{"id":8600,"date":"2025-05-23T11:09:03","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T09:09:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/?p=8600"},"modified":"2025-05-23T11:10:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T09:10:38","slug":"workshop-scaling-up-forest-based-innovations-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/2025\/05\/23\/workshop-scaling-up-forest-based-innovations-in-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Scaling up forest-based innovations in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The workshop organised within the framework of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/bioregions.efi.int\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/bioregions.efi.int\/\" target=\"_blank\">Bioregions<\/a> in collaboration with the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/efi.int\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/efi.int\/\" target=\"_blank\">European Forest Institute<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shapingbio.eu\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.shapingbio.eu\/\" target=\"_blank\">ShapingBio<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/biopilots4u.eu\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/biopilots4u.eu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pilots4U<\/a> was dedicated to addressing how the \u201cvalley of death\u201d for innovations in the forest-based bioeconomy can be surmounted. In two thematically focused sessions\u2014Infrastructure &#038; Test Environments and Financing &#038; Investment Conditions\u2014key barriers were identified and concrete courses of action were discussed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Silvija Aile<\/strong> (Deputy Head of Unit Land Use &#038; Management, European Commission) introduced the forthcoming <strong>update of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy<\/strong>: its objectives are to foster a more efficient, circular utilisation of biological resources, to establish scalable bio-based industries, and to secure sustainable raw material supplies. The EU aims to position itself unequivocally as a global innovation hub. Aile emphasised that <strong>market barriers, fragmentation and financing gaps<\/strong> currently constitute the principal obstacles. <a href=\"https:\/\/bioregions.efi.int\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/0_Keynote_DG-ENV_Silvija-Aile.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Link to presentation<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>During the <strong>Scale-up Experiences<\/strong> session, several companies and pilot initiatives illustrated the range of current challenges:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\u2022 <strong>Andr\u00e9s Mitnik<\/strong> (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/strongbyform.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/strongbyform.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Strong by Form<\/a>) discussed the scaling of bio-based construction materials, identifying high entry barriers, hesitant venture capital, and limited pace of material adaptation as critical bottlenecks.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\u2022 <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kuleuven.be\/biocon\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.kuleuven.be\/biocon\" target=\"_blank\">Biocon<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/biocastanea.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/biocastanea.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Biocastanea<\/a><\/strong> highlighted the necessity of clearly defined platform technologies, early industrial engagement, and supportive funding mechanisms for CAPEX.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\u2022 <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cmpcventures.com\/en\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.cmpcventures.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\">CMPC Ventures<\/a><\/strong> underscored the importance of well-defined KPIs, interdisciplinary teams, and established exit strategies for project terminations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In the realm of <strong>Infrastructure<\/strong>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/biopilots4u.eu\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/biopilots4u.eu\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Pilots4U<\/strong><\/a> and the <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbeu.org\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.bbeu.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant<\/a><\/strong> showcased their open test and demonstration platforms. Both initiatives particularly support SMEs in transitioning from research to industrial scale-up, thus addressing the infrastructural dimension of the \u201cvalley of death.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In the second session, the <strong>financing challenges<\/strong> were examined in greater depth:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\u2022 <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shapingbio.eu\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.shapingbio.eu\/\" target=\"_blank\">ShapingBio<\/a><\/strong> demonstrated that the majority of start-ups scale outside the EU, as regulatory complexity, lack of early-stage financing, and absence of scaling instruments represent central impediments.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\u2022 Representatives of <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/greenangelventures.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Green Angel Ventures<\/a><\/strong>, the <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecbf.vc\/\" target=\"_blank\">European Circular Bioeconomy Fund<\/a><\/strong> and the <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eib.org\/en\/index\" target=\"_blank\">EIB<\/a><\/strong> emphasised the necessity of public co-financing, risk-sharing and targeted business-development support.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The discussions reaffirmed key challenges that are also pertinent to the Austrian bioeconomy\u2014particularly with regard to supporting innovation projects in forest-based value chains, developing pilot infrastructures, and accessing scalable financing. <strong>Bioeconomy Austria, as a platform for networking, visibility and project initiation<\/strong>, can play a pivotal role in addressing these very gaps.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5431-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8643\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;width:466px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/bioregions.efi.int\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Workshop-Scaling-up-forest-based-innovations-in-Europe-factsheets-and-ppts.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Factsheets and Presentations<\/a><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[:de]Ein Workshop-Nachbericht aus Br\u00fcssel[:en]Ein Nachbericht aus Br\u00fcssel[:]<\/p>\n<div class=\"bea_cf bea_cf_img_excerpt\">\u00a9\u00d6SF<\/div>\n<div class=\"bea_cf bea_cf_kurztitel\">Scaling up forest-based innovations in Europe<\/div>\n<div class=\"bea_cf bea_cf_subtitle\">A report from Brussels<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8650,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-projekt"],"acf":{"gelbes_kasterl":""},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8600"}],"version-history":[{"count":62,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8688,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8600\/revisions\/8688"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bioeconomy-austria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}