NaturFAB is a cross-border cooperation project between Spain and Portugal that aims to enhance intelligent specialization, industrial transition and entrepreneurship through new materials. This European project has been approved within the framework of the 3rd call of the of the POCTEP 21-27 programme.

The objective of NaturFAB is to integrate the existing industrial market of the involved regions with new circular productive processes. It is intended to base these new productive processes on the harnessing of fibres and waste products from endogenous resources (agricultural, forestry and mining) within the cooperation area through the additive manufacturing (3D printing). These new products aim to drive the regional industrial transition towards more sustainable and competitive models, as well as stimulate economical sector in the rural areas.

The significance of this project lies in the utilization of the regions’ endogenous resources as a wheel to modernise the industry and stimulate the economy. The regions involved in the project have a strong identity linked to its own endogenous resources as they form the basis for the vast majority of economic activities in the area. Moreover, the project will enable businesses to enhance its knowledge regarding new ways of production such as additive manufacturing.

For this purpose, the project comprises several actions with the following objectives:

  • Study the potential to generate new materials based on fibres and waste from endogenous resources. To do this, the needs of the business from the cooperation area will be taken into account.
  • Develop new materials from the endogenous resources that are compatible with additive manufacturing.
  • Support businesses in the transformation of the industry, while enhancing their capacities in this new method of manufacturing.
  • Promote and share the project’s results, involving the general public, the business sector as well as the academic sector.

Project code | 0049_NATUR_FAB_2_E

Programme | POCTEP – Cross-Border Cooperation Spain-Portugal

Priority | (P2) Promote cooperation to maximize the use of the territory’s endogenous resources, advance key initiatives, and make progress in smart specialization.

Specific objective | Capacity building for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship.

Political objective | A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity.

Region | Northern Portugal – Castile and Leon

Starting date | 01/09/2023

Completion date | 31/08/2026

Budget | 1.441.836,29 euros

Budget funded by ERDF | 1.081.377,22 euros

Partnership |

Anyone with knowledge of facts that could constitute fraud or irregularities related to projects or operations financed in whole or in part with funds from the European Union under this call may report such facts to the National Anti-Fraud Coordination Service of the General Intervention of the State Administration. This can be done electronically through the channel provided by the public administration at the following web address, in accordance with the terms established in Communication 1/2017, dated April 6: http://www.igae.pap.hacienda.gob.es/sitios/igae/es-ES/snca/Paginas/ComunicacionSNCA.aspx