The Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems will contribute to the New European Innovation Agenda and its flagship action in building 100 regional deep-tech innovation valleys. These systems have significant potential to support and accelerate the deployment of the bioeconomy in regions where people live and work. They also address the innovation gap within the EU, with a focus on countries from Central and Eastern Europe.

This launch event on 13 October 2023 at 9:30-14:00 EET/8:30-13:00 CET is organised jointly by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and the Agricultural University of Plovdiv, in close cooperation with the BIOEAST Initiative. The event will be held in English and will be webstreamed and recorded.

The event will:

• present EU instruments which are relevant for building up a network of Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems, particularly the New European Innovation Agenda and the flagship initiative on the Regional Innovation Valleys,
• explain the specific features of Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems and showcase existing good practices from the Member States,
• discuss and explore challenges and opportunities for setting up Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems, in particular for BIOEAST countries and regions, and discuss their role in the deployment and scaling up of bioeconomy innovations,
• highlight and strengthen the role of bioeconomy education and skills development, and discuss the needs and gaps in current curricula with regard to supporting Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems.

The target audience for this event includes existing and potential emerging bioeconomy and food system valleys, with a strong focus on less developed regions, relevant stakeholders in the agrifood and bioeconomy sector, university faculty and students, and media.

Registration is open.

For more information, please contact Laura Liepina