Turning research into impact: Zabala Innovation’s role in NutriEV

4 June 2025
NEWS

The NutriEV project is leading cutting-edge research to decode the complex relationship between nutritional extracellular vesicles (nutriEVs), gut health, and metabolic regulation. By examining nutriEVs derived from raw and fermented foods, the project aims to unlock groundbreaking insights into how these tiny vesicles deliver essential nutrients to cells, ultimately shaping our understanding of obesity and metabolic disorders.

NutriEV brings together a consortium of leading institutions, pooling expertise from diverse scientific disciplines such as nutrition science, microbiome research, glycan analysis, molecular biology, nanotechnology, biosensors, organoid technologies, and clinical research. This collaborative effort ensures a holistic understanding of nutriEVs and their effects on health and metabolism.

NutriEV draws on Zabala Innovation’s expertise in dissemination, communication, and exploitation to ensure the project’s findings reach the right audience and make a lasting impact. Zabala Innovation is a European consulting firm specializing in helping organizations —particularly businesses, research institutions, and public entities— secure funding for innovation, research, and development projects. Founded in Spain in 1986, Zabala Innovation is a European consulting firm specializing in securing funding for innovation, research, and development projects. The company supports a wide range of clients —including businesses, research institutions, and public entities— in accessing grants, subsidies, and public funding from both national and European sources.

With a focus on strategic consulting, Zabala Innovation assists in designing, managing, and implementing innovation projects. Their services include proposal preparation, project management, consortium building, and compliance with funding requirements. Zabala Innovation has played a key role in numerous large-scale European consortia, particularly within Horizon Europe programs, and has significant experience as a partner in extracellular vesicle-related European projects, such as VES4US and BOW.

Zabala Innovation’s primary roles in European projects include:

  • Project Management: Ensuring operational and administrative coordination to meet objectives on time and within budget. This involves managing tasks, financial operations, compliance with European regulations, and preparing detailed reports.
  • Exploitation of Results: Developing pathways to bring project results to market, protecting intellectual property, and evaluating the socio-economic impact to ensure the project’s sustainable success and lasting impact.
  • Dissemination and Communication: Spreading knowledge and increasing awareness by implementing strategic plans to communicate results to stakeholders, organize events, publish findings, and manage digital engagement to enhance the project’s visibility and stakeholder engagement.
  • Social Innovation: Promoting sustainable and socially impactful solutions aligned with EU priorities, addressing challenges related to healthcare, environmental protection, and social inclusion.
  • Management of Cascade Funding: Managing financial resources for innovation by evaluating proposals from SMEs and startups, while ensuring compliance with legal and financial frameworks.

With an international team of over 500 professionals and 13 offices in key European cities like Madrid, Brussels, Paris, and Lisbon, Zabala Innovation is a trusted leader in project management and communication within the EU research landscape.

How Zabala Innovation drives long-term success in NutriEV

In the context of NutriEV, Zabala Innovation leads the Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation work package, while also supporting consortium management. Their role is crucial in maximizing the project’s impact by crafting targeted communication strategies, promoting public engagement, and identifying pathways to bring innovative solutions to market.

Key members of the NutriEV team include:

  • Vicky San Miguel: Business Administration and Management graduate, leading exploitation strategies.
  • Ana Báscones, Liliana Melgar and Mariano Echávarri: Skilled journalists responsible for communication and dissemination.
  • Blanca Rodríguez: Experienced team leader with over 15 years of expertise in European R&D&I project management.

Zabala Innovation supports the transition of NutriEV’s research into practical applications, contributing to the advancement of nutritional health through innovative and market-driven solutions.