Building Europe's bioeconomy through collaboration and innovation
Our challenges
The agri-food and bioeconomy sectors are facing profound transformations.
Europe must simultaneously address resource scarcity, supply chain disruptions, climate challenges, biodiversity loss, food security concerns and increasing competition for biomass, including many market, regulatory and technological disruptions.
At the same time, new opportunities are emerging through biotechnology, sustainable proteins, innovative ingredients, circular business models and the growing demand for bio-based solutions.
These challenges cannot be tackled by individual organisations or regions alone.
I4BE was created to bring together the expertise, infrastructures and innovation capacities needed to accelerate the transition towards a resilient and resource-efficient bioeconomy and gove solutions to these challenges.
Our ambition is clear : accelerating the development of a competitive, circular and sustainable bioeconomy, by connecting ecosystems across Europe.
I4BE helps transform biological resources, agri-food side-streams and biomass into innovative ingredients, products and value chains that create economic, environmental and societal benefits.
Our impact
I4BE goes beyond networking. The partnership actively supports innovation and project development across Europe.
Through its activities, I4BE:
- Connects companies, researchers, clusters and regions
- Facilitates knowledge transfer and innovation diffusion
- Supports the generation of collaborative European projects
- Organises study visits and peer-learning activities
- Brings together experts through thematic working groups and think tanks
- Develops strategic roadmaps and shared priorities
- Identifies industrial challenges and connects them with innovation solutions
By turning ideas into collaborative actions, I4BE helps accelerate innovation uptake and strengthen regional ecosystems.
Our mission
The partnership works on six strategic innovation areas that are shaping the future of the bioeconomy :
- New sources of food ingredients : exploring novel biological resources and innovative approaches to develop the next generation of food ingredients.
- Alternative and sustainable proteins : supporting the development of protein solutions for food and feed that contribute to more sustainable food systems.
- Circular economy and resource revalorisation : maximising the value of biological resources through circular approaches and efficient resource use.
- Upcycling of food side-streams : transforming underutilised biomass and co-products into valuable ingredients and applications.
- Innovative processing technologies : accelerating the deployment of technologies that improve efficiency, sustainability and product performance.
- Consumer acceptance of upcycled products : understanding market expectations and supporting the successful adoption of innovative bio-based products.
Our services
