Author: Bioregions Facility

ECBF is a leading venture capital fund dedicated to growth stage investment in in the circular bioeconomy, including the Blue Economy and the Bio-Based Industries in Europe. ECBF relies on expertise and powerful networks to catalyse sustainable innovations and fuel business growth. ECBF cooperates with regional partners to identify and select investment targets, and finance and support growth companies on a pan European level. ECBF´s target fund volume of EUR 250m will contribute to fill a funding gap in the European bioeconomy, bringing Europe’s excellent expertise in circular technologies to market. In September 2020 EFI and ECBF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on promoting investment in circular bioeconomy.

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is a political assembly acting as the voice of regions and cities in the European Union (EU). It represents local and regional authorities across the European Union and advises on new laws that have an impact on regions and cities. The CoR works to bring EU citizens closer to the EU by involving regional and local representatives but also by inviting citizens to participate in events and debates. The CoR also promotes dialogue and cross-border cooperation across regions. Particularly relevant is the work covered by its Commission for Natural Resources (NAT Commission). The Committee of Regions has been granted the status of Observer by the Bioregions Facility Steering Group in 2021.

The Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) is a Public-Private Partnership between the EU Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC). The BBI JU is driven by the Vision and Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda (SIRA), aiming to reduce Europe’s dependency on fossil-based products, help meet climate change targets, and lead to greener growth. The BBI JU is responsible for the implementation of open Call for proposals in line with the European Commission’s rules. In its first years the BBI JU has funded over 120 bio-based innovation projects, involving close to 1000 beneficiaries from 37 EU Member States and Associated Countries. The European Forest Institute and the BBI JU have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2020, with the aim of supporting a science-informed dialogue and actions to advance towards a sustainable bioeconomy in Europe.

BIC is a non-profit organisation representing the biotech and bioeconomy private sector in a Public-Private Partnership with the European Commission, also known as the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU). BIC members cover the entire bio-based value chain and consist of large industries, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), regional clusters, European trade associations, and European Technology Platforms. BIC is also a founding member of the European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA), a unique cross sector alliance dedicated to realising the potential of the bioeconomy in Europe. BIC hosts a bioeconomy platform for regions and industry to bridge the gap between bio-based investment opportunities and financial incentives at regional level.

The Zentrum HOLZ in Olsberg, Germany, is the platform and economic development center for the forest and wood sector. Clusters, educational institutions, research and public administration are developing synergies for the raw material wood in terms of employment and value- added as well as sustainable development and climate protection.

With the new “Centre of Forest and Wood-Based Industries (ZWH)” NRW is strengthening applied research and knowledge transfer along the entire forest-wood value added chain, focusing as well on forest management, forest work and forest technology as on wood utilization. The Team Wood-Based Industries of the ZWH works in the areas of Cluster Forest and Wood, Wood Utilisation / Wood Construction, Resource Efficiency (material & energy) and Wood Research (new products & processes).

Wald und Holz NRW is part of the state forest administration of North Rhine-Westphalia and works on behalf the Ministry for Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MULNV). Wald und Holz NRW is taking on sovereign tasks, managing the state own forestlands and providing advice for the private and communal forest owners. Another task is to strengthen the forest-wood value added chain and to enhance the utilization of wood.

Regional Council of North Karelia is a centre of development in the easternmost region of Finland. The Council is politically guided, municipal coalition for the development and interest supervision in the region. It is responsible for regional planning and general coordination of regional development programs related to national and EU structural funds. The Council oversees the interests of the people, municipalities, organizations and enterprises and speaks on their behalf regarding both national and international questions. The forest bioeconomy represents the strongest sector for research and expertise in North Karelia. Several experts work in the region’s bioeconomy sector employed by companies, national and international actors and educational organisations.

NEIKER is a technological centre specialised in creating innovative solutions for the agro-food and forestry sectors. As an entity dependent on the Ministry of Economic Development, Sustainability, and the Environment of the Basque Government, NEIKER works to provide knowledge and value to these sectors. NEIKER creates scientific knowledge and transferable solutions that contribute wealth and well-being to the society and surroundings, and contributes to the development of an agro-livestock and forestry sector in the Basque Country, the preservation and sustainability of the natural environment, and developing policies that drive the circular bioeconomy in the Basque Country.

The Basque Government’s Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment focuses on accelerating the economic reactivation that generates employment by assuming digital, ecological and socio-health transformations as an opportunity to reinforce the competitiveness of the productive structure, integrating environmental criteria into all sectoral policies, not as a conditioning factor, but as a competitive factor in the creation of value.  The different development elements are internationalisation, technological and industrial innovation, entrepreneurship and agri-food development. All these development elements will advance in a continuous and permanent relationship with the industrial economic engine and in accordance with the objectives of sustainability and environmental protection.

Grow innovative ideas, business activities and capital in the Joensuu region! Business Joensuu offers services for businesses, entrepreneurs and investors. We provide you with solid expertise and knowledge about networks, local conditions and opportunities. We help our customers with investments, and to relocate to the Joensuu region. We also provide assistance in setting up a business, growth and internationalisation. In addition, the office space and event services offered by the Science Park can be accessed through us. These services are used daily by 120 organisations and 2500 people.