Organised by Innov’Alliance on Wednesday 29 April, the webinar “Biotech and Bioprocesses in France and Europe: key infrastructures, strategic funding and feedback from experience” brought together more than 30 participants from the agri‑food, nutrition, cosmetics and bioeconomy sectors in France.
The presentations offered a comprehensive overview of the ecosystem, from the structuring of key players and infrastructures to European funding opportunities and concrete industrial feedback, highlighting the main success factors for scaling up bio‑based innovations.
Overview of French players in fermentation, bioproduction and process development
The first presentation provided a structured overview of French stakeholders involved in fermentation, bioproduction and process development. It was based both on the work carried out within the European Biotech4Food project, in which Innov’Alliance is a partner, and on a more detailed internal mapping developed by the cluster, extended across the naturality value chains.
This overview highlighted a rich and diverse ecosystem combining research organisations, start‑ups, SMEs and industrial players, covering key technologies ranging from strain selection to process optimisation. While strong upstream dynamism was clearly evident, discussions also underlined a major challenge for companies: access to appropriate infrastructures and skills for scale‑up, which is essential to secure industrialisation and market entry of bio‑based innovations.
From ecosystem mapping to the key issue of infrastructures: a European perspective with the COPILOT project
Building directly on this initial ecosystem overview, the second presentation addressed a central bottleneck in industrialisation: access to bioproduction infrastructures. The European COPILOT project was introduced as a structuring initiative designed to support project developers in scaling up. It aims to map and make accessible European bioproduction infrastructures, from pilot facilities to industrial demonstration units.
Through an online platform, companies can identify infrastructures aligned with their technological needs and maturity level (TRL), while gaining greater visibility on available expertise. COPILOT thus provides a practical response to the fragmentation of the European offer and helps reduce technical and financial risks associated with the transition from lab to industry.
Once technical solutions are identified, how can projects be accelerated? Focus on CBE JU funding opportunities
After addressing technical and infrastructural levers, the webinar turned to the essential question of funding. This session provided a clear overview of the Circular Bio‑based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), a key European funding mechanism supporting the development and industrialisation of bio‑based ingredients and processes.
The speakers explained the logic of the calls for proposals, the different types of actions (RIA, IA, Flagship), and the European Commission’s key expectations. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of well‑structured consortia, value‑chain coherence, and the demonstration of strong industrial, environmental and socio‑economic impact. This insight helped participants better understand how to strategically position themselves in highly competitive European calls.
From European programmes to industrial reality: CEA feedback on microalgae projects
To conclude, the CEA shared concrete feedback on the industrial production of natural ingredients from microalgae, drawing on several projects funded by the CBE JU. This presentation highlighted both the complexity and the high potential of these technologies, from mastering biological processes to integrating them into viable industrial models.
Lessons learned from European projects highlighted the importance of anticipating scale‑up early on, fostering close collaboration between research and industry, and carefully preparing regulatory, economic and market aspects. This concrete testimony clearly illustrated the key role of European projects in turning scientific innovation into sustainable industrial solutions.
Interested in the topics covered in this article? Do not hesitate to contact Sara Botti, European projects manager @Innov’Alliance to explore collaboration opportunities, project support or next steps in more detail.
