On 7 May 2026, during the Surfaces, Interfaces and Coatings Technologies International Conference 2026 (SICT2026) in Prague, five Horizon Europe projects – RELIANCE, NOVA, NANOBLOC, SUPREME and MIRIA – hosted a hybrid workshop titled “Antimicrobial Nanocoatings: Aligning Innovation, Regulatory Compliance and Market Uptake.”

The workshop brought together around 45 participants across Europe, with attendees joining both in person and online. Researchers, industry representatives, innovation actors and regulatory experts shared practical perspectives on a common challenge facing advanced materials: how to ensure that promising antimicrobial nanocoating technologies are not only scientifically credible, but also validated, scalable and ready for regulatory and market realities.

Why alignment now matters more than ever

Over recent years, antimicrobial nanocoatings research has delivered major progress – from smart-response nanoparticles and bio-based antimicrobial compounds to more sustainable coating formulations and improved tools for studying microorganism-surface interactions.

These developments matter for many sectors, including healthcare, transport, textiles, and consumer products, where antimicrobial performance can support safer public environments and more durable materials.

Yet, the workshop discussions converged on a clear message: scientific progress is no longer the only limiting factor. In many cases, high-performing solutions already exist. The persistent barrier is the lack of coherence across the innovation chain – from early-stage design choices all the way to testing, safety assessment, compliance, standardisation and industrial deployment.

A workshop built around the full innovation chain

The workshop was designed as a collaborative exchange across disciplines and roles, creating space to connect:

• materials design and formulation, testing and validation, safety and environmental assessment, regulatory considerations, scale-up and industrial feasibility and standardisation pathways

Rather than presenting results in isolation, the projects used the workshop to compare experiences, pinpoint shared bottlenecks, and identify priorities where coordinated action could reduce duplication and speed up uptake.

Core themes discussed

1) Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD): from principle to practice

Participants highlighted the growing importance of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) in European innovation policy. At the same time, many noted that operationalising SSbD in real projects remains challenging.

A recurring issue is the fragmentation of methods and decision criteria used across different contexts. Workshop participants underlined the value of:

• validated testing approaches that are recognised and trusted by regulators (e.g., OECD-aligned where relevant)

• screening-level methods for rapid early evaluation

• targeted, fit-for-purpose validation under realistic conditions at later development stages

The shared view was that clearer, harmonised approaches can reduce uncertainty, avoid delays, and strengthen confidence in safety and sustainability claims.

2) Durability and safety under real-use conditions

The conversation repeatedly returned to the challenge of demonstrating performance and safety beyond laboratory conditions. Participants discussed how durability, ageing, and use-specific stresses can affect antimicrobial coatings — and why evidence generated in realistic conditions is crucial for industrial decision-making and compliance.

Another important point raised was the need for better attention to biofilm-related testing, given that many pathogens persist in biofilm structures rather than as isolated microorganisms.

3) Harmonised testing methodologies and standardisation needs

While robust testing methods exist for different microorganism groups (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses), participants agreed there is no single approach that fits every sector and use case. The lack of harmonisation can lead to:

• difficulties comparing results between projects, uncertainties for industrial adopters and challenges for regulators assessing evidence

The workshop highlighted the need for improved coordination around standardisation efforts and the development or adoption of shared methodologies, where feasible.

4) Predictive and digital material design

Participants also explored the role of AI, modelling and digital tools in antimicrobial materials research. The group recognised that data-driven approaches can help extract insights from growing volumes of experimental data.

At the same time, the discussion stressed that modelling should be more than a “buzzword”: to accelerate development, digital approaches should meaningfully inform experimental planning and reduce trial-and-error. The need for stronger predictive performance and better integration with experimental workflows was identified as an ongoing priority.

From discussion to action: towards a joint Position Paper

One of the most concrete outcomes of the workshop was the shared intention to create a joint Position Paper – framed as a policy brief / recommendation – reflecting the collective experience of the participating projects.

Looking ahead to Ghent

The cooperative energy in Prague reinforced the value of projects working together rather than in parallel. The group also expressed interest in continuing the momentum – we are looking forward to the "Next-Generation Antimicrobial Nano-coatings for High-Traffic Surfaces" Workshop, organised from SUPREME and TRIPLE-A-COAT in Ghent in August.

Find more information here

Thank you

A sincere thank you to all participants – on site and online – for the high-quality exchange and constructive spirit. The workshop demonstrated that Europe’s antimicrobial nanocoatings community has strong innovation capacity; the next step is ensuring the alignment needed for impact: between scientific excellence, regulatory readiness, industrial feasibility and societal acceptance.