Series of tailored trainings for entrepreneurs, rural facilitators and researchers developed by the BIOEASTsUP project focused on bioeconomy were launched today.
Over 100 participants were following the three hours workshop full of inspiring presentations of new bioeconomy business models that can support sustainable development in the Central and Eastern Europe and speed up the recovery after pandemic COVID-19. Magdalena Borzecka – BIOEASTsUP coordinator presented the BIOEASTsUP project that is being developed by the consortium of 21 partners from the Central and Eastern Europe. Barna Kovacs accentuated the need for new approach and efficient use of the biological resources to produce “more and better from less”. He also accented the need of research, development and innovation to provide new solutions for biomass utilization to create added value.
New programs and financial support for bioeconomy
Michael Wolf from DG AGRI presented the intervention logic of the Horizon Europe program, explained the types of European Partnerships and he also briefly introduced the upcoming Work Program for the period 2021-2022 and 2023-2024, the first one shall be published in May and the Info Days will be organized probably on the 26th – 27th May, the days are not confirmed yet.
Executive Director at Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking, Philippe Mengal outlined the BBI-JU Initiative, the achievements in providing the new bioeconomy solutions and the increasing participation of the organizations from the BIOEAST Region in the BBI-JU projects. The success rate in the last call closed in September 2020 for the “new” 13 countries reached the same level of success rate – 8% in the last call. Philippe Mangal also introduced the following activity the CBE – JU partnership that is currently in the negotiations, the first call is expected at the end of 2021 or the beginning of next year.
Biorefinery scenarios for EU
Senior advisor of FNR, Martin Behrens´s presentation was focused on the biorefineries and their role in bioeconomy, he shared the results of the study EU Biorefinery Outlook to 2030 that is being developed by E4tech and FNR for the EC and that shall be available in the coming weeks.
New business models and innovations
Nóra Hatvani from Bay-BIO presented three good examples for bio-based business based on the POWER4BIO project. From GreenGap consultancy, Helena Wolf Tillborg & Carl Jonson clarified three conditions that are key for the Innovation – need – idea and drive, accentuated the need for creative and circular thinking and the need for open mind for the new solution and new business opportunities.
Inspirative case study
Tea Kapun shared new solutions for agro-waste utilization, f.e. the innovative technology to produced paper from the residues of tomatoes or the production of bricks from the marine and paper sludge, what they achieved in the Pulp and Paper Ljubljana. Danka Moravčíková introduced the National Platform AgroBioFood and the activities to support the bioeconomy implementation. Marie Kubankova introduced the role of the business support organization to boost bioeconomy implementation in the BIOEAST region. She presented the BOOST4BSO project and the only Czech partner – the Association of Research Organization. AVO has been actively supporting applied research, direct involvement of entrepreneurs in research projects and programs, AVO is developing a new interactive online searching engine to enhance the cooperation between research organizations and enterprises and case studies to show the opportunities of bioeconomy for SMEs.