A three-year project of RDI2CluB (Rural RDI milieus in transition towards smart bioeconomy clusters and innovation ecosystems) has become to its end. Project has been funded by European Development fund programme Interreg Baltic Sea Region, and it has been part of the project family of 2014-2020 under the Priority 1 'Capacity for innovation' that is dedicated to actions strengthening the ability of the Baltic Sea Region to create and commercialize innovation. RDI2CluB has also been a PA Bioeconomy flagship project of EUSBSR. RDI2CluB unites authorities, RDI institutes (research, development, and innovation institutes) and business development bodies from five regions (triple helix consortium) to a joint quest of boosting smart and sustainable bioeconomy development in the rural areas of Baltic Sea Region. Project has been implemented with 12 partners across the BSR:

• JAMK University of Applied Sciences (lead partner), FI
• Regional Council of Central Finland, FI
• SSYP Kehitys Ltd, FI
• Inland Norway university of Applied Sciences, NO
• Inland County Council, NO
• Tretorget Ltd. NO
• Regional Science and Technology Centre, PL
• Świętokrzyskie Marshall Office, PL
• Foundation for Education and Social Dialogue Pro Civis, PL
• Institute for Environmental Solutions, LV
• Vidzeme Planning Region, LV
• SEI Tallinn, EE

Project mission was bringing together bioeconomy developers throughout the rural areas of Baltic Sea Region to a joint table to solve global and local challenges with bioeconomy innovations. Aim was to connect bioeconomy innovation networks to share ideas, share knowledge, raise awareness, find partners and work together to create business opportunities in bioeconomy. To enable international co-operation and co-development we created several tools and methods.

This report describes the main outputs of the project and other results, as well as the lessons that we have learnt from it.

Results

Outputs and results include:

1. Regional Bioeconomy Profiles
2. Joint Action Plan
3. 25 Cases for Bioeconomy Innovation Around the BSR
4. Biobord.eu -platform
5. Biobord operating Model
6. Local pilot cases and their communication tool called impact report

Partners agreed that project was successful even though subject was not easily comprehendible nor easy to implement. Transnational co-operation and the RDI2CluB network were the most valuable creation of RDI2CluB. Biobord-platform will also stay in the use of partners and development work will continue. All outputs will have a place in future, either in educational purposes, co-working purposes, development purposes or as lessons learnt.

When asked, how RDI2CluB partners have been benefitted from the project, five most popular answers were:

• Increased knowledge of bioeconomy, EU bioeconomy regions,
• Larger network and increased transnational co-operation
• Improved knowledge of bioeconomy potentials
• Stronger regional innovation ecosystem
• New opportunities in the field of bioeconomy: projects, business etc.

With these results and lessons learnt it is easy to continue the bioeconomy development in the ConnectedByBiobord-project!

Also JAMK university of Applied Sciences has signed yesterday 29.09.2020 an agreement between RDI2CluB-partners of an official Biobord Network that will continue the work of both projects. Stay tuned for more information. JAMK has also signed to upkeep the platform until the end of 2025, so the good work on the platform may continue still several years!

You may find old RDI2CluB partners and new ConnectedByBiobord partners from Biobord!

Riikka Kumpulainen

Project Manager RDI2CluB & ConnectedByBiobord

Phone & Whatsapp +358 505759454
E-mail: riikka.kumpulainen@jamk.fi

Illustration by Diana Pitkänen 2020.