Jelly Go-oN s.r.l. advancing sustainable jellyfish research for novel food and blue biotechnology applications

Within the framework of the na0onal project Na0onal Biodiversity Future Center, funded by PNRR resources, it was possible to take part in a six-month Upskilling training course, which enabled the development of an innova0ve idea aimed at establishing an innova0ve start-up en0rely focused on jellyfish and sustainability, supported by € 60,000 in funding. Accordingly, in November 2025, Jelly Go-oN s.r.l. was founded as an innova0ve start-up, origina0ng from the European project GoJelly, promoted by the Na0onal Research Council (Lecce) and the University of Salento. Jelly Go-oN aims to consolidate and further develop research on Rhizostoma pulmo, with the goal of proposing it as a novel food at the European level. In parallel, the company will focus on Cassiopea andromeda, inves0ga0ng the species both in the wild and under controlled laboratory condi0ons. Field ac0vi0es will be aimed at assessing the environmental and ecological drivers that support its prolifera0on in confined Mediterranean habitats, including key. Laboratory ac0vi0es will be designed to reproduce the physico-chemical condi0ons observed in nature, to op0mize cul0va0on protocols and ensure reproducibility of growth performance and biomass quality. In addi0on, Jelly Go-oN will inves0gate the full range of bioac0ve compounds and biochemical traits associated with this species, with the objec0ve of iden0fying poten0al applica0ons in the food, feed, nutraceu0cal, and cosme0c sectors. This is the first aYempt at a fully integrated produc0on system with environmental impact assessment. Con0nuous monitoring of environmental and technological parameters, including through digital systems, will create a pilot techno-ecosystem, paving the way for future scalable applications.