Category: Regional potential, bioeconomy strategies and action plans

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/

RBRF project

RBRF project

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

Small-scale Circular Green Biorefineries for increasing farmer sustainability and competitiveness and building resilient rural areas

Rural BioReFarmeries brings together farmers, industries and other partners across Europe, to demonstrate a farmer-centred bioeconomy model aimed at maximizing the potential of Europe’s vast grasslands. The project will demonstrate a novel small-scale, decentralized, rural green biorefinery value chain, which addresses the limitations of existing green biorefineries. This small-scale decentralized model places farmers at the centre of the biomass value creation close to their farms, allowing them to co-produce inputs for their farms, with additional high value-added intermediates and products, which will be further developed in collaboration with centralized facilities and downstream industry partners. The model provides a practical implementation of the bioeconomy among a large farmer cohort and builds on the existing farm enterprises and cooperative structures of our partners, enabling collaboration, scale-up, market access, and building synergies across primary and industrial sectors. The project advances state-of-the-art for green biorefinery in terms of operational model, logistics, processing, product development and assessment methods, which collectively deliver a more sustainable and profitable model for farmers and rural communities. The model will serve as a blueprint for farmers to sustainably diversify into the bioeconomy, reducing their farm emissions while creating new products which displace unsustainable alternatives in a range of agri-food markets. Rural BioReFarmeries model will be replicated to diverse regions of Europe, supported by the development of inclusive business models and hands-on training among multi-actor groups and communities in regions of high potential. The project represents a highly replicable model for Europe’s abundant grasslands, helping farmers to deal with sustainability and profitability challenges while helping rural communities to become more resilient while realizing the potential of their local bioresources.

Contact:

Giulia Pastor: refarm@australo.org

website: https://ruralbiorefarmeries.eu/

LAB Biofine project

LAB Biofine project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/05/2027

LAB Biofine

LAB Biofine is a bold innovation and development platform for the bioeconomy. We help companies turn bio-based ideas into sustainable business through agile piloting, cutting-edge research, and international collaboration. Our activities are centred around a pilot plant based on pressurised hot water extraction and deep eutectic solvents, with advanced separation capabilities.

Contact:

Dr. Antti Kapanen, Specialist for International Networks: antti.kapanen@lab.fi

website: http://www.biofine.fi/

CIRCULAR BIOCARBON project

CIRCULAR BIOCARBON project

Posted on by Louis Ferrini
This project ends on: 31/05/2027

Turning urban waste streams into added-value products

CIRCULAR BIOCARBON presents a first-of-a-kind flagship biorefinery designed to valorise the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) and Sewage Sludge (SS) into high-added-value end and intermediate products, including coating of direct consumer products, coating of mechanical moving parts, coating of plastic moulding tools, biodegradable and compostable waste bags, green graphene-based devices and products, biodegradable soil mulch films, solid organomineral fertiliser with biostimulant properties and liquid biobased biostimulant.

Contact:

Cristina Garcia-Vera (Project Coordinator): info@circularbiocarbon.eu

website: https://circularbiocarbon.eu/

BEAMING project

BEAMING project

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

Bioeconomy excellence alliance for stimulating innovative and inclusive green transition

BEAMING is a Horizon Europe project under the WIDERA work programme which seeks to promote innovation and valorization of knowledge in the field of bioeconomy through cooperation between higher education institutions, with a special focus on widening countries in Central-Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.

Contact:

Balázs Imre (Project Coordinator): imre.balazs@edu.bme.hu

website: https://beamingproject.eu/