The overall aim of the COPILOT project is to build the reference database of bioeconomy-based Europe wide open-access infrastructures that accelerate the scale-up of innovations and to unify and interlink the related bioeconomy ecosystem for scaling-up: Infrastructures, Innovators and Enablers into one vibrant community. Since pilot and demo equipment is very expensive and requires specific expertise in a short span of time, open access infrastructures are the most cost and speed-effective manner to support the deployment of biobased industry-driven innovations in the market. In accordance with the European Bioeconomy Strategy and Action plan, COPILOT aims to create an open access pilot and demo database embedded into a self-sustainable platform: 1. Exploitation of past pioneer EU projects experiences and achievements (Pilots4U, ESFRI and BioeconomyVenture) 2. Co-creation dynamics coming from the community to create a tailored-made platform for users’ needs; Engagement and stimulation to participate in COPILOT activities via 3 Open Calls. 3. Key services, training, and matchmaking opportunities aiming to foster collaborations among the community to unlock a clearer and faster access of the bioprocesses scale-up in the EU for Innovators and Enablers This will be carried out in close collaboration with the full consortium build on a strong pool of experts within the fields of bioeconomy ensuring the involvement of all the relevant EU regions to consolidate the maximum outreach of the initiative. It consists of 10 partners with complementary competences: 2 major partners involved in the EU bio-economy Infrastructure ecosystem, involved in the Pilots4U project as well (VTT and BBEPP); 7 clusters or networks of start-ups, spin-offs, corporates, investors and public authorities (IBF, FOOD+I, B4C, KHZ, SGZ, SPRING and BIOEAST), and 1 partner representing the largest global start-up network who will ensure the right methodology and strong impacts of the FSTP strategy (F6S).

Climate change will require concerted innovative ideas and actions at the local/regional level. A sustainable European bioeconomy will not only ensure the protection of the environment and biodiversity, but will also drive the renewal of European industries, the modernisation of primary production systems and lead to the creation of jobs, particularly in rural areas, through the active participation of all regional stakeholders in their local bioeconomies. RuralBioUp project will strengthen the cooperation among regional key actors and knowledge holders, empowering them to establish an inclusive and long-lasting ecosystem (the RuralBioUp Regional Hubs) to support the mainstreaming of bio-based business models in rural areas. In particular, RuralBioUp will establish 9 Regional Hubs (30 stakeholders per Hub) in 6 EU countries, that will co-design and implement 9 Action Plans on 18 value chains. Regional Hubs will be empowered by RuralBioUp's partners with mentoring, coaching and training activities in the implementation of their Action Plans. Thanks to this, at least (a.l.) 1.000 innovators will be supported (through networking events and study visits) and a.l. 50 new collaborations fostered (e.g. partnership agreements between companies and/or farmers, solutions funded, etc.) to adopt small-scale bio-based solutions in rural areas. The project will leverage synergies between existing EU networks (EuBioNet, BioEast, etc.), clusters, and regional organisations and will build upon previous research results (Power4Bio, BE-RURAL, Enabling, Transition2Bio, Biovoices, etc.) by integrating and extending the existing knowledge and data in order to propose different rural business models and new bio-based value chains in the targeted regions, through the realisation of a digital tool (the RuralBioUp One-Stop-Shop) supporting regional actors to take science-based and informed decisions.

The BioINSouth project aims to support decision-makers to incorporate considerations of ecological limits into their regional bioeconomy strategies and roadmaps, when it comes to circular bio-based activities. The project aims to develop guidelines and digital tools, considering the safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) assessment framework, to support the adoption of innovative methodologies to assess environmental impacts in multiple industrial bio-based systems, increasing regional competitiveness and innovation capacity, and contributing to the EU fair & green transition. The project will focus on Southern Mediterranean European Regions with particular attention to regions currently lagging behind, i.e. regions in widening Countries, such as Cyprus, Slovenia, Greece, and Portugal, while the project will see the wider participation of other Southern Mediterranean Countries, including Spain, France and Italy and international cooperation with Turkey and Argentina (in the advisory board). Thanks to the experience of the BIOEAST initiative that BIOEAST HUB CZ brings in, BioINSouth will reach the main objective by establishing regional HUBs bringing together a broad range of stakeholders, including policymakers and public authorities, expert voices, market actors (especially SMEs) and civil society (especially NGOs). The methodology will also seek the collaboration and exchange of best practices among the HUBs within a macro-regional BioINSouth Network and with international organisations. The concept will be demonstrated in 8 regions in the partners’ Countries, under a fully transferable case-study approach, that can be replicated throughout other Southern European Regions after the end of the project.

The BIOMODEL4REGIONS project aims to support the establishment of the innovative governance models at local/regional level to achieve better-informed decision-making processes, social engagement and innovation to support and strengthen EU and international science-policy interfaces to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by: - Supporting the development of regional/local strategies, aiming at exploiting the local potentials and innovations by integrating the opportunities created by the local bio-based economy thus contributing to the broader bioeconomy transition - Developing novel business models to enable consumers, industry/producers and public bodies to a societal switch towards environmentally responsible behaviour by means of biobased products and services - Developing best practice guidelines for local operators and innovation developers, supporting climate-neutrality and low environmental footprint improvements of bio-based products and services The methodology is based on the set-up of a governance structure among bioeconomy clusters that will leverage on previous successful projects, initiatives and best practices to capitalise on work performed through several years of research and studies in the field of bioeconomy. These results will be demonstrated within the project to support 6 pilot regions chosen in clusters’ network. The pilot regions , taking into account different model regions (Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central-Western EU), their conditions and assets and different primary sectors (forestry, agri-food, aquatic biomass and organic fraction of municipal solid waste- OFMSW) will be demonstrated under a fully transferable case-study approach, that can be replicated throughout Europe to demonstrate the replicability of the approach after the end of the project.

The TERRIFIC project will demonstrate at TRL 8 bio-based, circular flagship solutions for improved properties packaging applications, fulfilling the superior requirements in terms of performance along their entire supply value chain while improving circularity and resource efficiency. To do so, 6 ambitious specific objectives have been selected: - Implement a first-of-its kind multipurpose biorefinery for the obtaining of biobased building blocks including 1,4-bioBDO, and C18-DCA at TRL 8 and demonstrate its replicability - Successfully Produce of biopolyesters and biomaterials with RRM > 95% and improved properties (barrier and durability) at TRL 8 including 1,4-bioBDO, C18-DCA from the multipurpose biorefinery - Develop biobased, recyclable, compostable and high-performing flagship packaging products by means of traditional industrial technologies - Demonstrate the sustainability, circularity and safety of the biobased materials developed for the flagship packaging products with respect to existing fossil or bio-based benchmarks - Improve circularity and resource efficiency through the validation of multiple end-of-life scenarios for the developed Flagship products - Evaluate and demonstrate the replicability of the TERRIFIC concept through a multi-actor approach to create an interactive innovation model for engagement of all the actors in the value chain in the exploitation of new business opportunities TERRIFIC is a multidisciplinary project engaging 19 partners from 9 countries covering the whole value chain (including 6 SMEs). An implementation plan is presented in the form of 7 work packages, 5 of which are technical in nature. Synergy in communication and dissemination by the several partners and stakeholders (including a multiactor interest group) will maximize the project progress and impact. Solutions to overcome the barriers as well as appropriate deliverables, tasks, milestones, and risks to complete the project objectives in due time are presented.