Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BIOBOOST (Catalysing Investment into Catalan Bioeconomy via One-Stop-Shop Accelerator)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-12-01 al 2025-05-31
Catalonia offers huge potential to become a showcase for Bioeconomy innovation and deployment in Europe.
The region is a hub of high-tech manufacturing, research, and industry (vehicles, chemicals, health), has extensive forests (>60% coverage), agricultural production and fisheries, and it is backed by strong institutional support for the bioeconomy.
However, bioeconomy projects are complex and often fail to attract enough investment.
BIOBOOST aims to minimise risk and accelerate the growth of the bioeconomy in Catalonia by providing Project Development Assistance (PDA) services to regional projects. This is carried out through an Accelerator Office which offers a wide range of services covering facilitation and coordination, technical feasibility and engineering, legal and administrative and business development.
The BIOBOOST project is expected to catalyse 30M€ of additional investment into small and medium sized bioeconomy projects in the Catalonia region by the end of 2025, representing a 18 times multiplier on EU investment.
The region is a hub of high-tech manufacturing, research, and industry (vehicles, chemicals, health), has extensive forests (>60% coverage), agricultural production and fisheries, and it is backed by strong institutional support for the bioeconomy.
However, bioeconomy projects are complex and often fail to attract enough investment.
BIOBOOST aims to minimise risk and accelerate the growth of the bioeconomy in Catalonia by providing Project Development Assistance (PDA) services to regional projects. This is carried out through an Accelerator Office which offers a wide range of services covering facilitation and coordination, technical feasibility and engineering, legal and administrative and business development.
The BIOBOOST project is expected to catalyse 30M€ of additional investment into small and medium sized bioeconomy projects in the Catalonia region by the end of 2025, representing a 18 times multiplier on EU investment.
The BioBoost project has established and is operating an Accelerator Office (“the Accelerator” hereafter) to provide Project Development Assistance (PDA) services to regional bioeconomy projects.
· SO1 Establish a regional bioeconomy knowledge base (WP1).
Achieved during RP1 - The regional bioeconomy knowledge base was successfully established through detailed analyses and ecosystem mapping, as documented in deliverables D1.1 to D1.3 providing a solid foundation for stakeholder engagement and addressing regulatory challenges in Catalonia.
· SO2 Preparation for launch of Catalan Bioeconomy Accelerator (WP2).
Achieved during RP1 - The foundational framework and legal structure for the Catalan Bioeconomy Accelerator were fully developed (D2.1) the pipeline of investment opportunities was expanded through stakeholder engagement (D2.3) and the Accelerator’s office was officially established in Lleida (D2.4) enabling the delivery of project development assistance services.
· SO3 Deliver Project Development Assistance (PDA) services to Catalan bioeconomy projects (WP3).
During RP2, the Bioboost team, under the coordination of SYM as WP3 leader, reinforced and applied the PDA methodology developed in RP1 to a 2nd call for projects launched in summer 2024. A total of 13 new applications were received and evaluated using a dual approach: a scoring system based on questionnaires and a qualitative assessment carried out through internal evaluation meetings. For each accepted project, we appointed a project manager and organised a kick-off meeting (6 held in total), during which NDAs were signed and technical, financial, and regulatory barriers were identified. These meetings served as the basis to co-develop tailored Project Development Plans with each promoter, specifying the type of services to be delivered and the planned timeline. Once validated, the projects entered the service delivery phase.
We also ensured follow-up support to the active Bioboosters from the first call, improving internal alignment through regular check-in meetings and the introduction of a shared time-tracking tool.
In parallel, two external impact evaluations were initiated to assess the progress and value generated by selected Bioboosters. One full impact assessment was completed for Biobooster 2 (Alcarràs Bioproductors), and the evaluation process for Biobooster 4 (Wool Processing Plant) was launched.
· SO4 Engage with finance community to address specific and systematic barriers to investment (WP4).
The consortium has continued to identify relevant investors that can be included in the investor database. The new updated version of the database will be delivered in M46 (D4.4). During the first reporting period, INV prepared a questionnaire for investors, and during the second reporting period INV has been contacting the investors of the short list to perform a preliminary interview with them in a short call to establish a relationship and engage them in the project, and have asked them to answer the questionnaire to collect information and gain insight on the challenges facing investors and decision makers when it comes to investing in such projects. Moreover, the consortium has been working with public and private stakeholders to design financing solutions that boost investment in the Catalan bioeconomy. These solutions aim to reduce transaction costs and share risk through mechanisms like capped and uncapped guarantees, blended finance, equity co-investment platforms and output-based financing. Risk-sharing instruments allocate part of the investment risk to public actors, improving the appeal of early-stage or high-impact projects. Bioboost has started developing and structuring these innovative financing schemes for the BioBoosters in WP3, where they will be demonstrated and validated. The demonstrated innovative financing solutions will be reported as best practices and scaled up at EU level.
· SO5 Increased awareness of BIOBOOST project to local and European stakeholders and maximize project impact beyond Horizon Europe (WP5).
During RP2, we've continued sharing sharing results with the public. The website and social media channels, especially LinkedIn (became the main social media channel, while Twitter/X remained active but was deprioritize), were actively updated with news and case studies. Video content included a 2.5-minute animated introduction published in early 2024, and a first Biobooster case video focused on Alcarràs ready for release, with more videos in preparation The project took part in many events across Europe (BIT, WCEF, and CCRI webinars), worked with other initiatives, and contributed to policy discussions on the circular bioeconomy. Collaboration continued with CCRI-CSO and strategic links were established with other EU-funded projects. Finally, Bioboost published the second CCRI Policy Brief and contributed to joint recommendations for the European Commission’s consultation on the circular bioeconomy.
· SO1 Establish a regional bioeconomy knowledge base (WP1).
Achieved during RP1 - The regional bioeconomy knowledge base was successfully established through detailed analyses and ecosystem mapping, as documented in deliverables D1.1 to D1.3 providing a solid foundation for stakeholder engagement and addressing regulatory challenges in Catalonia.
· SO2 Preparation for launch of Catalan Bioeconomy Accelerator (WP2).
Achieved during RP1 - The foundational framework and legal structure for the Catalan Bioeconomy Accelerator were fully developed (D2.1) the pipeline of investment opportunities was expanded through stakeholder engagement (D2.3) and the Accelerator’s office was officially established in Lleida (D2.4) enabling the delivery of project development assistance services.
· SO3 Deliver Project Development Assistance (PDA) services to Catalan bioeconomy projects (WP3).
During RP2, the Bioboost team, under the coordination of SYM as WP3 leader, reinforced and applied the PDA methodology developed in RP1 to a 2nd call for projects launched in summer 2024. A total of 13 new applications were received and evaluated using a dual approach: a scoring system based on questionnaires and a qualitative assessment carried out through internal evaluation meetings. For each accepted project, we appointed a project manager and organised a kick-off meeting (6 held in total), during which NDAs were signed and technical, financial, and regulatory barriers were identified. These meetings served as the basis to co-develop tailored Project Development Plans with each promoter, specifying the type of services to be delivered and the planned timeline. Once validated, the projects entered the service delivery phase.
We also ensured follow-up support to the active Bioboosters from the first call, improving internal alignment through regular check-in meetings and the introduction of a shared time-tracking tool.
In parallel, two external impact evaluations were initiated to assess the progress and value generated by selected Bioboosters. One full impact assessment was completed for Biobooster 2 (Alcarràs Bioproductors), and the evaluation process for Biobooster 4 (Wool Processing Plant) was launched.
· SO4 Engage with finance community to address specific and systematic barriers to investment (WP4).
The consortium has continued to identify relevant investors that can be included in the investor database. The new updated version of the database will be delivered in M46 (D4.4). During the first reporting period, INV prepared a questionnaire for investors, and during the second reporting period INV has been contacting the investors of the short list to perform a preliminary interview with them in a short call to establish a relationship and engage them in the project, and have asked them to answer the questionnaire to collect information and gain insight on the challenges facing investors and decision makers when it comes to investing in such projects. Moreover, the consortium has been working with public and private stakeholders to design financing solutions that boost investment in the Catalan bioeconomy. These solutions aim to reduce transaction costs and share risk through mechanisms like capped and uncapped guarantees, blended finance, equity co-investment platforms and output-based financing. Risk-sharing instruments allocate part of the investment risk to public actors, improving the appeal of early-stage or high-impact projects. Bioboost has started developing and structuring these innovative financing schemes for the BioBoosters in WP3, where they will be demonstrated and validated. The demonstrated innovative financing solutions will be reported as best practices and scaled up at EU level.
· SO5 Increased awareness of BIOBOOST project to local and European stakeholders and maximize project impact beyond Horizon Europe (WP5).
During RP2, we've continued sharing sharing results with the public. The website and social media channels, especially LinkedIn (became the main social media channel, while Twitter/X remained active but was deprioritize), were actively updated with news and case studies. Video content included a 2.5-minute animated introduction published in early 2024, and a first Biobooster case video focused on Alcarràs ready for release, with more videos in preparation The project took part in many events across Europe (BIT, WCEF, and CCRI webinars), worked with other initiatives, and contributed to policy discussions on the circular bioeconomy. Collaboration continued with CCRI-CSO and strategic links were established with other EU-funded projects. Finally, Bioboost published the second CCRI Policy Brief and contributed to joint recommendations for the European Commission’s consultation on the circular bioeconomy.
The BIOBOOST Project has specific expected results:
· Framework for facilitation of bioeconomy.
· Methodology for ESG rating of bioeconomy investment.
· Methodology for bioeconomy technoeconomic assessment.
· Advisory and coordination capacities: strengthening of capabilities for identifying and co-developing specific circular and bioeconomy initiatives.
· Guide for building a business case: the development of a guide that will provide support for the local stakeholders in the identified regions. This guidance will be based on the project and the type of investors involved.
· Monitoring and impact assessment methodology and tool: this will be developed and integrated online and allow the users to follow a standardized set of steps for accurate and effective data management and recording.
· Business plan for PDA Accelerator franchise.
· Training material: the material that will be developed during the timeframe of the project that can assist with training of future participants in Accelerator. These materials will be fully accessible and updated when new material is created.
· Framework for facilitation of bioeconomy.
· Methodology for ESG rating of bioeconomy investment.
· Methodology for bioeconomy technoeconomic assessment.
· Advisory and coordination capacities: strengthening of capabilities for identifying and co-developing specific circular and bioeconomy initiatives.
· Guide for building a business case: the development of a guide that will provide support for the local stakeholders in the identified regions. This guidance will be based on the project and the type of investors involved.
· Monitoring and impact assessment methodology and tool: this will be developed and integrated online and allow the users to follow a standardized set of steps for accurate and effective data management and recording.
· Business plan for PDA Accelerator franchise.
· Training material: the material that will be developed during the timeframe of the project that can assist with training of future participants in Accelerator. These materials will be fully accessible and updated when new material is created.