Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FoodCoP (FUELLING STARTUP VILLAGES WITH CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY STRATEGIES)
Reporting period: 2024-11-01 to 2025-10-31
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union (EU) has recognized the unprecedented challenges that rural areas face, alongside the emergence of promising opportunities that herald a new dawn for sustainable development and economic revitalization. Among these opportunities, the transition towards green growth, the booming bioeconomy sector, flexible employment models, and the newfound appreciation for rural areas' untapped potential stand out as signals of hope and innovation. Building upon the promising projections for the bioeconomy sector development in Europe and the EU strategic vision for revitalizing its rural areas by 2040, the concept of the ‘Startup Village’ stands as a cornerstone in fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth. This initiative is envisioned to transform rural landscapes into hubs of opportunity and prosperity.
In this context, FoodCoP emerged as an innovative venture to enhance interregional collaboration among Startup Villages to ignite the transformation of food systems. At the heart of FoodCoP lies the challenge of aligning diverse stakeholder interests and catalysing sustainable growth through the principles of the circular bioeconomy.
The project aims to deliver three main outcomes:
• Establishing a robust collaborative framework;
• Fostering sustainable food system transformations
• Enhancing knowledge and awareness of circular bioeconomy solutions among rural innovators.
Methodologically, FoodCoP unfolds in 3 phases.
1. First, it lays the groundwork by establishing a conceptual framework and stakeholder engagement, drawing insights from best practices to shape a collaborative agenda and design pilot projects.
2. The subsequent phase transitions into developing a transformative Community of Practice (CoP), emphasising resource optimisation, collective learning, and implementing co-creation methodologies to bolster innovation.
3. The final phase focuses on sustainability and resilience, highlighting the role of FoodCoP ambassadors and leveraging dissemination and communication activities to share successes and insights.
FoodCoP comprises a diverse network of stakeholders, including Startup Villages, regional networks, clusters, SMEs, research centres, and knowledge and innovation communities. Standing uniquely positioned to drive this initiative. With its comprehensive approach, FoodCoP aims to revolutionise the food industry's innovation landscape and ensure its impacts resonate well beyond the project's lifetime.
The collaboration brings together a wealth of expertise and resources, promising to create a sustainable and inclusive ecosystem that supports the transformation of food systems through circular bioeconomy principles. FoodCoP will redefine the parameters of interregional collaboration, making a significant contribution towards a sustainable, resilient, and innovative food industry.
In this context, FoodCoP emerged as an innovative venture to enhance interregional collaboration among Startup Villages to ignite the transformation of food systems. At the heart of FoodCoP lies the challenge of aligning diverse stakeholder interests and catalysing sustainable growth through the principles of the circular bioeconomy.
The project aims to deliver three main outcomes:
• Establishing a robust collaborative framework;
• Fostering sustainable food system transformations
• Enhancing knowledge and awareness of circular bioeconomy solutions among rural innovators.
Methodologically, FoodCoP unfolds in 3 phases.
1. First, it lays the groundwork by establishing a conceptual framework and stakeholder engagement, drawing insights from best practices to shape a collaborative agenda and design pilot projects.
2. The subsequent phase transitions into developing a transformative Community of Practice (CoP), emphasising resource optimisation, collective learning, and implementing co-creation methodologies to bolster innovation.
3. The final phase focuses on sustainability and resilience, highlighting the role of FoodCoP ambassadors and leveraging dissemination and communication activities to share successes and insights.
FoodCoP comprises a diverse network of stakeholders, including Startup Villages, regional networks, clusters, SMEs, research centres, and knowledge and innovation communities. Standing uniquely positioned to drive this initiative. With its comprehensive approach, FoodCoP aims to revolutionise the food industry's innovation landscape and ensure its impacts resonate well beyond the project's lifetime.
The collaboration brings together a wealth of expertise and resources, promising to create a sustainable and inclusive ecosystem that supports the transformation of food systems through circular bioeconomy principles. FoodCoP will redefine the parameters of interregional collaboration, making a significant contribution towards a sustainable, resilient, and innovative food industry.
In its first year, FoodCoP established robust coordination mechanisms in WP1 through monthly monitoring meetings (9 sessions) and bi-monthly WP Leaders meetings (5 sessions). Two in-person consortium meetings were organized—the Kick-Off Meeting in Fundão (November 2024) and the Mid-Term Meeting in Killorglin (September 2025). Essential management instruments including the Project Management Plan, FoodCoP Management Tool, and Associated Partners Guidelines were also elaborated. A structured quality assurance process was implemented for all deliverables, with systematic peer review ensuring compliance with Grant Agreement standards. The Ethics, Gender and Diversity Plan (D1.1) and Data Management Plan (D1.2) were submitted.
WP3 delivered three key outputs establishing the conceptual foundation. WP3 developed a comprehensive conceptual framework (D3.1) linking Startup Villages to circular bioeconomy and food system transformation, validated through stakeholder consultation. It also produced the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (D3.2) outlining strategies for long-term stakeholder relationships and community building. The Best Practice Case Studies analysis (D3.3) mapped 50 Startup Villages across Europe and conducted detailed analysis of seven FoodCoP partner villages, identifying four exemplary cases demonstrating successful integration of innovation with local resources.
WP4 successfully launched the FoodCoP platform (www.platform-foodcop.eu) building upon the BioeconomyVentures infrastructure. The platform features five key sections: Library, Discussion Forum, Community Members, Download Area, and Events. Three webinars were organized (March-April 2025) engaging over 130 unique participants to validate platform functionalities and gather user feedback. Technical guidelines for content creation and management were developed (D4.2) including a comprehensive User Manual. The platform had achieved 103 registered users and 719 documented interactions, with 61 external resources integrated. Continuous stakeholder engagement activities through webinars and feedback mechanisms informed iterative platform improvements.
WP5 launched community-building through a Sensemaking Workshop (28 April 2025) with 14 representatives from 7 Startup Villages, applying structured methodology around the guiding question of accelerating food systems transformation through circular bioeconomy. Two thematic webinars addressed identified gaps: "Communicating for Impact" and "Unlocking European Funding". Six webinars and three hybrid events were organized in Fundão, Kočevje, and Killorglin, engaging 120+ participants total. Three interregional pilot projects were co-designed: Interregional Agro-Living Lab Network, Rural Innovation Storytelling Hub, and Circular Marketplaces for Rural Products. A Draft FoodCoP Policy Brief was produced (D5.2) synthesizing findings and early recommendations for WP6 validation.
WP3 delivered three key outputs establishing the conceptual foundation. WP3 developed a comprehensive conceptual framework (D3.1) linking Startup Villages to circular bioeconomy and food system transformation, validated through stakeholder consultation. It also produced the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (D3.2) outlining strategies for long-term stakeholder relationships and community building. The Best Practice Case Studies analysis (D3.3) mapped 50 Startup Villages across Europe and conducted detailed analysis of seven FoodCoP partner villages, identifying four exemplary cases demonstrating successful integration of innovation with local resources.
WP4 successfully launched the FoodCoP platform (www.platform-foodcop.eu) building upon the BioeconomyVentures infrastructure. The platform features five key sections: Library, Discussion Forum, Community Members, Download Area, and Events. Three webinars were organized (March-April 2025) engaging over 130 unique participants to validate platform functionalities and gather user feedback. Technical guidelines for content creation and management were developed (D4.2) including a comprehensive User Manual. The platform had achieved 103 registered users and 719 documented interactions, with 61 external resources integrated. Continuous stakeholder engagement activities through webinars and feedback mechanisms informed iterative platform improvements.
WP5 launched community-building through a Sensemaking Workshop (28 April 2025) with 14 representatives from 7 Startup Villages, applying structured methodology around the guiding question of accelerating food systems transformation through circular bioeconomy. Two thematic webinars addressed identified gaps: "Communicating for Impact" and "Unlocking European Funding". Six webinars and three hybrid events were organized in Fundão, Kočevje, and Killorglin, engaging 120+ participants total. Three interregional pilot projects were co-designed: Interregional Agro-Living Lab Network, Rural Innovation Storytelling Hub, and Circular Marketplaces for Rural Products. A Draft FoodCoP Policy Brief was produced (D5.2) synthesizing findings and early recommendations for WP6 validation.
By the end of the project, FoodCoP is expected to generate:
• R1 FoodCoP Collaboration platform.
• R2 Scalable circular bioeconomy models
• R3 Showcase of circular bioeconomy solutions across online and physical locations in the Startup Villages
• R4 Stronger European Startup Village Forum
• R5 Bioeconomy case studies on the existing startup villages.
• R6 Guidelines, training and technical assistance on innovation capacity building.
• R7 BioeconomyVentures integration and repository of resources.
• R8 Ambassador programme
• R9 Financing information access to CoP.
• R10 Set of guidelines and actionable insights.
• R1 FoodCoP Collaboration platform.
• R2 Scalable circular bioeconomy models
• R3 Showcase of circular bioeconomy solutions across online and physical locations in the Startup Villages
• R4 Stronger European Startup Village Forum
• R5 Bioeconomy case studies on the existing startup villages.
• R6 Guidelines, training and technical assistance on innovation capacity building.
• R7 BioeconomyVentures integration and repository of resources.
• R8 Ambassador programme
• R9 Financing information access to CoP.
• R10 Set of guidelines and actionable insights.