Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MainstreamBIO (MAINSTREAMing small-scale BIO-based solutions across rural Europe via regional Multi-actor Innovation Platforms and tailored innovation support)
Période du rapport: 2024-03-01 au 2025-08-31
Bioeconomy offers major potential for sustainable growth, yet many European regions have not fully unlocked it despite significant investments in research and innovation. MainstreamBIO project aimed to bring small-scale bio-based solutions into the mainstream across rural Europe, empowering local actors to engage in the bioeconomy.
To achieve this, the MainstreamBIO established Multi-Actor Innovation Platforms (MIPs) in 7 EU countries (Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands), fostering cooperation and co-creating sustainable business model pathways tailored to regional strengths. MainstreamBIO provided technical and business support services to 44 cases and multi-actor partnerships, accelerating the development of 88 marketable bio-based products and solutions. A dedicated Digital Toolkit was developed to connect bio-based solutions and nutrient recycling practices with biomass availability and market trends, while also improving stakeholders’ understanding through practical, research-based resources. A monitoring and evaluation framework assessed progress and informed evidence-based policy recommendations for regional bioeconomy growth. Through collaboration with EU initiatives, including the Rural Bioeconomy Alliance, the project enhanced knowledge exchange and provided tools for replication, ensuring the long-term sustainability and scalability of inclusive, circular rural bioeconomies across Europe.
To achieve this, the MainstreamBIO established Multi-Actor Innovation Platforms (MIPs) in 7 EU countries (Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands), fostering cooperation and co-creating sustainable business model pathways tailored to regional strengths. MainstreamBIO provided technical and business support services to 44 cases and multi-actor partnerships, accelerating the development of 88 marketable bio-based products and solutions. A dedicated Digital Toolkit was developed to connect bio-based solutions and nutrient recycling practices with biomass availability and market trends, while also improving stakeholders’ understanding through practical, research-based resources. A monitoring and evaluation framework assessed progress and informed evidence-based policy recommendations for regional bioeconomy growth. Through collaboration with EU initiatives, including the Rural Bioeconomy Alliance, the project enhanced knowledge exchange and provided tools for replication, ensuring the long-term sustainability and scalability of inclusive, circular rural bioeconomies across Europe.
MainstreamBIO began its activities with the establishment of 7 Multi-Actor Innovation Platforms (MIPs) across its focal regions, followed by in-depth studies on regional needs, socio-economic contexts, and bio-based value chains to understand local biomass flows. A series of co-creation workshops shaped the project’s service portfolio and the Digital Toolkit, while 7 capacity-building workshops provided hands-on training to regional stakeholders. The resulting Toolkit, featuring 9 core components including catalogues of bio-based technologies, business models, and a powerful Decision Support System (DSS), enables rural actors to make informed decisions and develop market-oriented bio-based products. In parallel, the consortium delivered 58 tailored innovation support services across 44 cases (including 33 Multi-Actor Partnerships – MAPs), supporting 378 innovators through two innovation rounds. At the regional level, 7 scale-up workshops engaged 161 participants, assessing the scaling readiness of supported solutions, while 7 mutual learning and knowledge exchange workshops and missions fostered international cooperation and exchange on evidence-based good practices, lessons learned and success factors, among 129 stakeholders among different value chain actors. Over 1,000 stakeholders participated in local networking and awareness-raising events, complemented by 10 webinars that engaged 455 participants, strengthening bioeconomy knowledge and collaboration. Clustering activities included participation in the Rural Bioeconomy Alliance, close collaboration with sister projects (BioRural, SCALE-UP, RuralBioUp) on a joint Policy Paper, publication of 31 EIP-AGRI practice abstracts, and 15 synergies with other EU-funded projects through 26 joint activities. Comprehensive communication, dissemination, and exploitation actions including digital outreach, promotional materials, participation in external events, and a successful final event, ensured wide visibility and lasting access to project results, supporting their replication and further development across Europe’s rural areas.
MainstreamBIO consortium actively engaged regional bio-based industry stakeholders from the start, ensuring meaningful and demand-driven results. Through Multi-Actor Innovation Platforms (MIPs) established in seven EU countries (the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Bulgaria, Spain, and Ireland), over 140 members were formally involved and 2,300 stakeholders participated in 75 events, aligning all activities with inclusivity and stakeholder relevance across the bioeconomy landscape.We provided 58 tailored business and technical support services in 44 cases, including 33 Multi-Actor Partnerships (MAPs), supporting 378 innovators to accelerate market uptake of bio-based solutions. This contributed, based on feedback, to an estimated 10.37% improvement in market penetration and a 20% increase in income diversification in rural areas, driving new investments, employment, and greater community resilience. MainstreamBIO Digital Toolkit includes 9 core features, from online catalogues and business models to a Decision Support System (DSS) helping rural actors make informed decisions and deploy small-scale bio-based solutions. These tools enhance capacity building and foster a skilled workforce to sustain local bio-based innovation. Together with RuralBioUp, SCALE-UP, and BioRural, we developed a joint Policy Paper linking EU bioeconomy policy with rural practice. Addressing education, biomass mobilization, policy coherence, and financial incentives, it provides actionable recommendations for policymakers, strengthening rural economies and fostering resilient bio-based value chains. Finally, through extensive communication and dissemination, over 27,000 stakeholders were reached and 4,101 directly engaged, raising awareness and empowering rural actors to identify new bio-based business and employment opportunities, contributing to Europe’s sustainable rural transformation.