Horizon Europe TETTRIs project comes to a close

Earlier in May, our Project Management team travelled to Brussels for the final event of TETTRIs, a three-year, Horizon Europe-funded project coordinated by CETAF (Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities) and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The project focused on strengthening taxonomic capacity in Europe through collaboration, technological innovation, and community-building.

Pictured at the event are (left to right): @Stella Pielage (Project Manager, Catalyze), @Ana Casino (Project Coordinator & Executive Director, CETAF), @Valentina Quiroga (Junior Business Developer), @Marta Leon Mondero (TETTRIs Project Manager), and @Carolina Vieira (Senior Science Communication Advisor, Catalyze).

Reflecting on TETTRIs’ achievements

TETTRIs stands for Transforming European Taxonomy through Training, Research and Innovations. From December 2022 to May 2026, the consortium worked towards ensuring that the taxonomic knowledge and expertise needed to study, protect, and manage Europe’s biodiversity is openly accessible, sustained over time, and integrated into decision-making processes.

During the final event, the 17 project partners and representatives of TETTRIs Satellite projects reflected on the project’s achievements and shared perspectives on the future of taxonomy and biodiversity knowledge in Europe.

As part of that reflection, the consortium also highlighted the broader value of supporting biodiversity and citizen science innovation. Marta León Monedero, TETTRIs Project Manager, shared, “Through TETTRIs, we see the importance of fostering innovation in taxonomy, while strengthening citizen science approaches that connect research institutions with society. Supporting new tools, methods, and collaborative practices in taxonomy is essential for improving our understanding of the natural world and for addressing today’s biodiversity challenges more effectively.”

Cascade Funding: supporting satellite innovation across Europe

A key part of TETTRIs was the Cascade Funding initiative, which allocated around 30% of the project budget to 12 external projects, referred to as “Satellites.” This mechanism helped extend the project’s impact by enabling a wider range of organisations and communities to contribute to innovation in taxonomy.

“The Cascade Funding mechanism proved to be an effective way to stimulate innovative ideas and engage a diverse range of actors across Europe.” said Marta, “By providing targeted support to smaller-scale initiatives, the programme enabled impactful projects that may otherwise not have had access to such opportunities, demonstrating the real value of flexible and accessible funding instruments within the research and innovation landscape.”

Catalyze’s support throughout TETTRIs

Catalyze supported TETTRIs since the earliest stages, from the initial submission through to project delivery and communication of results. Our Project Management and Science Communication teams supported implementation and helped ensure smooth coordination throughout the initiative.

Marta shared CETAF’s perspective on the collaboration:

“CETAF greatly appreciated the collaboration with Catalyze throughout the TETTRIs Cascade Funding initiative. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and efficient management of the programme created a smooth and supportive process for both partners and applicants, contributing significantly to the initiative’s success.”

“Three-years of close collaboration, problem solving, and dedication”

Stella Pielage, Project Manager at Catalyze, supported TETTRIs from the development of the initial application. She reflected:

“I still remember our first trip to Brussels to align on the vision, topics, and processes for the TETTRIs Cascade Funding call. What followed was three years of close collaboration, problem-solving, and dedication from all sides to make this first-of-its-kind Horizon Europe Cascade Funding initiative a success.

“Together, we supported 12 satellite projects and built something that became deeply integrated within TETTRIs. Hearing Ana and Marta speak so warmly about our contribution at the final event genuinely meant a lot — and was a beautiful way to reflect on this collaboration and everything we achieved together.”

Science Communication

Beyond implementation, Science Communication was another key area of support. Carolina Vieira, Senior Science Communication Advisor, worked across all 12 satellite projects, helping translate their research and results into stories that could reach and engage wider audiences, through articles and social media.

“Working with TETTRIs and all 12 funded projects has been incredibly enriching. It’s not often that I get to immerse myself in the world of biodiversity and taxonomy, and discover just how fundamental it is to understanding our ecosystems. So many of these projects are driving important societal work that is too often overlooked, and helping give them a platform to make that visible and demonstrate their impact was really rewarding!”

What’s next?

With Catalyze’s support, CETAF secured around €12 million from Horizon Europe to bring this work into its next phase with TETTRIX. We look forward to sharing more about the project soon.