NEWSLETTER | 2026
- FAM Foundation
- May 5
- 7 min read
Updated: May 7
“At the FAM Foundation, we believe in the power of science, culture and humanitarian action to drive meaningful change. The work supported in 2025 reflects our commitment to innovation that protects life below water, nurtures human potential and strengthens communities where support is most needed.”
FAM Foundation Newsletter 1 | 2026
2025 marked a year of consolidation and impact for the FAM Foundation, reinforcing its role across science, sustainability, culture and humanitarian action. Through a diverse portfolio of initiatives, the Foundation continued to support projects that generate meaningful change — protecting ecosystems, empowering communities and creating opportunities for future generations.
Across all areas of intervention, FAM remains committed to supporting solutions that combine scientific rigor, social relevance and long-term impact.
The FAM Foundation Grants 2025/26 Finalists Pitch Day brought together 20 outstanding finalist projects from Portuguese research centres, universities and sustainability organisations, selected from a total of 67 proposals submitted by 13 institutions. Dedicated to SDG 14 – Life Below Water, the event highlighted the strength of Portuguese marine science and the urgency of developing practical, science-based solutions for ocean conservation.
Following the evaluation process, the winning projects selected for FAM Foundation support were
NAZARÉ REGENERATIVE SEAWEED FARM - Science-Based Sustainable Innovation
on the Atlantic Coast developed by Hope Zones Foundation;
WeRECOVER - Advancing the next-generation water desalination with engineered
nanoporous carbon electrodes developed by QCE - Centro de Química Estrutural | Faculdade de Ciências;
ROGOK4HEALTH - Turning an Ecological Challenge into Health Innovation: Natural Vitamin K1 and Novel Bioactives from Rugulopteryx okamurae developed by CCMAR - Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve | Algarve University;
PLASTI MI TOX - Impact of Plastics on Fishery Resources in order to assess the toxicity of plastic pollutants and their effects on the quality and health of fishery resources and the ecosystem developed by CIVG - Centro de Investigação Vasco da Gama | EUVG - Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama;
PIPE SAFE BLUE - Advancing Subsea Pipeline Monitoring for Marine Pollution Prevention
developed by CENTEC – Centre for Marine Technology and Ocean Engineering | Instituto Superior Técnico.
These projects address key challenges such as regenerative aquaculture, next-generation water desalination, invasive seaweed valorisation, plastic toxicity in fishery resources, and marine pollution prevention through subsea infrastructure monitoring.
The projects supported by the FAM Foundation in the 2024–2025 cycle delivered strong and measurable impact across marine science, environmental conservation, and social innovation. Through a combination of field research, technological development, and community engagement, these initiatives contributed to advancing scientific knowledge, protecting marine biodiversity, and addressing critical challenges such as pollution, climate change, and ecosystem degradation. Several projects produced high-quality data, developed innovative methodologies, and strengthened collaborations between research institutions, local communities, and international networks.
FAM also continued its support for cultural initiatives that promote excellence and the development of young talent. As in previous years, the Foundation supported the Santa Cecília International Piano Festival, contributing to the recognition of emerging pianists through the attribution of a dedicated prize. These initiatives foster artistic development, international exchange and the promotion of culture as a key element of personal growth and societal progress.
Through its SOS Programme, the FAM Foundation continued to respond swiftly to urgent humanitarian needs, supporting organisations working in highly vulnerable and underfunded contexts. In 2025, this included targeted contributions to life-saving operations, ensuring access to essential services for communities facing extreme challenges. These interventions are designed to maximise impact through flexible and efficient funding, allowing partner organisations to act where support is most needed. The SOS Programme reflects FAM’s commitment to human dignity, resilience and global solidarity.
The FAM Foundation is proud to present a series of impact results showcasing the early results of the four winning projects from the 2024-2025 Grant Awards. Beyond scientific outputs, the projects also generated tangible societal and environmental benefits. They supported capacity building, trained young researchers, engaged stakeholders, and raised public awareness on ocean sustainability. Many initiatives demonstrated clear potential for scalability and long-term application, reinforcing the role of science-based solutions in driving systemic change. Overall, the 2024–2025 portfolio reflects the FAM Foundation’s commitment to fostering impactful, evidence-driven projects aligned with SDG 14 – Life Below Water.
Azores Coral HotSpot - Revealing the Hidden Biodiversity of Azorean Cold-Water Corals
The Azores are widely recognized as a biodiversity hotspot in the North Atlantic. Yet paradoxically, they remain a genomic coldspot — particularly for deep-sea cold-water corals (CWCs), key ecosystem engineers that structure benthic habitats and sustain marine biodiversity.
The Coral HotSpot project, supported by the FAM Foundation, set out to address this knowledge gap by conducting the first integrative systematic study of Azorean black corals and octocorals, combining advanced genomic sequencing with high-resolution morphological analyses .
Please find more information on the following link.
Mapping Critical Habitats of Threatened Shark Species
The Mapping Sharks project, supported by the FAM Foundation, was designed to address this gap by investigating the movement patterns and habitat use of juvenile smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) and blue sharks (Prionace glauca) along the Algarve coast, with particular focus on the Sagres region, where shark aggregations have been reported.
Hosted by CCMAR, led by David Abecasis, project focuses on the spatial ecology of smooth hammerheads and blue sharks along the Algarve coast. Using telemetry techniques, it seeks to identify and protect essential fish habitats under pressure from fishing and coastal development. The project supports SDG 14 by promoting science-based conservation strategies and public awareness initiatives.
Please find more information on the following link.
BLUE – Biotelemetry for Life Underwater and Education
The ocean continues to face escalating pressures from industrialization, climate change, and biodiversity loss. In response, the United Nations declared the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, aiming to protect 30% of the ocean and strengthen science-based decision-making .
Hosted by MARE and ARDITI, led by Filipe Alves, the BLUE – Biotelemetry for Life Underwater and Education project was conceived to directly contribute to these goals by addressing two complementary objectives: advancing scientific knowledge on marine megafauna habitat use in offshore environments and strengthening ocean literacy through innovative educational tools .
Please find more information on the following link.
MIMESIS – Nature-Inspired Bioadhesives for Biomedical and Biotechnological Applications
Many currently available synthetic adhesives, particularly petroleum-derived products such as cyanoacrylates and epoxy resins, do not simultaneously combine strong adhesion in aqueous environments with biocompatibility and biodegradability. This limitation is especially relevant in biomedical and biotechnological contexts, including tissue engineering, advanced cell culture systems, 3D organ printing, and emerging biofabrication fields .
Hosted by MARE, Coordinated by Romana Santos, the MIMESIS project was designed to address this challenge by developing marine-inspired recombinant bioadhesives based on the natural adhesive system of sea urchins. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating marine biology, biochemistry, and molecular engineering, the project achieved laboratory-scale protein prototypes corresponding to early-stage technological validation (TRL 3–4) .
Please find more information on the following link.
FIRESEA – Harnessing Invasive Seaweed to Combat Fire Blight
Hosted by MARE and Politécnico de Leiria, led by Carina Costa Felix, the FIRESEA project explores the biotechnological potential of the invasive seaweed Asparagopsis armata as a sustainable solution to combat fire blight, a major bacterial disease threatening pear production in Portugal . By transforming an ecological challenge — the proliferation of an invasive marine species — into an agricultural opportunity, the project integrates marine biotechnology with sustainable crop protection strategies.
The initiative addresses the urgent need for alternatives to conventional control methods, many of which have been restricted in the European Union due to environmental and resistance-related concerns. By leveraging marine-derived bioactive compounds, FIRESEA contributes to the development of environmentally responsible plant protection approaches aligned with food security and ecosystem protection goals.
Please find more information on the following link.
These initiatives exemplify the FAM Foundation’s commitment to fostering scientific research with tangible environmental and societal benefits.
In line with its continued commitment to supporting culture and young talent, the FAM Foundation, as in previous years, supported the festival’s ceremony through the attribution of a dedicated prize, recognising excellence and encouraging the artistic development of participating pianists.
Santa Cecília International Piano Festival 2025
The Santa Cecília International Piano Festival 2025 is a prestigious cultural initiative dedicated to promoting excellence in classical music and supporting emerging young pianists. Held annually in Portugal, the festival brings together talented musicians from different countries, offering a platform for artistic development, international exchange, and public performance.
The programme includes masterclasses, concerts, and an international competition, providing participants with the opportunity to work closely with renowned musicians and to perform in a professional and inspiring environment. The festival plays an important role in fostering musical education, cultural dialogue, and the next generation of classical performers.
The SOS program of the FAM Foundation is designed to respond swiftly to humanitarian crises with targeted funding that maximizes impact. In the case of South Sudan, the Foundation’s contribution played a critical role in enabling MSF to maintain life-saving operations in a region that receives limited attention and insufficient support from international donors.
In 2024-2025, the FAM Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises by renewing its emergency grant to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in South Sudan. Following a global reassessment of crisis zones and humanitarian priorities, the Foundation decided to maintain its support to the same organization and location as in 2023, based on clear evidence of critical need and the proven impact of the intervention. A €15,000 grant was once again allocated to reinforce MSF’s work in Renk County, a remote and underserved area profoundly affected by the ongoing Sudanese conflict and the mass influx of returnees and refugees.
The following video highlights how FAM Foundation’s SOS Fund is supporting Médecins Sans Frontières in delivering lifesaving medical care to those most in need.
Find more information in this link
FAM Foundation is committed with the sustainable development goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
