Soilcrates

SOILCRATES Ireland Webinar
2025-09-02 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
The SOILCRATES Ireland Living Lab will host an online information session on September 2nd at 7:30 PM to introduce its upcoming Call for Grants.
The webinar is designed to support Living Lab members who are interested in trialling soil health management practices on farms in Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary.
The session will include:

An overview of the application process

Details on terms, conditions, and timelines

Information on the proposal assessment process

A walkthrough of the application and budget forms

Questions raised during the webinar will be addressed on the SOILCRATES ireland Living Lab website following the event.
Register here

SOILCRATES General Assembly 2025 in Granada, Spain
2025-10-15 - 2025-10-17 | Granada, Spain
The SOILCRATES General Assembly 2025 will take place from 15 to 17 October in Granada, Spain, hosted by the University of Granada (UGR). Bringing together all consortium partners, this annual meeting marks a pivotal moment to review the project’s achievements, address upcoming challenges, and align on strategies to advance soil health research and innovation across Europe.
Over three days, participants will engage in a comprehensive agenda combining project updates, workshops, and field visits. The opening session will feature a warm welcome from UGR and the project coordinator, Fondazione Ricerca Le Scienze (FRL), followed by updates from each work package — including communication (WP6), ethics (WP8), Living Labs (WP1), and data management (WP7).
Day two will focus on hands-on learning and cross-disciplinary exchange. Attendees will explore the Omed Venchipa facilities for a guided tour and field sampling demonstration, followed by a visit to the Particle Accelerator in Escúzar. The afternoon sessions will include collaborative workshops on synergies between Living Labs, conceptual frameworks for soil health assessment, and methodological alignment across WPs.
The final day will centre on future-oriented discussions, with a workshop on the exploitation of results, a data management platform session, and a brainstorming exercise dedicated to the upcoming European Soil Health Festival. The Assembly will close with feedback from advisors, concluding reflections from the coordination team, and an informal networking lunch.
Beyond its scientific value, the SOILCRATES General Assembly fosters a sense of shared purpose — connecting researchers, institutions, and innovators who are shaping the future of soil health. It is an opportunity to celebrate collaboration, reaffirm commitments, and co-create the next steps toward achieving the goals of the EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe.
Follow SOILCRATES on LinkedIn and Instagram for highlights, insights, and photos from the event.

Webinar: Soil-Based Business Models
2025-10-23 10:00 - 11:30 (Europe/Paris)
We are pleased to share the upcoming webinar hosted by BIOservicES and InBestSoil via the SoilCommunity Platform, exploring how innovative business models can support the EU Soil Mission and advance the transition toward sustainable soil management.

About the Event
This webinar will explore how innovative business models can contribute to the EU Soil Mission and support the transition to sustainable soil management. The session will bring together perspectives from research, policy, and Living Labs to discuss how soil-related business models are defined, what drives or hinders their implementation, and how they can be scaled in practice.
Speakers from the Joint Research Centre (European Commission) / EU Soil Observatory, InBestSoil, NovaSoil, ISLANDR, and SOILL/ENoLL projects will share insights from their work; touching on European policy frameworks, methodological approaches, ethical and institutional enablers, and practical experiences from Living Labs and soil restoration initiatives.
The presentations will be followed by a moderated discussion and audience Q&A, creating space to reflect on definitions, methodologies, and real-world examples of soil-based business models, and to identify opportunities for collaboration and next steps.
The webinar will feature contributions from leading experts, including:

Dr. Panos Panagos – Joint Research Centre / EU Soil Observatory (EUSO)
Dr. Liza Wood – University of Exeter / InBestSoil
Dr. Fabio Bartolini – University of Ferrara / NovaSoil
Dr. Paul Drenning – Chalmers University of Technology / ISLANDR
Giulia Campodonico – ENoLL / SOILL

What to Expect

In-depth discussions on European policy frameworks for sustainable soil management
Practical insights from Living Labs and real-world soil restoration projects
Exploration of ethical, institutional, and methodological enablers of soil-based business models
A moderated discussion and live Q&A to exchange ideas and identify opportunities for collaboration

This webinar is a valuable opportunity for professionals, researchers, and stakeholders to learn from experts and discover actionable approaches to building a sustainable soil economy.

Register here: https://soilcommunity.app/event-69

Shaping the Future of Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses in Europe
2025-12-03 13:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris) | Committee of the Regions, Room VMA 21 (2nd floor), Rue Van Maerlant 2, Brussels, 1040, Belgium
On the eve of World Soil Day, SOILL-Startup will host a policy-focused conference designed to bridge EU-level ambitions with real-life insights from the first and second waves of Mission Soil Living Labs. The event will explore data needs, enabling policy frameworks, practical challenges, early impacts, and the pathways needed to secure long-term sustainability—turning experiences from the field into actionable recommendations for EU and national strategies under the Mission A Soil Deal for Europe.
This high-level gathering will bring together leading Mission Soil stakeholders to discuss how Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses can accelerate ecosystem restoration and soil health improvements across Europe.
Panel: The Voice from the Ground: One Year into the Mission Soil Living Labs
We are proud to announce that Lena Madden, Senior Research Fellow at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) – Midwest and Manager & Scientific Lead of the SOILCRATES Ireland Living Lab,will represent our project on this key panel.
During this session, representatives from the first wave of Mission Soil Living Labs will share early insights from implementation what is working, where challenges remain, and the lessons shaping the next phases of the Mission.
Speakers include:

Ioannis Varvaris – Deputy Research Coordinator, Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence; LL Manager, Nemesis LL (Cyprus)

Józef Chojnicki – Professor, Grójec Living Lab – LivingSoiLL project

Lena Madden – Senior Research Fellow, TUS; Manager & Scientific Lead, SOILCRATES Ireland Living Lab

Mladen Almaliev – Professor, Agricultural University – Plovdiv; Ambassador, Bulgarian Viticultural Soil Health LL

Vasileios Takavakoglou – Senior Researcher, Soil & Water Resources Institute “DIMITRA”; Ambassador, AEGEAN Living Lab

Moderated by:

Saskia Visser – Member of the Management Team, Climate KIC; WP Leader, SOILL

Join for a networking lunch at 13:00 CET and contribute to the conversation. The event is livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Deadline for in-person participation: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 at 18:00 CET.

Proposal Preparation Workshop in Limerick, Ireland
2026-01-13
A Proposal Preparation Workshop will take place at Deebert House Hotel, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick on the 13th of January at 8:00 pm.
Join us for hands-on workshop supporting applicants to the SOILCRATES grant call. This session will guide you through the application and budget forms, clarify terms and conditions, and help address any questions before submission.
Need Support? Applicants can book a 20-minute one-on-one meeting from 7:00 pm before the workshop. Book a session here.
Event Details:

Date: Tuesday, January 13th 2025

Time: 8:00 PM

Location: Deebert House Hotel, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, V35 KV62

More info here.
