Regional Inclusive Biobased Entrepeneurship Solutions

Project Information

RIBES

Grant agreement ID: 101134911

DOI

10.3030/101134911

EC signature date 21 November 2023

Start date 1 March 2024

End date 28 February 2027

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 4 999 455,00

EU contribution

€ 4 999 455,00

Coordinated by

INCE INIZIATIVA CENTRO EUROPEA - SEGRETARIATO ESECUTIVO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RIBES (Regional Inclusive Biobased Entrepeneurship Solutions)

Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Across Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, rural and peri-urban regions continue to face deep structural barriers that limit their bioeconomy potential—fragmented governance, scarce innovation capacity, weak value-chain integration, and restricted access to finance. These gaps risk leaving entire communities behind in Europe’s transition toward climate neutrality. RIBES was created to prove that connecting the bioeconomy with social innovation and the social economy can generate economic, environmental, and social value. Its ambition is to empower communities to co-design circular, inclusive business models grounded in participatory governance and digital collaboration tools that strengthen engagement, knowledge exchange, and market access.

Building on the Multi-Actor Transformative Forum (MTF) model first tested in BIOLOC, RIBES extends this participatory approach to ten transition regions (BG, EL, HR, IT, PL, SK, RO, RS, UA, and the Western Balkans). These forums bring together actors from research, business, policy, and civil society to co-create solutions suited to local realities. Through close partner–stakeholder collaboration, RIBES promotes community-driven innovation, education, and policy design rooted in regional ownership.

The project’s interconnected work packages combine research, co-creation, and digital development. Regional ecosystem mapping and behavioural analysis reveal socio-economic drivers and governance barriers, while life-cycle and multi-criteria models guide sustainable value-chain design. A digital platform acts as both knowledge hub and marketplace for bio-based products. Governance is addressed through comparative analysis and a Theory of Change–based capacity-building framework to enhance participatory planning and institutional innovation. Through the MTFs, RIBES links local efforts to EU-level initiatives, ensuring that community voices shape policy directions.

By merging research, co-creation, and digital empowerment, RIBES positions rural and peri-urban regions as active players in Europe’s sustainable future. It strengthens the capacity of regional ecosystems to adopt circular bioeconomy practices and contributes directly to the European Green Deal, EU Bioeconomy Strategy, and the UN SDGs.

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

During its first reporting period, RIBES laid the analytical, participatory, and technical foundations needed to achieve its objectives. Activities across all work packages progressed in full alignment with the project’s strategy, linking research, governance, technology, and stakeholder engagement into a coherent whole.

WP1 – Project Management and Governance provided coordination and strategic direction through the General Assembly, Executive Board, and Advisory Board. The management, quality, and data plans established clear operational standards for all partners.

WP2 – Social-Ecological Transformative Innovation Framework developed a shared analytical foundation for understanding regional bioeconomy ecosystems and the behavioural roots of social innovation. A comprehensive review, bibliometric mapping, and a 3,000-respondent survey across ten regions revealed that the circular bioeconomy can strengthen resilience in agriculturally based areas. Ongoing dialogues within the MTFs validated findings, supported co-creation, and anchored results in local contexts.

WP3 – Co-development of Social and Technological Solutions launched ribesplatform.eu a multi-module digital tool combining a Bioeconomy Repository, Networking Platform, and Marketplace connecting producers and consumers of bio-based products. Co-designed with MTF input, it supports biomass logistics, environmental and techno-economic assessments, and multi-criteria evaluation combining LCA, TEA, and social indicators—validated through a pilot in Greece. Prototype business models and eco-labelling pathways were identified for each region to guide sustainable entrepreneurship.

WP4 – Transformative Governance Approaches assessed governance quality and resilience across regions using eight indicators, showing strong links between institutional strength, innovation, and adaptability. A ToC-based capacity-building process was designed to support participatory planning and learning, validated through consultations and MTF feedback.

WP5 – Dissemination, Communication, and Exploitation expanded RIBES’s visibility and reach. The visual identity, website, and social media were established early, achieving more than 3,700 website visits, 453 followers, and participation in 29 events. Over 170 stakeholders joined MTFs, becoming key drivers of co-creation. Partnerships with BIOLOC and other Cluster 6 projects strengthened policy dialogue and exploitation planning for long-term sustainability.

WP6 – Ethics Requirements ensured that all research and engagement activities complied with ethical standards and GDPR. An independent Ethics Advisor, multilingual consent forms, and data-minimization protocols ensured transparency and trust.

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)

RIBES advances the frontier of circular bioeconomy research through a co-developed conceptual and methodological framework capturing the interplay between social innovation, entrepreneurship, and system transformation. Iterative collaboration with local actors in MTFs has produced an integrated model that bridges empirical research and policy application.

Unlike conventional mapping that focuses on biomass flows or industrial infrastructure, the RIBES model includes socio-economic indicators, governance dynamics, behavioural patterns, and innovation enablers within a unified analytical matrix. This multidimensional approach allows for a more precise understanding of regional strengths and constraints, guiding context-sensitive interventions.

A central contribution lies in uncovering the socio-economic and psychological factors that drive social entrepreneurship in rural and peri-urban contexts. Evidence demonstrates how education, income, trust, and social capital shape engagement with bio-based innovation, challenging the view that entrepreneurship depends solely on economic opportunity. These behavioural insights offer a new foundation for inclusive bioeconomy policies rooted in community aspirations.

By integrating participatory research and policy co-creation, RIBES ensures that scientific outputs are both rigorous and relevant. This iterative model enhances the legitimacy and practical impact of research, bringing social sciences into the heart of bioeconomy planning. The result is a replicable framework for evidence-based, community-driven governance that supports a fair, resilient, and sustainable European bioeconomy.