CMPC Venture Client

CMPC Ventures’ Venture Client supports start-ups through partnerships, pilots, and direct investment. Launched in 2024, the CMPC has completed 15 pilots, including two forestry-focused projects.

CMPC Ventures works with start-ups through various avenues, including direct investments, R&D partnerships, and Venture Client activities. Launched in 2024, the Venture Client unit accelerates technology adoption by leveraging the innovation ecosystem to connect start-ups with CMPC’s operational and competitiveness needs. This unit focuses on validating and adapting technologies to meet specific requirements. In 2024, 15 pilots were conducted, notably two aimed at enhancing forest operations.

The first pilot, with a German start-up, worked on improving forest inventory using drone imagery. However, it faced challenges with specific wood-type measurement accuracy and was discontinued, despite improvements in the start-up onboarding process. Still, valuable insights were gained from the experts’ visit, highlighting differences in forestry management.

The second pilot, with a Chilean start-up, succeeded through a gradual scaling approach. This approach involved initial small-scale testing, followed by expansion of the pilot area upon successful validation, saving costs and effectively validating the technology for road construction. The success was attributed to active participation, a gradual scaling strategy, and a focused search that adapted based on initial pilot results.

CMPC Venture Client has learned to differentiate technology adoption channels and has been working to establish clear selection criteria. Overall, CMPC’s approach involves defining clear success KPIs, identifying early adopters, and establishing a structured closure process for failed pilots, including documenting learnings and potentially initiating new searches. The company also focuses on aligning internal teams to streamline start-up onboarding.

Learn more

The Forestry Hub of Catalonia is an initiative supporting innovation in forestry value chains. Its facilities for research, development, transfer, facilitation and training.

The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP) is a leading open-access facility supporting the scale-up of bio-based innovations from lab to industrial scale.

The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) is a key promoter of sustainable growth and competitiveness in Europe.

ECBF is the first private venture capital fund exclusively dedicated to investing in growth-stage companies within the European bioeconomy.

Biocastanea upcycles chestnut burr waste into certified eco‐cosmeceuticals via green extraction of antioxidants. Biocastanea promotes zero‐waste valorisation and scalable bioeconomy.

Strong by Form develops Woodflow, a biomimetic, digitally-designed timber composite replacing steel, concrete, plastics via strategic partnerships, phased financing, deep-tech planning.

Biocon’s reductive catalytic fractionation transforms lignocellulose into lignin oil, pulp, and sugars at pilot scale.

With a strong track record, GAV shares lessons on avoiding the “Valley of Death” and supporting start-ups to scale successfully.

PhotonHub Europe and the EIC Scaling Club provide approaches to help the commercialisation of technologies across various sectors.

Read the cases presented at the Workshop: Scaling up forest-based innovations in Europe on 15 May 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.

• Category: Resources, Factsheets
• Tag: workshop, scaling up forest innovations factsheet