2025 at ICONS: milestones and momentum
During the year, ICONS welcomed new EU-funded projects while continuing its cultural activities.
This review provides an overview of the main developments that have contributed to ICONS’ ongoing work and sets the context for the new year.
European projects in 2025
In 2025, several new EU-funded initiatives entered our portfolio, spanning bio-based materials, next-generation batteries, hydrogen ecosystems, aerospace, and water resilience.
Projects include:
- ANIPH builds a new PHA value chain for advanced wound dressings and recyclable water-barrier packaging
- ATENA+ demonstrates a made-in-Europe, sustainable sodium-ion battery at pre-industrial scale
- CompSTLar creates an end-to-end digital/physical ecosystem for sustainable composite aerostructures across the full lifecycle
- CyLH2Valley deploys a large-scale Hydrogen Valley in Castilla y León for mobility, industry, and energy, toward viability by 2035
- REBORN develops modular battery packs for first and second life, enabling reconfiguration and lower-impact e-mobility and storage
- RootLinks sets up a Primary Producers Working Group to boost participation in CBE JU schemes across land/forest/blue sectors
- WATERGRID scales the Smart Water Grid with nature-based solutions to strengthen drought resilience and catchment management
- widerAdvanceFacility provides structured support for Widening Countries and Outermost Regions to maximise research and tech-transfer outcomes
Recognition at the .eu Web Awards
In 2025, the website developed by ICONS for the EU-funded project FAIRMUSE (https://fairmuse.eu/) took top honours at the .eu Web Awards, winning the “Cultural Ambassador” category. The project promotes fair, diverse, and sustainable practices in Europe’s music sector.
This recognition extends ICONS’ strong track record at the .eu Web Awards. In 2023, the organisation’s POCITYF website (https://pocityf.eu/) won the “Better World” category, and in 2018, ICONS was recognised twice: the FETFX information hub in “Laurels”, and the STARDUST smart-city project in “Better World”.
ICONS’ cultural projects
In 2025, Theresia Orchestra and the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) gained recognition, created new opportunities for musicians, and released recordings that deepen and expand the historically informed repertoire. Furthermore, ICONS strengthened its role within the European Early Music ecosystem by joining the Executive Board of REMA.
Theresia Orchestra continued to invest in the next generation through new audition calls for young instrumentalists, while also achieving major artistic and project milestones. The year included high-profile performances such as the Theresia Winds concert at the Quirinale. As part of the European Mozart Ways network, the orchestra was awarded “Ambassasor of the European Mozart Ways”, an acknowledgement of its commitment to historically informed performance following its entry into the network in January 2024. Alongside these milestones, 2025 brought significant discographic releases: Rex Salomon, featuring the world premiere recording of Tommaso Traetta’s oratorio conducted by Christophe Rousset, and a Rossini publication developed in collaboration with the Reate Festival. The season also marked the successful conclusion of the EMPOWER project.
EUBO, meanwhile, celebrated its 40th anniversary with an important season of concerts across Europe, while also looking ahead through auditions for the 2026 orchestra, held in Frankfurt. One of the season’s key moments was the concert as part of European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025, confirming EUBO’s central role in connecting emerging talent with major European cultural stages.
Looking ahead
2025 strengthened a clear throughline across everything we do, laying a strong foundation for scaling impact through innovation and cultural connections that keep Europe’s shared values alive.
