IFIB 2024 lands in Bologna.  From 3 to 4 October, the city will host the new edition of the International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bio economy, organised by the Italian circular bioeconomy cluster, Spring, in collaboration with Innovhub-SSI, the Enterprise Europe Network, Art-er and the Italian Trade Agency, and under the patronage of the Emilia-Romagna Region.

For two days, Bologna will be the centre of gravity of the global bioeconomy, hosting some of the major players in a new economy, based on the use of renewable biological sources, including multinational companies such as IFF, UPM Biochemicals and Metsa Spring, Italian leaders such as Novamont and Caviro, investors such as Sofinnova, and research centres such as Finland's VTT and Denmark's BioInnovation Institute. Around 250 delegates from different countries are expected to attend the forum in the premises of the Golinelli Foundation.

IFIB will also be an opportunity to discuss topics such as the role of regions in the development of the bio-economy, the need for new ATECO codes and a new Life Cycle Assessment system, and the creation of local supply chains starting from the agricultural sector.

IFIB 2024 comes at a very special moment for the European bioeconomy, following the presentation on 20 March of the Communication on building the future with nature: biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU and the expectations around the review of the EU strategy to be carried out by the end of 2025.

In the Communication, the European Commission emphasised the need to accelerate market access for bio-based products by creating a more coherent and stable regulatory system. Furthermore, great emphasis was placed on the issue of scale-up and investment for the sector. This too will be discussed in Bologna, where a representative of the CBE JU, the public-private partnership between the Commission and private industry, is expected to attend.

The IFIB, now in its fourteenth edition, confirms itself as one of the leading events for the bioeconomy at the European level. In addition to the forum, participants will be able to take advantage of a partnering service, provided by the Enterprise Europe Network, to organise one-to-one meetings. All information and the link for registration can be found on the event's official website.

This article is also available in Italian / Questo articolo è disponibile anche in italiano

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