Category: Regional potential, bioeconomy strategies and action plans

ENABLS project

ENABLS project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/12/2026

ENABLS – education and Nature-Based Solutions: enable Society to bend the curve for biodiversity

ENABLS will set the basis of networking and collaboration to promote, embed and unfold Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) concepts and approaches within universities and vocational school, the professional sphere and society at large through transdisciplinary dialogue. ENABLS envisions the creation of 7 Living Labs (DE, NL, FI, AT, LT, EL, CZ), incorporating all ‘voices’ and leaving no one behind. The goal is to enable society to bend the curve for biodiversity in higher education and Technical and Vocational Education & Training (TVET). The ultimate objective is for ENABLS to contribute more

Contact:

Ann-Catrin Fender: anncatrin.fender@uni-hohenheim.de

website: https://enabls.eu

BIN2BEAN project

BIN2BEAN project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 30/11/2026

Boosting the market deployment of safe, effective and sustainable innovations for soil improvement from bio-waste, towards regenerative soil systems

BIN2BEAN aims to support EU cities in their transition towards healthy soils and soil regenerative systems, by optimising bio-waste recycling into soil improvers through innovative and economically viable value chains. Specifically, the project supports 3 Living Labs – Egaleo, Amsterdam and Hamburg – through the implementation of a multi-actor and participative approach to implement the following activities:

  • Map local contexts, in terms of state-of-progress, existing initiatives, needs, material and monetary flows.
  • Design a tailored evaluation framework to demonstrate the safety, environmental and socio-economic performance of bio-waste collection systems and soil improvers.
  • Develop a scoring system, fed by data from the evaluation framework, to help cities select the most effective and market-ready solutions adapted to their context.
  • Develop tailored and viable business and/or community models for the highest scored solutions, according to stakeholders’ willingness-to-adopt.
  • Draft local, national and EU policy roadmaps, including waste charging policies and citizen awareness campaigns.

Ultimately, the project will deliver a replication PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) toolbox enabling cities to create a continuous value-based improvement loop towards regenerative soil systems.

Contact:

Sara Daniotti, Consorzio Italbiotec: sara.daniotti@italbiotec.it

Marco Dreoni, ETA: marco.dreoni@etaflorence.it

website: https://www.bin2bean.eu/

BIOPYRANIA project

BIOPYRANIA project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 30/09/2028

BIOBASED MONOMERS FROM SECOND GENERATION BIOMASS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS, COPOLYMERS AND BLENDS

Advanced polymers play a vital role in strategic European industries, particularly electric mobility and green hydrogen. Yet most high-performance polyamides and polybenzimidazoles are still made from fossil-based raw materials through energy-intensive processes. This increases greenhouse gas emissions and leaves Europe heavily dependent on imported petrochemical feedstocks.
Bio-based alternatives already exist, but many still struggle to meet the requirements of demanding industrial markets. As a result, there is still a clear gap between the availability of renewable resources and the development of advanced materials that can compete with established fossil-based products.
BIOPYRANIA was created to address this gap: the project is developing new circular value chains for the production of high-performance aromatic polymers from European waste wood and forestry residues. These renewable resources will be converted into sustainable molecular building blocks and, ultimately, into advanced polymer materials designed to replace fossil-based alternatives. In doing so, BIOPYRANIA will help reduce dependence on petrochemical resources, make better use of European biomass and strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in advanced materials.
The project focuses on two key markets: electric mobility and green hydrogen. For the automotive sector, BIOPYRANIA will develop lightweight, durable and recyclable bio-based polyamides for use in electric vehicle components. For hydrogen technologies, it will develop innovative materials for anion exchange membranes used in electrolysers and fuel cells. These materials will be designed to meet demanding requirements for mechanical strength, thermal and chemical stability, durability and processability.
Rather than treating recycling as an issue to be addressed at the end, BIOPYRANIA considers material design, production, use and end-of-life together from the outset. The aim is to avoid downcycling and make it possible to recover valuable materials from complex, high-performance polymer products.
Overall, the project aims to reduce the use of fossil feedstocks, cut waste generation and CO₂ emissions, and improve the circularity of advanced polymer materials. At the same time, it will support the development of stronger and more competitive European value chains in strategic industrial sectors.
BIOPYRANIA brings together 13 partners from academia, research organisations, SMEs and industry, covering the expertise needed to develop, scale up, validate and assess the proposed solutions.

Contact:

Katrien Bernaerts: katrien.bernaerts@maastrichtuniversity.nl

website: https://biopyraniaproject.eu/

RootLinks project

RootLinks project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/03/2029

Primary Sector Working Group Support Project

Despite their crucial role in the circular bioeconomy, primary producers across Europe struggle with participation in the bio-based sector’s research and innovation projects due to limited access to information, low awareness about bio-based solutions, and complex financial and regulatory environment. The RootLinks project addresses these challenges by enhancing capacity-building, training and collaboration across agriculture, forestry and the blue economy. The project helps primary producers engage in research and innovation funding programmes, adopt innovative business models, benefit from them, and contribute to energy and nutrient recycling, rural regeneration and generational renewal. Through knowledge exchange and partnerships, RootLinks aims to empower primary producers, and strengthen their role in the bio-based value chains.RootLinks will support the CBE JU working group on primary producers tasked to address the challenges and use the opportunities of the sector.

Contact:

Elena Reger: e.reger@fnr.de

website: https://rootlinks.eu/

BOOST4BIOEAST project

BOOST4BIOEAST project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/12/2026

BOOSTing the bioeconomy transformation FOR (4) the BIOEAST region

The BOOST4BIOEAST project was developed to support the BIOEAST Initiative and aims to empower national stakeholders in the Central Eastern European and Baltic countries for the development of national bioeconomy action plans and to build long-lasting structures and spaces of dialogue for national and macro-regional cooperation.
The project follows the footsteps of its predecessor, the BIOEASTsUP H2020 project, building upon its outcomes that laid the foundation for macro-regional networking among bioeconomy experts and policymakers through the development of its Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (BIOEAST SRIA) and 11 Bioeconomy Concept Papers of 2022.

Contact:

Korinna Varga (Project Coordinator): korinna.varga@biokutatas.hu

website: https://bioeast.eu/

SYMBA project

SYMBA project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/12/2026

Securing local supplY chains via the development of new Methods to assess the circularity and symbiosis of the Bio-bAsed industrial ecosystem enhancing the EU competitiveness and resource independence.

Within the EU bio-based sector, disjointed information systems perpetuate inefficiencies, resulting in suboptimal value chains and an uneven distribution of economic benefits. This lack of cohesion hampers progress towards a circular economy and sustainable practices. In this context, the EU-funded SYMBA project aims to reshape the narrative by introducing an innovative industrial symbiosis methodology, backed by a user-friendly AI database. Specifically, the project will create a circular economy blueprint for the bio-based sector. Its innovative approach encompasses a user-friendly AI database and aims to enhance local supply chains, benefit stakeholders and elevate the economic value of final products.
The SYMBA project aims at creating a new and innovative IS method to be replicated within EU according to the local/regional bio-based industrial ecosystem. SYMBA will implement a user-friendly and accessible AI database suggesting regional IS innovative processes to create zero-waste value chains, ensuring more local supply chains; a better distribution of economic and social benefits among the stakeholders and an increase in the economic value of final products.
SYMBA solution, aligned with the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, is based on a threefold approach: i) Creation and validation of new IS methodology for the bio-based sector, starting from existing knowledge and lessons earned from SYMBA consortium partners. ii) Individuation of criteria to select regional hubs. iii) AI database including Monitoring tools, waste relation matrix, networking and cooperation with ongoing EU and local networks.
The partnership has been intentionally selected by its expertise, network with key external stakeholders and geographical reach, bringing together 5 EU countries (IT, ES, BE, NL, DE) to consolidate the maximum outreach of the initiative. It consists of 9 partners with complementary competences: 4 RTD centers (CIRCE, CTB, AIMPLAS; CET); 1 large industry (NVMT); 1 pilot facility (BBEPP); 1 innovative SME (ENCO) and 2 networks (CKIC and ICLEI) with a valuable background in applying IS approach in the bio-based sector, providing services to companies and creating awareness and networking among citizens, policy makers, EU initiatives. Through the involvement of different industrial sectors: agri-food (NVMT); packaging (AIMPLAS); wastewater (CET); textile (CTB); waste valorisation (BBEPP), SYMBA will demonstrate how to shift from a linear to a circular economy contributing to deliver bio-based solutions with reduced environmental impacts on soil, water and air quality.

Contact:

Antonietta Pizza: pizza@enco-consulting.it

website: https://www.symbaproject.eu/

thERBN project

thERBN project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/12/2027

THEMATIC EUROPEAN RURAL BIOECONOMY NETWORK

The objective of thERBN is to put into operation an EU-wide multi-actor (MA) thematic network (TN) for knowledge sharing on innovative solutions for sustainable circular bioeconomy (CB) applicable by small farms and foresters (practitioners) at a local scale in rural areas. Such a framework will contribute to empowering practitioners (PPs) to solve the gap between available and viable CB solutions and the problems they face in their everyday lives. Starting from their most urgent needs on the management and use of biological by-products and residues, thERBN will identify existing solutions from grassroots from PPs, innovations developed by Operational Groups (OGs), and research applied results from national and EU projects, to produce practice-oriented, easily understandable materials to be shared in national and EU demo days and training and through channels most consulted by PPs. thERBN TN will assure open access to long-term digital structures like EU-Farmbook and EU-CAP Network, complemented by the thERBN platform to facilitate multilingual access and a social environment to interact among and integrate CB-interested OGs, TNs & project communities, thus enhancing the cross-border dimensions and effects of thERBN TN, and reducing the fragmentation in knowledge and innovation. The MA thERBN TN will connect with the key actors (researchers, advisors, innovation brokers) and structures (national and regional AKIS, extension services, advisors networks) necessary to encompass the transition of small rural farms and foresters towards climate neutrality and more sustainable and resilient operation. Bottom-up MA-based dialogue will yield evidence on the current PPs’ needs, the remaining gaps for CB solutions that new innovative products and services can cover, and policy briefs proposing policies or instruments to support the adoption of small-scale CB solutions by small farms.

Contact:

Edelbis López Dávila (Project Coordinator): Edelbis.LopezDavila@UGent.be
Alexandra Gkouma (Communication Manager): gkouma@qplan-intl.gr
Flavia Fusconi (Dissemination and Networking): fusconi@apre.it

website: https://therbn.eu/

Crop-MATCHING project

Crop-MATCHING project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 30/09/2029

A thematic network to boost small-scale sustainable farming through sustainable cropping practices.

Supporting small farms and foresters across Europe.
The EU-funded Crop-MATCHING project introduces, adopts and applies a novel agro-ecological concept that ‘matches’ farming systems by mimicking nature to support long-lasting and effective solutions. This approach enables small-scale farms to effectively implement environmentally friendly practices, thereby further supporting rural communities, agro-biodiversity, and both environmental and economic objectives. With this in mind, Crop-MATCHING is developing a holistic approach to identify underutilised knowledge and best sustainable practices, aimed at creating impartial, tailored expertise to assist small farmers and foresters in overcoming the challenges they face.

Contact:

Prof. Konstadinos Mattas: mattas@auth.gr

website: https://www.cropmatching.com/

BIO-INSPIRE project

BIO-INSPIRE project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 30/04/2028

Enhancing Bio-Based Innovation and Participation in Under-Represented Regions Through Cluster Mobilization and Collaborative Governance

Regional clusters act as powerful catalysts in the bioeconomy — connecting local enterprises, researchers, and stakeholders through their cross-sectoral reach and close links to regional ecosystems. BIO-INSPIRE mobilises this potential through an alliance of 14 transdisciplinary partners from 12 EU countries. The project engages Regional Bio-Economy Clusters in seven widening regions (Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland), supported by research and cluster partners from Sweden and the Netherlands.

By addressing common bottlenecks in innovation, tackling systemic challenges, and introducing a robust governance framework, BIO-INSPIRE strengthens regional R&I capacity and enables ecosystems to build lasting collaborations and fully participate in Europe’s bio-based economy.

Contact:

Maria Ferentinou: m.ferentinou@greenovate-europe.eu

website: https://www.bio-inspire.eu/

C4B project

C4B project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/12/2027

Circular Bio-Based Business models to create high-value Bio-based products in integrated value chains

Primary production in agriculture and forestry represents an essential part of the European circular bioeconomy. However, the involvement of primary producers in circular bio-based economy is still limited, and the benefits are in most cases not fairly distributed along the value chain, to the disadvantage of primary producers. Fair and sustainable business models that create opportunities for rural entrepreneurship and develop new forms of successful rural business are therefore needed. The purpose of C4B is to accelerate the development of rural communities and their economic viability by developing new fair and sustainable business models for different agricultural and forestry value chains. C4B business models will be designed to balance the share of power and profits across novel biobased value chains and to enhance the cooperation among farmers, foresters and industry. This project will advance the understanding of bio-based value chains by carrying out a holistic analysis of different case studies in EU that considers technology, business environment, primary producers’ behaviour, contractual agreements and ownership, and sustainability. By providing financial support to third parties via Open Call, C4B will demonstrate the applicability, scalability and replicability of the new business models in different business settings and geographical areas, eventually stimulating the uptake of the new business models. Joining forces with complementary and trans-disciplinary stakeholders from agriculture, forestry and industrial sector, the C4B consortium will define key R&I priorities to be implemented by means of the coming EU funding programmes to support the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, as well policy recommendations to advise Member States for implementing realistic and effective national CAP Strategic Plans that entail bioeconomy interventions.

Contact:

Francesco Sottile: francesco.sottile@pnoinnovation.com

website: https://www.c4b-project.eu/