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IKIGAI
Physical Internet and the Key steps to Innovation-driven supply chain transformation towards Green, Affordable, scalable and collaborative Zero-Emissions Freight Transport solutions
IKIGAI is a Horizon Europe innovation project accelerating the deployment of the Physical Internet (PI) by 2040 and supporting the transition towards decarbonised freight transport and logistics by 2050 through scalable, collaborative and standardised logistics innovations.
Project information
Status
Ongoing
Duration
July 2025 - December 2028 (42 months)
Project type
Horizon Europe Innovation Action
Call
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D6-01
Grant Agreement Number
101202912
ALICE Project Manager
Factsheet
Related Community
ALICE Intralogistics Community
Keywords
- Physical Internet
- Decarbonisation
- Synchromodality
- Zero-Emission Logistics
Project overview
Inspired by the Japanese concept of ikigai ("a reason for being"), IKIGAI seeks to transform European freight transport through the implementation of the Physical Internet paradigm. The project promotes collaborative, interconnected and standardised logistics networks capable of delivering both environmental and economic benefits.
To achieve this vision, IKIGAI supports the development and scale-up of innovative logistics solutions that improve interoperability, facilitate data sharing, increase asset utilisation, enable emissions transparency and support the transition towards zero-emission freight transport.
The project combines technological innovation, operational change, governance models and stakeholder engagement to address barriers that currently prevent logistics innovations from being widely adopted across Europe. Through real-life demonstrations, standards development and consensus building, IKIGAI aims to accelerate the transition towards affordable, scalable and collaborative logistics systems.
Objectives and expected outcomes
Objectives
IKIGAI aims to:
01
Pilot five Physical Internet Logistics Innovations (LIs) addressing key scalability barriers across European logistics networks.
02
Develop the PI Norm, a family of standardised operational procedures supporting Physical Internet adoption.
03
Create a practical roadmap for implementing the twin transition of digitalisation and decarbonisation in freight transport.
04
Establish governance mechanisms that enable large-scale collaboration across logistics ecosystems.
05
Assess innovation readiness, scalability and adoption potential through dedicated evaluation frameworks.
06
Build consensus among public and private stakeholders on the future development of Physical Internet-enabled logistics systems.
Expected results
Key project outcomes include:
01
Five validated Logistics Innovations progressing towards operational deployment.
02
The first PI Norm supporting interoperability, collaboration and standardisation.
03
A PI Coalition bringing together industry, logistics operators, policymakers and research organisations.
04
New business and operating models supporting collaborative logistics.
05
Improved emissions monitoring, reporting and transparency.
06
Increased intermodal transport utilisation and shared resource use.
07
Practical pathways toward widespread Physical Internet adoption by 2040.
Demonstrations, pilots and validation
IKIGAI demonstrates five complementary Logistics Innovations through real-life pilots across Europe.
The five Logistics Innovations include:
LI1
ALICE Express: The pilot develops collaborative matchmaking, volume pooling and data-sharing services to improve intermodal and synchromodal freight operations while reducing emissions.
LI2
Collaborative Matchmaking Platform at Piraeus Free Zone (Greece): This pilot validates collaborative logistics services including load optimisation, cargo bundling, eFTI connectivity and volume pooling to improve operational efficiency and sustainability.
LI3
Smart and Synchromodal Urban Hubs (France and Spain): Pilots in Paris and Esplugues de Llobregat test synchronised multimodal urban logistics operations using road, waterborne and cargo-bike transport supported by digital coordination and smart contracts.
LI4
GRUBER Book & Claim: The pilot develops and validates a blockchain-supported chain-of-custody system for fuel and emissions data, improving transparency and reliability of freight emissions reporting.
LI5
GS1 SMART-Box Pooling Governance: Demonstrations in Belgium and France evaluate reusable standardised modular packaging systems and governance models for large-scale adoption.
Innovative solutions
IKIGAI develops a portfolio of innovations supporting the Physical Internet transition:
Physical Internet Logistics Innovations
- Online and offline trustee matchmaking and volume pooling.
- Collaborative eFTI services for SMEs.
- Smart and synchromodal logistics hubs.
- Trusted carbon emissions data chain of custody.
- Open governance models for pooled reusable packaging systems.
PI Norm
A new family of standardised operational procedures covering logistics nodes, logistics networks, systems of logistics networks, governance and decarbonisation processes.
Twin Transition Genome
A future roadmap integrating the Physical Internet and Zero Emissions Logistics roadmaps to define realistic pathways towards 2040 and 2050 objectives.
PI Coalition and PI Observatory
New governance and stakeholder engagement structures supporting broad adoption, knowledge sharing and scaling of Physical Internet innovations.
ALICE's role
ALICE plays a strategic role in IKIGAI as both innovation facilitator and ecosystem orchestrator.
ALICE is responsible for:
- Leading communication, dissemination and exploitation activities.
- Establishing and chairing the PI Observatory.
- Supporting the creation and operation of the PI Coalition.
- Leading consensus-building processes for the development of the Twin Transition Genome.
- Contributing to the development of the PI Norm and Physical Internet standards.
- Coordinating stakeholder engagement through the PI Ambassadors network and the Nishida Circle.
- Leading the ALICE Express pilot.
- Supporting impact management and project-wide innovation deployment.
- Leveraging ALICE's European network to maximise project impact and adoption.
Why ALICE is part of IKIGAI
Through IKIGAI, ALICE strengthens its mission to accelerate innovation, collaboration and decarbonisation across European logistics networks.
Related ALICE activities
Related roadmaps
Related project contributions
- Physical Internet Roadmap
- Zero-Emission Logistics
- Supply Network Collaboration
- Digital Logistics Interoperability
- Synchromodality
Related policy and standardisation activities
- PI Norm
- eFTI
- Logistics Standardisation
- Data Sharing & Interoperability
- Carbon Emissions Accounting and Reporting
Project resources
Project consortium
The IKIGAI consortium brings together 33 organisations from 13 European countries, representing logistics service providers, shippers, technology providers, research organisations, local authorities, innovation networks and standardisation bodies.
Coordinator
FIT Consulting SRL (Italy)
ALICE members in the consortium
FIT Consulting (IT), BAX, Colruyt, P&G, CODOGNOTTO, GRUBER, ICCS, CERTH, AELER, PNO, INLECOM, FACTUAL, Smart Freight Centre, Digital Hub Management.
Expanding the collaboration with the rest of project partners
Open Logistics Foundation (OLF), ARMINES, MINES Paris, IPP GmbH (IPP), Netcompany-Intrasoft (NCI), CityLogin Iberica SL (CityLogin), FLUDIS, Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB), Ajuntament d'Esplugues de Llobregat (ESPLUGUES), Piraeus Container Depot SA (PCDC), Piraeus Container Terminal SA (PCT), and ROUSSAS Anonymi Etaireia (ROUSSAS).
Related news
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Related events
[Webinar] ALICE - JPIC webinar on the PI Maturity Model
This webinar brings together ALICE and the Japan Physical Internet ...
[Webinar] Navigating complexity: Strategies and collaboration for the future of logistics
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EU funding
IKIGAI has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101202912. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.