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

SYMBA is a 36-month EU-funded project pioneering industrial symbiosis (IS) as a transformative solution to enhance sustainability, competitiveness, and resource independence in the European bio-based industry. By integrating past IS experiences into a novel circular symbiosis framework, SYMBA is revolutionizing bio-based solutions, shifting from a linear to a circular economy while minimizing environmental impact on soil, water, and air quality. Targeting five critical bio-based sectors, agri-food, plastic and packaging, textile, waste, and wastewater valorization, SYMBA fosters a co-creation approach, where industries, researchers, policymakers, and local communities collaborate to drive systemic change. The project is following a six-stage implementation process, beginning with mapping and assessing IS solutions using multi-criteria decision analysis, life cycle assessment, life cycle costing and social life cycle assessment. To demonstrate its impact, four high potential IS regions are being selected, with scalable criteria developed to establish future industrial hubs. The project also integrates the Asset-Based Community Development methodology, ensuring that regional adaptation focuses on strengths rather than challenges, fostering stronger industry-community cooperation. An AI-driven monitoring system will validate IS applications and optimize resource flows. Beyond methodology development, SYMBA acts as a catalyst for multi-actor collaboration, engaging stakeholders through cross-exchanges in the SYMBA Forum, virtual training with the Hubs4Circularity community, and interactive sessions with the New European Bauhaus network. The project will provide policy recommendations to EU decision-makers, addressing regulatory challenges and investment frameworks for Industrial Symbiosis Networks. In the context of Regional Innovation Valleys on Bioeconomy, SYMBA is laying the groundwork for establishing dynamic ecosystems of innovation and circular practices that will drive economic resilience, sustainable growth, and long-term transformation across both Eastern and Western European regions.