The DanuBioValNet Awareness Workshop in Zagreb, Croatia

On 22 November, an Awareness Workshop of the DTP DanuBioValNet project has been organised in Zagreb, in the framework of the EU Western Balkans Cluster Policy Learning and Matchmaking Event.

The project was presented within the panel on “Transnational Cluster Cooperation with the Western Balkan Countries” as a good example of successful and productive transnational cooperation in terms of the (re)establishing new value chains for the bio-based products. The aim was to present the four value chains that the project is dealing with (Phytopharmaceutical industry, Eco-construction, Bio-based packaging, and Hemp industry) with an accent on the existing gaps and possibilities on how could other sectors get involved in order to jointly develop new methods, strategies, and tools needed to connect the relevant stakeholders of the Danube Region, and to support the transformation from the fossil-based economy towards bio-based industry.

During the cluster event in Zagreb, more than 90 clusters from all Western Balkan countries, the European Union and two other COSME participating countries were presented. The event was organised by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform and DG Grow and co-hosted by the Croatian Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, which is also one of the DanuBioValNet project partners.

Author: Ana Dijan, Croatian Wood Cluster, Croatia

THE FIRST DANUBE CLUSTER POLICY MAKER FORUM

On 11 December 2018, the policy makers, cluster stakeholders and practitioners from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania participated in the 1st Danube Cluster Policy Maker Forum in Bucharest hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organised by the Romanian partners of the DTP DanuBioValNet project (Ministry of Economy, the Romanian Cluster Association and the Institute for Economic Forecasting) in the frame of the Romanian Presidency of the EUSDR.

The aim of the event was to set up the Danube Cluster Policy Maker Forum as an open platform where cluster policy makers regularly meet, exchange experiences and find a (common) position for the Danube macro region with regard to the S3 and cluster policy making. The most important result is the setup of the Forum itself, stated Mrs Butkovic, the Croatian co-coordinator of the PA 8 in the conclusion of the event. The next meeting will be organised by Croatia in 2020. 

Author: Romanian Cluster Association, Romania

The last meeting of the DanuBioValNet Steering Committee

The last meeting of the Steering Committee of the DanuBioValNet project took place on 17 January 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany. The host of the meeting was the Lead partner of the project, BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg.

At the beginning of the meeting, the floor was given to Johanna Specker from the National Contact Point of the Danube Transnational Program (DTP) at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing Baden-Württemberg. Ms. Specker introduced the 3rd call for proposals of the DTP opened on 28 January with a deadline on 8 March 2019, including the addressed priority areas and topics, procedure, amount of funding and other relevant requirements. The DanuBioValNet consortium was invited to participate in this call to capitalise the work done during the current project.

Then, Prof. Dr. Ralf Kindervater, CEO of the BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg, the Lead Partner of the DanuBioValNet project, recapped the main achievements of the project reached so far, among which the strong partnership based on trust, mutual respect and tight links with the EUSDR, especially PA8 “Competitiveness of enterprises”, were highlighted.

The closure of the Steering Committee meeting instigated the discussion on continuation of the joint bioeconomy activities after the end of the project to capitalise on the knowledge and experience gained.

Author: National Cluster Association, Czech Republic

Forthcoming events of the DanuBioValNet PROJECT

BIOECONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The National Cluster Association – CZ in cooperation with Technology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences hold the workshop of “BIOECONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - a model of the interdepartmental cooperation in Baden-Württemberg” on 27 February 2019 in Prague, Czech Republic. The workshop is dedicated to the professionals from research and practice and mainly for the representatives of the government policy stakeholders interested in the topic of bioeconomy and the ways of its strategic development in the Czech Republic. The distinguished guest of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Ralf Kindervater, CEO of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH, will share the background and milestones of the bioeconomy development in Baden-Württemberg. The workshop is organised within the awareness campaigns of the DanuBioValNet project.

More info find here: http://nca.cz/en/bioeconomy-for-sustainable-development

Biopackaging – Let´s create future together

The Business Upper Austria, ecoplus, The Business Agency of Lower Austria and Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of Slovenia organise the international workshop of “Biopackaging – Let´s create future together”. The workshop takes place on 6 March 2019 in Vienna and will bring together interested companies (SMEs), cluster organisations and their members, business support organisations and experts from academia in the field of bio-based packaging and bioplastics from the Danube Region. The workshop will help to create interesting project ideas/initiatives and a macro regional network. The event is free of charge.

For more information (agenda, registration), please, visit: http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/news-and-events/project-news/3575

Eco-construction – building with wood, recycling and reuse

On 13 – 14 March 2019, the international workshop dedicated to eco-construction is held in Linz, Austria. The Business Upper Austria’s Cleantech Cluster is the host of the workshop that will bring together interested companies, cluster members from the project partner countries, cluster managers, business support organisations and experts.

The first day will give an overview of best practice examples for Eco-construction from Austria with interesting key note speakers, followed by a workshop for wood construction in urban areas as well as recycling-oriented dismantling with a special focus on reuse. The day will finish with a guided tour with the focus on architecture at the Paneum Asten near Linz.

On the second day, the participants will have the opportunity to attend the HANDWERK Wels 2019 trade fair for craftsmanship and site visits of two more buildings on the way to Wels. The event is free of charge.

For more information (agenda, registration), please, visit: http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/news-and-events/project-news/3582

Pilot Action on Eco-construction in Croatia

The Croatian Wood Cluster, the partner of the DanuBioValNet project, will organise a big international event on Eco-construction in Zagreb. The event will be dedicated to wood processing, wood construction and the use of biological renewable resources.

More information about the event will be delivered soon. Please, watch the DanuBioValNet website: http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/danubiovalnet/news

Danube Phytopharma Forum

The Association of Business Clusters of Bulgaria and BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH in collaboration with Green Synergy Cluster and Bulgarian National Association Essential Oils, Perfumery and Cosmetics, organise the “Danube Phytopharma Forum: Converting bio-based resources into successful phytopharmaceutical products”, in the name of the partners of the DanuBioValNet project. The event is held on 9 – 10 May 2019 in Bulgaria (Sofia-Plovdiv).

The event will bring together interested companies (SMEs), clusters managers, business support organisations and experts from academia of the Danube Region. The objective is to create innovative ideas for new products and projects by facilitating cross-country cooperation of the stakeholders, and thus to launch the macro-regional network along the value chain of “Phytopharma”.

See the beauty of Bulgaria and give boost to your business and bioeconomy!

For more information visit: http://phytopharmapa.abclusters.org/.

The FINAL conference of the DanuBioValNet project

The final conference of the DanuBioValNet project will take place in May 2019 in Prague, Czech Republic. The big international conference will be dedicated to the results and achievements of the DanuBioValNet project and also provide the opportunity for discussion on further development of bioeconomy, bio-based industries and clusters. There are more than 100 participants expected.

More information about the event will be delivered soon. Please, watch the DanuBioValNet website: http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/danubiovalnet/news

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Other bioeconomy-focused events:

13-14 February 2019 - The European Biopolymer Summit 2019, Ghent, Belgium. More info find here: https://www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/biopolymer-conference-europe/

13-14 May 2019 – 8th INTERNATIONAL BIOECONOMY CONFERENCE, Halle, Germany. More info find here: https://www.bioeconomy-conference.de/en/home/

15-16 May 2019 - 12th International Conference on Bio-based Materials, Cologne, Germany. More info find here: http://bio-based-conference.com/