The WASTE2FUNC project aims to resolve supply chain hurdles towards the efficient conversion of food (crop) waste into two types of biobased functional molecules for use in home- and personal care applications: lactic acid and microbial biosurfactants, functionally outperforming or equalling their respective fossil-based and/or 1G bio-based benchmarks. A new and sustainable biomass waste supply chain will be set up, in close interaction with the primary sector, by developing an ‘ad hoc’ registration- and collection system for erratic agricultural biomass waste and integrating this new biomass supply chain with an existing industrially available and continuous food waste stream , currently converted into biogas. This integration is crucial to build viable business cases associated with the WASTE2FUNC supply- and -value chains. The integration of the WASTE2FUNC biomass supply chain with new value chains based on the cost- and eco- efficient conversion of the waste biomass into market ready functional molecules for home- and personal care applications will be demonstrated. The value chains will be set up by (interaction with) all relevant key stakeholders: farmers and their representatives, primary crop-/food processors, food processors and -retailers, food waste collectors, technology owners for bio-based process, scale up facilities, product developers and -retailers in the respective sectors of application (home- and personal care) (B2B and B2C), regulators and last but not least the consumer . This interaction will be key to define benefits required for the farmers, regulatory- and processing hurdles, product developer- and consumer requirements and -constraints. Together with environmental, economic, social and regulatory analyses and constant optimization, performed by the WASTE2FUNC project partners, this will decrease CO2 emissions with at least 20% and increase value from waste with 2-10 fold and create (high tech) jobs for the primary- and downstream sector in Belgium and Europe.

OLEAF4VALUE is a three-year project that will develop a complete valorization system for the olive leaf. 4,5 million ton of olive leaves are produced annually in the world by the olive oil industry, a key industry in southern Europe and along the Mediterranean coast (Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, among others). This recalcitrant biomass represents a problem for both the farmers and the whole olive oil industry, who need to remove it from the fields and the olive oil mills. This biomass is nowadays burnt in the fields, given to the cattle or, in some cases, combusted to produce energy. OLEAF4VALUE will put together a competitive consortium of highly experienced partners devoted to the complete valorization of this new underexploited biomass. The consortium will address all the stages of the value chain: raw material, biorefining, post-extraction technologies, market validation and sustainability assessment. The goal of OLEAF4VALUE is to set up the basis of a smart value chain based on a newly developed 4.0 concept: Smart Dynamic Multi-Valorization-Route Biorefinery (SAMBIO) for the cascade valorization of the olive leaf biomass according to its physicochemical composition, particularly modulated by specific pretreatments to produce target products. Advanced green extraction and isolation technologies will be used to sequentially separate all fractions and compounds of value, with a zero-waste approach. Enzymatic biotransformation and nanoencapsulation technologies will be applied to develop tailor made prototypes according to end user market needs from high value sectors: food, feed, health, cosmetic, pharma and chemical industries. Large companies from these sectors within the consortium will guarantee a good market-oriented approach throughout the project. OLEAF4VALUE will link the primary olive sector from southern Europe with large multinationals from the high valued competitive markets in a circular bioeconomy project.

WoodVALOR adopts a circular approach by using contaminated wood as a sustainable feedstock to produce paints, coatings, and biochar, showcasing innovative waste valorization. The process converts low-value material into high-performance products while contributing to environmental restoration. The project compares advanced decontamination and fractionation methods with traditional pulping processes. Acrylic acid is produced from the wood's cellulose fraction through the lactic acid route, while fatty acids are obtained via yeast fermentation, ensuring resource efficiency and aligning with circular economy principles. The hemicellulose fraction is transformed into bio-based binders for coatings, reducing reliance on petroleum-derived alternatives. These binders are made more hydrophobic and durable by grafting acrylic acid and fatty acids onto the hemicellulose, enhancing water resistance and longevity. Lignin, often considered a byproduct, is repurposed to produce phenolics, which are grafted onto hemicellulose to further improve the coatings' properties. These coatings are then applied to wood surfaces, creating a closed-loop system where contaminated wood becomes protective material for other wood products. Biochar, produced from process residues, serves two functions. It is used for bioremediation of contaminated soils and in mineral recovery from contaminated wood. The recovered minerals can be reintegrated into coatings, closing another resource loop. By converting contaminated wood into materials that protect wood surfaces and treat soils, WoodVALOR highlights circularity. This approach minimizes waste, promotes resource recovery, and supports environmental health and material efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable EU industry and addressing the major challenges associated with contaminated wood waste.

Bioeconomy projects are crucial for meeting the European Green Deal and EU's 2030 and 2050 climate goals, offering sustainable solutions for rural and coastal areas. Yet, the challenge of fragmented funding demands a mechanism to understand existing progress and guide stakeholders towards realising the full bioeconomy potential. ToBeReaL is set as a strategic 5-year European partnership designed to assist bioeconomy projects across diverse bio-based value chains. ToBeReaL is committed to adopting a comprehensive strategy to empower the bioeconomy sector. It offers specialized expertise and strategic support across four key pillars: Technical, Business & Financial, Regulatory & Legal, and Social Innovation. This initiative targets all EU regions, with a special emphasis on areas where the bioeconomy is less developed, ensuring a broad and inclusive approach. ToBeReaL leverages an extensive experience and expertise of its consortium, including 6 leading bioeconomy clusters, 3 recognised technological centres, and 4 SMEs specialised in areas critical for bioeconomy growth, such as funding, exploitation management, and policy development. This collective expertise underpins ToBeReaL's ambitious goal to foster a multi-actor approach, facilitating engagement among a wide range of stakeholders. By forging connections with related projects and initiatives, ToBeReaL aims to deepen the understanding of the bioeconomy's challenges and opportunities, raising awareness among policymakers, businesses, sector agencies, and investors alike. Through this effort, ToBeReaL seeks to amplify its impact by fostering collaborations across research, innovation, funding sources, and private investments, aiming to elevate competitiveness in the bio-based and bioeconomy sectors. By strategically aligning these elements, ToBeReaL compromises to catalyse bioeconomy projects at different levels, thereby significantly expanding the scope and influence of EU sustainable bioeconomy ventures.