BioLinX will bridge research and innovation efforts in the bioeconomy by building three large clusters in Europe and initiating within them a range of powerful linking and innovation acceleration processes. The BioLinX partners have leading roles in the bioeconomies of South West Netherlands and Flanders, the Nordic Countries and Northern Italy and in the lignocellulose, agro- and agro-waste feedstock sectors. The partners are all pioneers of systematic innovation management and cluster acceleration practices and between them have leading roles in over 45 current or recent collaborative bioeconomy projects. From this strong starting point they will select sixty or more FP7 and Horizon 2020 biobased projects from all stages of the value chain, form the BioLinX clusters and develop among them brokerage, collaborative innovation and business acceleration dynamics. Specific objectives are: 1. Selecting and scouting more than 60 high potential bio-economy projects, 2. Developing a network of key regional bioeconomy clusters (i.e. RIS3 regions or equivalent) covering 3 geographical regions (north, central, south) 3. Analysing, clustering and focusing selected FP7 and H2020 projects as well as the network of RIS3 bio-economy regions, 4. Implementing the Innovation Linking & Support Programme consisting of activities focusing on Brokerage and Innovation incubation, Business development, finance and funding, Identifying and sharing good practices and Advocacy, communication and dissemination.

This KETBIO project aims at establishing a novel cluster model of biotechnology research projects under HORIZON 2020 to enhance and demonstrate the impact and the outreach of EU funded key enabling biotechnology research. All impact of research is reflected in an appropriate up-take of research outputs through business and society at large as well as through integration into technological and societal systems, the here proposed novel clustering model will thus act as a pivot trajectory to achieve a maximum of these goals for the biotechnology: The proposed cluster will strive to further RTD and innovation through networking and alliance forming and through capacity gains of cluster members. The envisaged clustering of projects and linkage to knowledge transfer activities will allow accelerated industrial exploitation of results through partnering and will maximise impact through exploiting synergies in knowledge transfer and communication. Supporting and coordination activities of KETBIO will lead to the set-up of an actively managed cluster-network of projects facilitating sharing of insights, mutual learning, working group exchange, partnering with industry, dissemination of results and exploring of exploitation pathways. To reach these goals, KETBIO will - Actively promote networking and knowledge exchange between research-industry-policy stakeholders - Establish platforms and online working groups for elaboration on RTD and innovation - Facilitate capacity building through training, webinars, including a lecture library - Provide insights, information and interaction through technology review and science intelligence - Enable partnering between research and industry/ policy partners - Explore a multitude of exploitation pathways, including dissemination of results to the specialist public and to larger audiences

According to reports, circular economy could help boost EU GDP by EUR 1.8 trillion by 2030, result in over 1 million new jobs across the EU by 2030, and be central to cutting greenhouse gas emissions (Ellen MacArthur et al. 2015) and the chemical industry could be at the forefront of this transition by offering innovative solution for a better use of the materials and energy sources. (CEFIC; 2019) However a few challenges are preventing a smooth shift to circular economy, in particular:•Lack of awareness about circular economy benefits at social, environmental and business level.•Lack of specialized training and education promoting skills necessary to fit in the circular economy model•Lack of national policies promoting ESD principles through a multi-sectorial approach•Lack of interest in Science and Technology subjects and related career among European students and young peopleCIRCLE-LAB, in line with the European lifelong learning approach, is aimed at supporting the initial and continuous professional development of teachers’ profiles through the application of practical and innovative tools in order to promote circular chemistry in secondary schools. The project will consider identified needs & gaps related to circular chemistry education and in particular:-need for a practice-based approach that provides innovative resources and tools-lack of a promotion of circular economy principles and ESD core competencies within chemistry education.-necessity of promoting and developing digital learning environment.The main Project results will be:OUTPUT 1. CIRCLE-LAB Modules This output aims at defining a specific educational framework for the teaching of circular chemistry for secondary school students.OUTPUT 2. CIRCLE-LAB training programmeThis output consists in the development of a training curriculum designed for secondary school teachers, aimed at consolidating teaching professions from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to Continuing Professional Development (CPD). OUTPUT 3. CIRCLE-LAB ToolkitThe objective of this output is the design and development of the Toolkit for educating secondary school students on circular chemistryOUTPUT 4. CIRCLE-LAB online environmentThe CIRCLE-LAB online environment will consist of two key components:1. The MOOC: the online course for teachers (IO2) offered as a MOOC in order to allow large number of users and to facilitate its transferability and further exploitation.2. The Structured Toolkit: It will contain the Toolkit and related guidelines developed in IO3, organized online in a way that it promotes the tools’ association with the CIRCLE-LAB training programme and their interdependence.Project impact:The desired impact at local and regional level is that the CIRCLE-LAB may become a reference in developing skills for circular chemistry and achieve the highest adhesion and participation by the individuals and organisations involved in each partner's network, in order to offer services and support to learning activities about circular chemistry.At national level, the desired impact is to involve potential schools and teachers in the field of circular chemistry that can be multiplier actors and contribute to the use of Project results.At European level, the project will enforce the promotion of circular chemistry and ESD principles and its added value on the environment as well as on the social and economic level.