ShapingBio: engaging stakeholders towards a sustainable bioeconomy

Effective stakeholder engagement is key to achieving sustainability, resource efficiency, and economic inclusivity. In particular, the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy requires active participation from diverse stakeholders. This engagement happens through multi-stakeholder platforms and cross-sectoral collaborations, public-private partnerships, and transparent communication, ensuring all voices are heard in decision-making. ShapingBio (EU funded project) addresses these challenges by mapping and analyzing bioeconomy initiatives, policies, and structural gaps across four EU macro-regions (Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic Sea Region, Western Europe, and Southern Europe), focusing on four key areas to enhance bioeconomy development (1. policy and governance, 2. applied R&D and technology transfer, 3. stakeholder collaboration, 4. financing mechanisms). The project employs a structured and participatory approach, including stakeholder engagement, evidence-based research, and cross-sectoral cooperation, to identify critical gaps and support policy alignment. In fact, ShapingBio dedicated one of its main pillars to the promotion of co-creation processes in the bioeconomy sector. Among others, stakeholders have been included in the testing and validation process to ensure effective and high-quality recommendations to be shared with the European Commission. Through extensive mapping and analysis, ShapingBio provides targeted recommendations to policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers. By fostering collaboration and knowledge transfer, the project enhances the deployment of bio-based solutions, reducing fragmentation and strengthening the bioeconomy ecosystem. This poster presents ShapingBio’s methodology, key findings, and expected outcomes, emphasizing coordinated efforts to shape a resilient and sustainable bioeconomy in Europe.