and conserving essential natural resources like water and land.
Furthermore, the internationalization of this project will enable these innovative solutions to be applied in various global markets, generating a positive worldwide impact.
