Bioeconomy Innovation Day: Advancing Resource Efficiency and Value Creation in Europe

Bioeconomy Innovation Day banner

The Bioeconomy Innovation Day – Advancing Resource Efficiency and Value Creation in Europe – was organised in cooperation with the Swedish research collaboration platform Treesearch, FinnCERES materials bioeconomy Flagship from Finland, and the B2BE facilitator, a matchmaker in the Flemish bioeconomy. 

The event took place on 16 November, 2023, at 9:00-18:00 (CET) in Brussels, at the Marriott Hotel Grand Place.

This unique opportunity brought together key innovators, policy-makers, researchers, and funding agencies with the aim to explore the importance of the bioeconomy in fostering resource efficiency, resilience, and value creation across Europe. The goal was to explore how the bioeconomy can advance the green transition and offer fresh insights into cutting-edge circular bio-based innovations.

For a comprehensive overview of the event, read this article.

Agenda

9:00 – Welcome coffee/tea & Registrations

 9:25 – Introduction of Programme  

Session 1: Innovation & Value Creation in Europe  

  • 9:30 – Antonio Pantaleo – EIC Programme Manager for energy systems and green technologies, European Innovation Council: ”European Innovation Council funding programmes and start-ups supported in the area of bioeconomy” 
  • 9:50 – Nicola Francesco Dotti – Senior Policy Officer, Science Europe: ”Research policymaking in the European research area”
  • 10:10 – Jim Philp – Science and Technology Policy Analyst, OECD: “Public investment needs from design to scale-up in the area of bioeconomy“
  • 10:30 – Aleksanteri Tuomainen – Investment Director, Taaleri Bioindustry: “Supporting innovation: viewpoint of venture capital investor”

10:50 – Moderated discussion with the speakers

11:10 – Coffee/tea break  

Session 2: Strategies to advancing resource efficiency and green transition in Europe  

  • 11:40 – Adrian Leip – Bioeconomy Head of Sector at European Commission, DG RTD: ”EU Bioeconomy Strategy”
  • 12:00 – Tatu Torniainen – Leading Expert at The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra: ”Strategies to advancing resource efficiency and green transition in Europe”
  • 12:20 – Eva-Kathrin Schillinger – European Chemical Industry Council: “Advanced Materials Initiative”

12:40 – Moderated discussion with the speakers

13:00 – Lunch break  

14:00 – Session 3: Presentations of EPNOE Association, FinnCERES, Treesearch, B2BE  

  • EPNOE Research Roadmap 2040: ”Advanced Strategies for Exploiting the Vast Potential of Polysaccharides as Renewable Bioresources”
  • FinnCERES Flagship: ”Research Accelerating the Bio-Based Material Revolution”
  • Treesearch: ”Collaboration on the research on materials from the forest”
  • B2BE Facilitator: ”What it means to be the matchmaker in the Flemish bioeconomy”

14:40 – Session 4: Industry Bioeconomy Showcases  

  • ExpandFibre Ecosystem – Katariina Kemppainen: ”Accelerating the development of sustainable bioproducts – ExpandFibre innovation ecosystem.”
  • Cosun – Harry Raaijmakers: ”Cosun Showcase: Biorefinery of Sugar beet pulp.”
  • Cargill – Ronny Varcateuren: ”Cargill Bioindustrial – Unleashing nature sustainably for a better tomorrow.”
  • B4Plastics – Stefaan De Wildeman: “Redesigning tomorrow’s plastics. Today.”
  • Sulapac – Laura Tirkkonen-Rajasalo: ”Biobased, biodegradable, recyclable – Roadmap to sustainable circular bioeconomy.”
  • Tetra Pak – Mats Qvarford: ”Food packaging sustainability transformation.”
  • Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH – Katja Richter: ”Chitosans – Examples of the conversion of waste materials into pharmaceutical products.”

16:00 – 18:00 – Session 5: Exhibition & Cocktail Reception 

Showcase of new bio-based products, prototypes and innovations from the industry and academia.

  • Amphistar: “Waste based surfactants”
  • Amphistar: ”Hard surface cleaner”
  • Citribel: ”Innovative bio-products from a wonderful fungus”
  • FinnCERES: ”Biocelsol prototype dress”
  • FinnCERES: ”Folded protection”
  • FinnCERES: ”Biodegradable ECG patch”
  • FinnCERES: ”Transparent cellulose films for food packaging”
  • FinnCERES: ”Packaging solutions for food packaging”
  • Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH: ”Pure chitosans made from fishery waste to improve human health”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Kuura – textile fibre from paper-grade pulp”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Muoto – wood-based 3d packages”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Woodio – waterproof wood composite products”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Montinutra – high-value bioactive extracts from forest industry sidestreams”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Innomost – valuable cosmetic ingredients from birch bark”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Fiberwood – insulation materials from wood”
  • Metsä Spring: ”Adsorbi – air purification materials from wood-based cellulose”
  • SCA: ”SCA Martes”
  • SCA: ”SCA Ursus”
  • SCA: ”SCA Lynx”
  • Sulapac: ”Sulapac Barrier: Biodegradable barrier for water-based cosmetics”
  • Sulapac: ”Sulapac Premium: Safe and sustainable by design”
  • Sulapac: ”Sulapac Solid: Fully bio-based and recyclable material for reusable every-day items”
  • Sulapac: ”Sulapac Flow 1.7: Wood-based solution for various technologies”
  • Treesearch / WWSC start-ups: ”Reselo”
  • Treesearch / WWSC start-ups: ”Proligreen”
  • Treesearch / WWSC start-ups: ”CelluXtreme”
  • Woamy: ”Bio-based foams for protective packaging”