Better understanding, intensified engagement, training and development in regional bio-based systems

Project Information

Engage4BIO

Grant agreement ID: 101059565

DOI

10.3030/101059565

Project closed

EC signature date 6 May 2022

Start date 1 October 2022

End date 30 September 2025

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 2 499 812,50

EU contribution

€ 2 499 812,00

Coordinated by

ZENTRUM FUR SOZIALE INNOVATION GMBH
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Engage4BIO (Better understanding, intensified engagement, training and development in regional bio-based systems)

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EU-funded Engage4BIO project was strengthening circular, sustainable bioeconomy and sustainable regional development through engaging quadruple helix actors (taking into account their diversity of societal, economic and cultural perspectives) in five regional bio-based systems (hubs) in processes of design thinking, co-creation, (re)training and skills development. This is crucial for the updated European Bioeconomy strategy (2018) and its outlined need to launch actions for the deployment of local bioeconomies and new ways to govern the required societal transformation and at the same time engage citizens through awareness raising and education on sustainable production, consumption and lifestyles. The hubs focused on five major value chains, namely circular and bio-based textiles (NL), agriculture and agro-food industries (HU), wood and interior (AT), bio-based and sustainable packaging (FI) and blue bioeconomy (IT). Based on regional specificities, activities have been co-created, and have been performed and (re-) shaped ensuring inclusiveness of all actors. The inclusion of art and design creatively enhanced the ability to connect, integrate and bridge quadruple helix actors. The project outputs resulted in guidelines for regional analysis, trainings, governance, outreach and co-creation transferrable to European regions.The results are fully open to the public. Thus, exploitability reaches beyond the targeted audience and allows access beyond borders.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project first developed the map-and-gap framework with four analytical canvases to assess regional conditions and define innovation needs. Results guided four specific co-creation workshops in each hub, producing regional visions, roadmaps, training concepts, knowledge-gain initiatives and governance measures. Public guidelines and an activity catalogue emerged from cross-hub exchanges.
In period 2, hubs implemented and evaluated the co-created activities: 71 actions in governance, training, arts and awareness, establishing transferable models for regional bioeconomy development. Outputs included roadmaps, municipal guidance tools, factsheets and harmonised sustainability criteria. Training formats reached 236 learners, while arts and communication activities engaged over 28,000 people onsite and 468,000 online. Cross-regional workshops and policy forums informed 17 policy recommendations aligned with Green Deal priorities. The hubs concluded with strengthened collaboration structures, new partnerships and mechanisms for sustained knowledge exchange.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Period 1 established a comprehensive analytical and co-creation framework integrating technological, organisational, artistic and learning perspectives. This enabled hubs to identify potentials and barriers, develop strategic roadmaps and create early governance feedback loops. Methodological outputs—map-and-gap guide, co-creation guide and activity catalogue—ensured consistency and transferability.
Period 2 operationalised these foundations through 71 implemented activities reaching 516,000 people. Hubs produced tangible governance tools such as the Austrian municipal bioeconomy brochure, Finnish packaging criteria, Hungarian governance factsheets, the Sicilian Blue Bioeconomy roadmap and Dutch circular-textile pilots. Arts-based methods strengthened public engagement through exhibitions and the international design award. Knowledge translation intensified via 11 up- and out-scaling events and an international policy forum, culminating in 17 validated recommendations and five exploitation pathways. The project achieved impact by enabling regional innovation planning, strengthening governance, expanding skills development and establishing long-term networks. Further uptake requires stable funding, institutional anchoring of co-creation practices, supportive regulatory frameworks and targeted training.