On 10 June 2026, GEO attended the official kick-off meeting of the STRONGBIONET project in Seville, marking the beginning of a three-year Horizon Europe initiative (June 2026 – May 2029). The meeting, held at the Escuela de Organización Industrial, was co-hosted by SPRING and CTA, and brought together partners from across Europe and beyond including Canada and New Zealand.
The kick-off was followed by the BioInSouth Bioeconomy Forum, further situating the project within a broader ecosystem of stakeholders committed to advancing the bioeconomy transition.
Setting the scene: a coordinated push for the bioeconomy
STRONGBIONET (“Strengthening and Connecting Bioeconomy Networks to Improve Resilience, Competitiveness and Growth”) addresses a critical challenge: while the bioeconomy is central to Europe’s climate, biodiversity, and resilience goals, coordination and stakeholder engagement remain fragmented across regions and sectors.
The project responds by building a “network of networks”—connecting existing initiatives and stakeholders through a multilingual EU-wide digital platform. This platform will support:
- Stakeholder engagement and mobilisation
- Knowledge exchange across sectors and regions
- Investor readiness and access to funding
- Bioeconomy education and training
- Science-policy dialogue
Ultimately, STRONGBIONET aims to create a more coordinated, inclusive and resilient European bioeconomy ecosystem.
Highlights from the kick-off meeting
The full-day agenda combined strategic insights, policy context, and operational planning.
Opening and policy context
The meeting opened with welcome remarks from Mario Bonaccorso (SPRING), who highlighted the importance of collaboration and ambition in strengthening Europe’s bioeconomy networks.
This was followed by contributions from:
- Tiago Freitas (Project Officer), outlining Horizon Europe expectations and success factors for Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs)
- Representatives from the European Commission (DG RTD), providing a strategic perspective on the role of bioeconomy networks in driving systemic change
A key message emerged: the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy requires stronger links between policy, innovation, education, and investment, supported by active stakeholder engagement.
GEO’s role: shaping sustainability and long-term impact
GEO’s role in STRONGBIONET is to work on ensuring that project results do not end with the project lifecycle but instead deliver lasting value for the European bioeconomy community.
A central focus will be the sustainability of the digital platform, ensuring it remains a valuable “network of
networks” beyond 2029, with clear governance, funding mechanisms, and stakeholder ownership.
The STRONGBIONET kick-off in Seville marked a strong start for a project that aims to transform how bioeconomy stakeholders connect, collaborate, and scale impact across Europe.
For GEO, leading WP11 places us at the heart of ensuring the project’s long-term success and sustainability, translating collaboration into enduring value for the bioeconomy community.
With a clear vision, a strong consortium, and alignment with European policy priorities, STRONGBIONET is well positioned to contribute meaningfully to the transition towards a circular and sustainable bioeconomy.
