💫The All-Island circular bioeconomy community is thriving and collaborating 💫
This week we hosted the BioDirect Summit in Belfast, a knowledge sharing and curated networking event for companies, researchers, non-profits and government stakeholders from across the the island to encourage adoption of bio-based products in Textiles, Construction, Agriculture and Packaging sectors.
Our agenda for the day:
💡A showcase of innovative companies and researchers who responded to the sectoral BioDirect Challenges
🌟 Insights from industry in how they adopt and integrate circularity and biomaterials/bioproducts into their supply chains
🟡Shine a spotlight on how policy is an enabler of circular bioeconomy on the Island
🤝Highlight opportunities for continued collaboration with Synergy projects, clusters, research institutions
Some key takeaways:
➡️A major shift in the business community from waste valorisation to full on integration of circularity into business strategy and supply chains to capture added value and be competitive.
➡️Incremental innovation is important in a business, new circular and sustainable business models take time.
➡️To adopt bio-based solutions, industry require validation and certification.
➡️Policy-makers are open to creating strategy to support bio-based markets based on evidence.
➡️Agriculture can help to decarbonise other sectors if we think from a systems perspective.
🤝The word 'collaboration', and especially the phrase 'cross sector collaboration', came up many times. At the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster we will continue to work with partners and bring companies together to create new bio-based and circular value chains. If you're interested in becoming a member, please reach out to Catriona Power FRSA Stephen Barry-Hannon and hear first hand about our programmes and events.
Thanks to all our partners, panelists, challenge owners, pitchers, exhibitors and attendees for being part of BioDirect, and special thanks to InterTradeIreland for supporting this very important work.
Stephen Barry-Hannon Alison Gault Caitríona Mordan Kieran O'Donoghue Bobby Woods, PhD Joanne McEvoy Damien McConville Alison Currie Stuart Mathieson Janet Toal Helena McMahon Ian Marshall OBE Geraldine Brennan, PhD Karl Crowley Colette van Jaarsveld Belfast Region City Deal at Queen's University Belfast Juan A. Morillas Aoife Mc Namara Kate Carmody Tony Martin Callaghan larry mcgarry Paul McAlister Jennifer Lienhard The Rediscovery Centre Irish Grown Wool Council Chris Weiniger Kate Carmody Jacqueline Gibson Donough McGrath Lynne Connolly Livefarm CARBON TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC
