SusChem UK hosts BBI workshop in London

On 3 May 2017 SusChem UK, the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), the Horizon 2020 UK National Contact Points (NCPs), and Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) are holding a Consortia Building Event: European Funding for Bio Based Industries in London. This one-day event will give details about the 2017 call for proposals from the European Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) and will provide the opportunity to start building consortia and finding new project partners.

The London event is suitable for anyone with an interest in participating in European projects in the forthcoming 2017 call topics under the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking. The workshop will present a range of experience in European projects from newcomers to people who have coordinated EU projects on a regular basis.

Representatives from industry (small and large), academia, RTOs and other types of organisations with appropriate skills and expertise to address the forthcoming 2017 call topics in BBI should attend and delegates from all European Member States are encouraged to be there – in fact one-third of the spaces available are reserved for non-UK participants.

By attending the workshop delegates will have the opportunity to:

• Identify and link with new partners across Europe
• Join consortia forming around forthcoming 2017 call topics
• Discuss and refine your projects ideas with potential partners
• Gather information on forthcoming 2017 call topics
• Take advantage of the NCP, BBI JU, KTN and EEN support available on the day

BBI calls for 2017 and 2018

The strategic orientations for the BBI JU’s calls in 2017 and 2018 are:

1. Fostering a sustainable biomass-feedstock supply to feed both existing and new value chains;
2. Optimising efficient processing for integrated biorefineries;
3. Developing innovative bio-based products for specific market applications; 
4. Creating and accelerating the market uptake of bio-based products and applications.

The calls that will be reviewed at the workshop are:

• Feedstock: BBI 2017.R1, BBI 2017.D1, BBI 2017.D2
• Process: BBI 2017.R2, BBI 2017.R3, BBI 2017.F1
• Products: BBI 2017.R4, BBI 2017.R5, BBI 2017.R6, BBI 2017.R7, BBI 2017.D3, BBI 2017.D4, BBI 2017.D5, BBI 2017.F2
• Market Uptake: BBI 2017. S1, BBI 2017.S2

You can find more details on these topics and a full list of BBI JU call topics here. The BBI JU 2017 call programme was also described in SusChem News in January.

The event will take place at the Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel in central London. More information is available here. Registration is free, but all participants must register by 13 April. Please contact Susanne Coles with any further queries.

Strategy for Substitution

Ensuring that European industries can access Critical Raw Materials (CRM) is a major strategic objective for the EU’s political and economic agenda. The recently launched Critical Raw Materials Innovation Network (CRM_InnoNet) FP7 project aims to support this objective with the creation of a strategic innovation network for individuals and organizations working on the substitution of CRM. This network was initiated at a workshop in Brussels on 15 April. The workshop was an important event for the CRM research and innovation community and attracted some 110 participants.

This first strategic workshop launched the project ‘Innovation Network’ on Monday 15 April 2013 at the Diamant Conference complex in Brussels. The Network provides an identity and focus for researchers and businesses with an interest in substitution by drawing together a community which contains representatives from different disciplines and sectors together with a focus on CRM substitution for the first time.

Interviews with CRM_InnoNet project coordinator Claire Claessen of CIKTN and Pablo Tello of PNO Consultants were recorded at the workshop (see below).



The workshop included a general panel discussion to allow participants to get involved with the structure and mission of the network. This was followed by breakout sessions around strategic sectors such as Energy, Transport and ICT, as well as cross-cutting application areas to allow participants to exchange ideas about the challenges and opportunities in those sectors.

What is CRM_InnoNet?
The project is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) funded under FP7 that will act to create an integrated community to drive innovation in the field of critical raw material substitution for the benefit of EU industry.

The European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials aims to play a major role in securing a sustainable supply of raw materials for Europe and has set itself an ambitious list of targets to achieve by 2020. CRM_InnoNet’s goals complement those of the EIP on Raw Materials and the project will seek to align its outputs with those of the EIP.

The CRM_InnoNet consortium is comprised of recognised and experienced key actors across the value chain of substitution of CRM representing academic, research and industry bodies of relevant sectors that will ensure a wide European coverage and high potential to engage other necessary players across the ERA.

More information?
For more information visit the CRM_InnoNet website that includes a blog, news and events, or the contact project secretariat at CIKTN.

Leading Industrial Biotech in the UK

With the pace of development of the global bioeconomy growing almost daily, a two day event in the UK on 22-23 January 2013 will illustrate the progress made in exploiting industrial biotechnology (IB). The ‘Leading IB: A UK Showcase’ is hosted by the UK’s Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum (IBLF) and will also be the venue for a BIOCHEM Accelerator event.

The Leading IB event will showcase recent examples of commercial success in the bio-based sector and key speakers will describe UK industrial biotech success stories including exemplar projects, processes and products and give an overview on the national strategy for industrial biotech to 2015 and beyond. There will also be panel discussions to provide delegates with the opportunity to hear from senior industrialists and other stakeholders.

The event, which takes place at Church House in Westminster, central London, will be opened by Michael Fallon UK Government Minister of State for Business and Enterprise. The showcase is expected to attract business leaders, technology providers, investors, leading academics and policy makers from the UK and across Europe.

The event aims to:

• Showcase UK success in Industrial Biotechnology and Bio-based Products
• Inspire new manufacturers to explore the potential of IB
• Build new collaborations within the UK and beyond
• Demonstrate the impact of current government support and commitment for the future
• Set out the IBLF strategy to 2015 and beyond

An exhibition will provide further information on funding, partnering, skills, facilities and capabilities for the bioeconomy. For more information on the UK showcase event visit the dedicated website or you can register direct here.

BIOCHEM accelerator
In parallel to the Showcase event the SusChem supported EU INNOVA project BIOCHEM will be running an Accelerator Forum. Previous fora have been successfully run in Bilbao, Milan and Frankfurt (at ACHEMA).

If you are a researcher, entrepreneur or SME keen to become part of the growing bioeconomy by changing to biobased products and processes, then this event is for you. The outline programme for the Forum can be found here.

To find out more on BIOCHEM take a look at the BIOCHEM video (below) or consult the BIOCHEM website. For specific information on the BIOCHEM Accelerator Forum in London contact Kate Nickson at the UK Chemistry Innovation Knowledge Transfer Network (CIKTN).