Biobord is an online platform for bioeconomy innovation, knowledge sharing, discussion, and networking. Our aim is to bring bioeconomy developers together around Baltic Sea Region to solve joint problems. By using our forum you’ll get a chance for international matchmaking, knowledge sharing, discussion, and innovating.
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A great way to succeed in developing new products and bring them all the way from the first idea to finished product on the market, is to collaborate and network. As the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project Biobord open innovation platform connecting bioeconomy developers in BSR (ConnectedByBiobord) is gathering momentum, an Innovation event is on it’s way!
When, what, and why?
On March 11th and 12th Alternative proteins and functional foods themed Food Hack by Biobord will unite transnational team of experts and hackers together to collaborate on the food innovation challenges, where each participant will have their own role in making the ideas come to life. While SMEs will share their needs and challenges, the external experts will work as advisors of the hackers and give their insights to develop innovations.
The two-day event is hosted by Krinova in Kristianstad, Sweden, along with the working group of SMEs and external experts from Sweden, Latvia, Finland and Estonia. Food Hack by Biobord is an event where open innovation and the idea of everyone growing whilst sharing knowledge is core, meaning that everyone can claim the ideas or solutions that comes up during the event and that everything you share will help to fulfil this purpose.
The challenges faced together
By working together, the processes of learning, making mistakes and creating a consumer demand, are sped up. The main objective of this event is to bring new high-quality products to the market more successfully and faster. All proposed challenges are starting points for discussions, regarding how to collaborate on common issues, obstacles, and possibilities, and how to benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.
Get acquainted with the challenges, that are common for companies in the Baltic Sea Region:
How can different stakeholders working on similar challenges share their knowledge and expertise in a creative and constructive way? What do the channels of information look like today and how can we improve them? In what way can we gain access to process and technology know-how? Today and in the future?
What kind of marketing strategies, for example nudging, can be used to increase consumption of healthier and more nutritious innovative food products that are beneficial, attractive, and affordable, thus more sustainable for the planet, businesses and the individual? What technical solutions could benefit healthy food choices?
What strategies can be built to change our perception of plant-based proteins as a direct alternative to a particular dish (sausage, hamburger) and instead of modifying the structure of the product to see it as a stand-alone protein source? What would we call these products and how would they be marketed?
What would happen if we placed the insect food product in a different context (environment, tradition, or culture)? How do we design the “insect food experience” to attract new markets? What marketing strategies can be explored to design the insect food experience? In which context, tradition or culture could the insects fit in?
What could be the new alternative protein sources? Where can we obtain knowledge about such raw materials and how should this information be made available?
What happens next?
The winning team of the Food Hack by Biobord will move to a 2nd innovation round and will have the opportunity to develop the innovation even further with new experts and support. All participants leave the event with new transnational contacts and new knowledge, and who knows – with new innovations!
For more information:
Riikka Kumpulainen
project manager of ConnectedByBiobord
riikka.kumpulainen@jamk.fi
Elin Hansson
event coordinator and project ConnectedByBiobord partner
elin.h@krinova.se
Active and environmentally aware younger generations, including Generation Z and Millennials, are a major driving force behind climate change and sustainable development movements. By combining utopian ideals with entrepreneurial spirit, young people are developing new and innovative ideas and solutions to environmental challenges. Vidzeme Planning Region - one of Biobord co-developers - and Nordregio (Nordic Research Institute) together with the partners from the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) have elaborated an INSPIRING BROCHURE to show how the youths’ efforts are currently helping to make sustainability an important political issue and topic of everyday conversation. The following inspirational stories of young leaders from BSR, who have created products, services, initiatives, movements and are sustainable economy enthusiasts, showcase creative ways to begin the journey towards a sustainable economy.
The Estonian blogger Liisa Aavik has challenged herself by finding sustainable solutions to tackle resource waste. Her mission is to share some tips and tricks, with other like-minded explorers, for how to clean clothes and home, enjoy a drink using a straw and wrap the leftover food without generating additional waste or harm to the environment. Liisa bases her suggestions on her personal experience in searching for the waste-free goods from the local producers. “The intention is not to manipulate people but to help them understand how they can use this to their own advantage,” she emphasizes.
Meanwhile in Copenhagen, Juan Medina together with two friends from his home-town in Colombia established Kaffe Bueno, to reuse grounded coffee waste and turns it into the cosmetics, nutraceuticals and functional foods. From his background in Colombia, Juan has been familiar with the coffee culture and its secret health-enhancing compounds since childhood. With their company the team is exploiting the untapped potential of the coffee beans to minimise waste and generate value.
The Sweden-based team – Fredrik, Leo and Angelo – recalls their “final pitch”, “presenting the final pitch alongside Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg, Fredrik made our mission statement clear: get this seaweed out to as many cows as possible, as fast as possible”. The team is currently on a mission to cut 4% of the global greenhouse gas emissions produced by the so-called “Republic of Cattle”, through feeding cows with special red seaweed. The Sweden-based company, Volta Greentech, is taking giant steps towards reducing the environmental impact of the animal industry by enabling the production of methane-reduced meat and dairy products.
With the same objective – cutting greenhouse gas emissions –, Sami Holmström in Finland is creating proteins that require minimum water and land resources while leaving animals to live. Sami recalls that this form of protein production “was initially studied by NASA in the 1960’s but it is only now that the increased generation and affordability of renewable energy has made this possible”. He and Solar Foods expect that lab produced Solein® could be done in the Sahara Desert, the Arctic, or even the outer space, completely altering the geography of food production.
In north Germany, Nadine Sydow is helping preserve biodiversity by announcing peace between gardeners and snails and slugs which climb into slot gardens. Her invention “Schnexagon” is a natural combination of natural oils and surfactants that prevents slugs from sticking onto surfaces and thus preventing them from entering garden uninvited without the need of using pesticides.
Furthermore, unearthing the rural traditions of Vidzeme region in Latvia, Māra is producing teas from hand-picked wild herbs, while also creating opportunities in local communities. Her entrepreneurial spirit and love for her region has birthed PLŪKT teas which provides opportunities to local farmers and women and boost the local identity.
And more...
The BeUBio interactive platform was designed to collect stories of young people whose business ideas, jobs and other activities lead the way towards a different and more sustainable economic path. With a variety of different examples, young people from across the BSR, inspire new ways of making business while having a positive impact to the environment and society. The overall aim is to build a community of like-minded people, by sharing our stories and inspiring each other to be courageous and to develop ourselves in areas geared towards a sustainable economy. By seeking niche solutions, creating unique products and innovative services from renewable natural resources and related areas, we open the door to economic growth while adding value from currently underutilised natural resources. We are increasingly focusing on inspiring and informing entrepreneurs, society, youth, and owners of bio-resources about the untapped potentials of natural resources.
About the project
The BeUBio collaboration emerged from the ‘Baltic Leadership Programme on Youth and Bioeconomy’ which gathered about 30 young committed people across the Baltic Sea Region with an interest to push forward a sustainable bioeconomy. The BeUBio project received seed funding from the Swedish Institute to continue the cooperation and expand the network.
More information: Alberto Giacometti, Research Fellow at Nordregio, alberto.giacometti@nordregio.org
Prepared by: Marta Riekstiņa, Public Relations Specialist in Vidzeme Planning Region, marta.riekstina@vidzeme.lv
The Vidzeme region in Latvia is one of the most progressive regions of Northern Europe, developing and implementing smart, knowledge-, and technology-based solutions for the sustainable use of forest, agricultural and water resources. Innovation in Vidzeme has a special role, and with a recently made video story Vidzeme demonstrates to be a unique place to invest in bioeconomy innovations. The possibility to develop bioeconomy businesses as well as the products and services is where the biomass is located, and in that sense Vidzeme region is abundant with forest resources, agricultural land and fresh water. By organizing different activities and gathering national and international experts from different bioeconomy sectors – forestry, food processing, agriculture and various fields of activity – business, research, education and other, we create a region that is appealing for work and living, and attractive to investors.
The benefits and resources that the Vidzeme region offers as well as the success stories of companies established and/or developed within the region are the best evidence of vast opportunities. Organisations such as Field and Forest Ltd., one of the largest organic chamomile producers in the Eastern Europe, Stora Enso Latvija, JSC, significant timber producer, the Institute for Environmental Solutions, designers and developers of customized innovative environmental solutions, and other players of the bioeconomy have already proven that region's natural resources can be used in many innovative ways. Because of the Vidzeme region location and the excellent raw material base, many entrepreneurs have chosen it as a perfect place for production, as “it is in the centre of an area of high-quality forest resources and the availability of the skilled workforce,” reveals Uldis Deisons, Chair of the Board at Stora Enso Latvija, JSC. He also highlights that regions’ companies and researchers have joint objectives – efficient management of forests, innovative use of wood, other forest resources and production side streams.
Significant achievements have been made by Vidzeme food industry – products, originating and produced in the region, are recognised not only in Europe, but also in the United States, South America and Asia. Such as organic potato starch and brown pea protein, produced by Aloja Starkelsen, Ltd. Jānis Garančs, company's Board Member, emphasizes “if you’re looking for new developments in organic or vegan product production, there are huge advantages and possibilities in Vidzeme”. By choosing to work and develop the business in the region, the entrepreneurs can provide full value chains rather than importing raw material from other locations in Latvia or from other countries. The abundance of clean natural resources, close cooperation with other European regions, the presence of universities and modern research institutes, and growing cooperation between companies and scientists, are the main development drivers of Vidzeme region.
Vidzeme’s natural resources are also used to produce high added value, export-oriented products for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. To gather more information on fields and plants, surpassing the human senses, innovative technology has been developed. “We focus a lot on understanding the needs of the companies [..], applying modern technology and invest heavily in building research infrastructure,” adds Inese Suija-Markova, Managing Director of the Institute for Environmental Solutions.
Vidzeme region has put the bioeconomy in its agenda and works in the field for more than three years. Various activities, promoting development of know-how, exchange of knowledge and experience regionally and internationally, increase of business and research capacities, are organised. All of those actions are reinforced by the action plan created for the region and aimed to develop regional bioeconomy ecosystem. By developing and applying new approaches for sustainable management of natural resources, Vidzeme supports the achievements of the European Green Deal objectives and inspires other European regions to follow. One of the most significant strength of Vidzeme is its collaboration-oriented people with great ideas. The region is open to anyone who wants to invest in existing businesses, develop new ones, and work and live in a harmonious and safe environment – welcome to Vidzeme!
To find more information on the investment possibilities, visit http://invest.vidzeme.lv/en and http://innovation.vidzeme.lv/en.
This video is developed in the framework of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programmes 2014-2020 project “Rural RDI milieus in transition towards smart Bioeconomy Clusters and Innovation Ecosystems” (RDI2CluB) with the support of the European Regional Development Fund and Norwegian Financial Mechanism and project partners.
Prepared by: Marta Riekstiņa, Public Relations Specialist in Vidzeme Planning Region, marta.riekstina@vidzeme.lv; +371 25865495
Several Latvian entrepreneurs and researchers have taken important steps to cooperate in identifying or creating sustainable food packaging. At the end of November, Vidzeme Planning Region (VPR) in cooperation with Riga Technical University (RTU) organized the fourth stage of the Innovation Co-creation Laboratory (ICL), called experimental co-creation. The aim of this event was to search for solutions to complex problems in sustainable food packaging development. One of the key conclusions of the day – a platform for contacts and information on services, legislation, research opportunities, activities, support mechanisms for data and advice on the packaging industry is needed to enable entrepreneurs and researchers to navigate in this rapidly changing field.
Not only the package is important for the industry, but also the unification of all players in the field of food packaging for common solutions to be developed. We have already reported that at the beginning of November, within the framework of the Innovation Co-creation Laboratory, researchers had the opportunity to look at everyday challenges from entrepreneurs’ point of view to later jointly identify the main challenges and find customized solutions (the course of ICL part 1 can be found HERE). At the same time, when thinking about food packaging, it is necessary to cover different angles, so this time ICL participants had the opportunity to hear a presentation on the implementation of sustainable solutions in the packaging manufacturer "Polipaks" Ltd. processes, as well as waste management company "ZAAO" Ltd.
A significant problem emerged during the presentation: although there seems to be enough information available to the public on waste sorting or the sustainability of packaging, it is not always user-friendly and measurable. Additionally, even if a consumer wants to buy sustainable packaging, he often does not know how to recognize it or is deliberately misled. To address this, participants would propose the introduction of a digital label, so that the consumer receives accurate and relevant product information – sustainability indicators, logistics data, etc.
To implement sustainable packaging solutions in the company, cooperation with technology transfer points, as well as other intermediaries – support organizations – is essential. It is also necessary to constantly look for cooperation partners in the commercial environment. Although the entrepreneur can often sell a lot on the spot and alone, it is not always necessary, says the owner of Līgatne winery, adding that “we can produce dishes ourselves, but it is a long and expensive process, and several solutions are already available on the market." Similarly, mergers between companies in the purchase of packaging containers would significantly alleviate part of the day-to-day costs or open up the possibility of purchasing more sustainable packaging, as it is not cost-effective for a small company to meet the volume requirements.
The manufacturer needs more convenient access to various types of information on scientific publications, safety data sheets, patent literature, contacts, etc. on a daily basis, as well as a person who can help manufacturers reach researchers, support teams and organizations to work together. "Currently, the information can be found on the Latvian Packaging Association website and various university websites but visiting each of them takes a significant amount of entrepreneurs’ time," admitted Kristīne Ābelniece, Quality Manager of "Felici" Ltd. While sharing the experience of the team's manufacturers regarding the packaging, it turned out that the creation of a single platform, administered by a national organization, would be a great solution.
The co-creation has successfully concluded not only with ideas, but also with practical further collaborations of the participants for the development of new products and research. At least four of the participating companies marked a clear direction for further product development together with researchers from Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, the University of Latvia and RTU who participated in the ICL. The goal of ICL – strengthening the cooperation between entrepreneurs and researchers – has been successfully achieved.
VPR will continue to work towards making the business and innovation ecosystem in the region even stronger. Such a model of brainstorming is a great way to get different perspectives on complex challenges together and to understand how to implement it as successfully as possible in the daily lives of different companies. "When applying for ICL, expectations were an opportunity to talk, listen to scientists, other specialists in the field, their opinions and experience, which was realized," says Anna Marija Zīdere-Laizāne, Product Development Manager of “Felici” Ltd. Interviews will be conducted with the participants to gain a deeper understanding of the value of ICL for innovation development and the future perspectives of this approach.
The co-creation laboratory is implemented by Vidzeme Planning Region in cooperation with Riga Technical University in the framework of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme project "GoSmart BSR" and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT Food) in the framework of the EU Research and Innovation Programme, with the support of the European Regional Development Fund.
More information: Santa Vītola, Project Manager in Vidzeme Planning Region, santa.vitola@vidzeme.lv, +371 26674261
Prepared by: Marta Riekstiņa, Public Relations Specialist in Vidzeme Planning Region, marta.riekstina@vidzeme.lv, +371 25865495
Several Latvian entrepreneurs and researchers have started working together to explore, find concepts, generate ideas, and create innovative solutions towards sustainable food packaging. Giving the fact that food packaging is a current problem both globally and locally, and the demand for it is growing, Vidzeme Planning Region (VPR, Latvia) – Biobord Network partner – together with Riga Technical University (Latvia) is organising a cycle of experimental activities – the innovation co-creation laboratory (ICL).
Considering the different specificities of the work of both entrepreneurs and researchers, the stage of familiarization of challenges is of particular importance in the process of co-creation. While listening to the experiences of several entrepreneurs, each of the researchers had the opportunity to look at the daily challenges from a different point of view. The participants acknowledged that while they provide different products to their customers, the challenges are very similar, and it is great that they have had the opportunity to deal with them together. "We are in a process called connecting co-creation, hence its aim is to raise awareness not only of the needs of entrepreneurs, but also of scientists and researchers. This is a great way to create new opportunities and get to know each other for further cooperation," says Inese Suija-Markova, ICL moderator, who represents Biobord Network parntner Institute for Environmental Solutions.
Aiga Tenisa, representative of Stora Enso Packaging Ltd., presented the challenges and opportunities of food packaging from the prism of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). "Throughout EU, the systems are not harmonised in different countries," said Tenisa, stressing that, when it comes to packaging the product, it is important to think about regulations, e-commerce, sustainability, and hygiene requirements, which have been actualized as a result of a global pandemic. The result of a study presented by the representative, indicated that 80% of millennials prefer to buy a product in sustainable packaging, which raised a discussion amongst the participants – does people actually make these choices, and are they even able to recognize sustainable packaging?
Daina Eglīte-Antona, representative of Labas Saknes Ltd., presented different food packaging tests and non-residual production in their company. To ensure that there is no leftovers, so the products wouldn’t produce a lasting effect in nature, paper/cardboard boxes were initially tested. The problem faced by the entrepreneur was to maintain the value of the product using the most environmentally friendly type of packaging. After 48 hours, healthy snacks lost their properties and changed consistency and taste, thus excluding the use of packaging. As of now, the company welcomes the “non-packaging” concept and supports the younger generation who prefers to shop using the packaging they bring. "After the current market offer, it is concluded that producing a very friendly product without food additives requires the most unfriendly packaging for nature to be realized," says Eglīte-Antona.
Anna Marija Zīdere-Laizāne and Kristīne Ābelniece, representatives of Felici Ltd., introduced the audience with the experience of implementing packaging in the company’s business practices which is both sustainable and able to maintain the products quality. Several future challenges were mentioned – a competitive price, safe and qualitative product, as well as environmentally friendly and convenient packaging, which is convenient not only for production, but also for the consumer. Zīdere-Laizāne mentioned that "the problem arises from the fact that opinions differ. It is still unclear what determines nature-friendly aspects." The representative recalled that not only packaging is important, but also the safety of the product. When the product itself goes to waste, even bigger problem arises.
One of the key insights raised by researchers during the ICL was the need for a platform where researchers and entrepreneurs can meet and collaborate on a daily basis to develop innovative solutions, exchange ideas, current events and contacts in the sustainability sector. Thus, the VPR representatives had the opportunity to demonstrate the bioeconomy innovation platform Biobord, created directly with the participation of the VPR and the Institute for Environmental Solutions, to facilitate the communication amongst them. More about Biobord: https://biobord.eu/.
While working in the groups, a great deal of potential opportunities for cooperation developed and the topics that the participants are interested in exploring in depth at the next IKL meeting were highlighted:
ICL sessions are based on a combination of two co-creation techniques – “World Cafe” and “Conceptual Mapping”. The next stage is scheduled for November 9 to 20, during which individual consultations of entrepreneurs-researchers will take place, giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to ask researchers, involved in ICL, questions related to the challenge defined by the company in the field of food packaging.
The co-creation laboratory is implemented by Vidzeme Planning Region in cooperation with Riga Technical University in the framework of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme project "GoSmart BSR" and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT Food) in the framework of the EU Research and Innovation Programme, with the support of the European Regional Development Fund.
More information: Santa Vītola, Project Manager in Vidzeme Planning Region, santa.vitola@vidzeme.lv
Prepared by: Marta Riekstiņa, Public Relations Specialist in Vidzeme Planning Region, marta.riekstina@vidzeme.lv