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Logo Neo-Eco and Plinius Labs: turning shellfish waste into cosmetic ingredients with Interreg

Neo-Eco and Plinius Labs: turning shellfish waste into cosmetic ingredients with Interreg

Hauts-de-France

How a French company and a Flemish company obtained nearly 250 000 € to develop a process for upcycling shellfish waste into raw materials intended for cosmetics, via the Interreg Crossroads France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen scheme.

Funding obtained

€249,014

Instrument

Grant

The company

Neo-Eco Développement (SIREN 811041367) is a consulting firm based in Hallennes-lez-Haubourdin (Hauts-de-France), specializing in the circular economy, recycled materials and the transformation of waste into new resources.

Plinius Labs is a Belgian company based in East Flanders, specializing in natural chemistry, formulation development and the creation of bio-based ingredients.

The cooperation brings together two complementary areas of expertise: Neo-Eco contributes its expertise in characterizing and upcycling waste and co-products, while Plinius Labs contributes its skills in chemistry, formulation and ingredient development. This complementarity is at the heart of the funded project.

The initial need

The two companies needed to fund a near-market R&D project, bringing together two SMEs from different countries, to transform a waste product (shells from fishing and shellfish farming) into a raw material with value in cosmetics.

  • Characterize a waste product (shellfish shells) to assess its upcycling potential.
  • Develop a calcium carbonate extraction process.
  • Develop prototype cosmetic formulations.
  • Fund cross-border cooperation between two SMEs.

The funded project

The project "Shellfish Waste" (editorial title: "The Sea's Sustainable Beauty") aims to transform shells from fishing and shellfish farming, often regarded as waste, into usable raw materials. Shells are a source of calcium carbonate, which can be used in various cosmetic formulations and care products.

The project includes several stages: characterization of the shells (composition and properties), development of the calcium carbonate extraction process, development of formulations (prototype cosmetic products), quality and safety testing (regulatory compliance), and then commercial validation (outlets and market potential). The applications envisaged include exfoliating scrubs, toothpastes and other care products in particular.

  • Characterization of the shells (materials, composition).
  • Development of a calcium carbonate extraction process.
  • Development and testing of prototype cosmetic formulations.
  • Verification of European regulatory compliance.

Funding plan

Public funding

€249,014

The total cost of the joint project is not published; only the grant of 249 013,50 € is displayed by the Crossroads platform. The scheme caps the grant at 250 000 € and the total budget at 500 000 € (maximum rate of 50%), but these are only regulatory ceilings, not the actual cost of this specific project. The split of the amount between Neo-Eco and Plinius Labs is not published: 249 013,50 € should therefore not be divided into two equal grants.

The scheme used

Interreg France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen 2021-2027 program (FEDER), via the Crossroads strategic project — a collaborative grant mechanism for French, Walloon and Flemish SMEs (TRL 5 to 8, maximum duration 2 years, maximum budget 500 000 €, maximum grant 250 000 €, maximum rate 50%). The overall budget of the Crossroads mechanism is 19 219 550,04 €, including 10 000 000 € in FEDER contribution (a figure confirmed by an independent source — to be distinguished from the 249 013,50 € which relates only to this joint project).

Results and outcomes

  • Stated objective

    The project "Shellfish Waste" is documented on the Crossroads platform with a clear technological objective (calcium carbonate extraction, cosmetic prototypes) and a displayed grant of 249 013,50 €. The fact sheet describes the planned stages but does not provide a quantified final outcome (volumes upcycled, extraction yields, sales achieved): these elements remain to be documented.

    source

  • Achieved

    The 5th Crossroads France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen call for projects is open from 10 September 2026 to 13 November 2026, confirming that the mechanism remains active for new applications from French, Walloon and Flemish SMEs.

    2026-09-10 — source

Results are distinguished by nature (achieved, stated objective, forecast, estimate) — never presented as certain without this distinction.

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