SMEs at the Heart of Europe’s Sustainable Food Biotechnology Future
On 16 September 2026, Central Macedonia welcomed Europe’s biotechnology and agri-food innovation community for the Biotech4Food Final Event. SMEs, research and innovation organisations, public authorities and ecosystem stakeholders gathered to share results, exchange experiences and explore how biotechnology can accelerate the transition towards more sustainable, circular and competitive food systems.
European SMEs were at the center of the discussions, with 15 innovation journeys highlighting the progress achieved through Biotech4Food. Through round tables moderated by Valorial, Innov’Alliance and Wagralim, participants explored sustainable proteins, health-focused biotechnology and innovative ingredients, alongside key topics such as scale-up, funding and regulation.
The Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument, presented by EISMEA, provided valuable insights into opportunities to support interregional innovation, investment and the scale-up of promising biotechnology solutions. The participation of EIT Food Greece and DG CLIMA further emphasised the importance of connecting regional ecosystems with European initiatives and funding opportunities.
The importance of the Ingredients for the Bioeconomy (I4BE) community was also emphasised as a platform for continued collaboration beyond the project’s lifetime.
The afternoon programme broadened the focus to regional biotechnology ecosystems, research and pilot infrastructure, scale-up, funding and regulation. Presentations addressed the Biotech4Food roadmap and its long-term vision with I4BE, the Greek, Flemish and Walloon biotechnology ecosystems and access to pilot facilities through COPILOT.
The panel on the remaining challenges for sustainable food biotechnology brought together contributors from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, CER Groupe, the Flemish Government and the B-Trust project to discuss the European state of play, regional ecosystems, scale-up and financing, followed by policy recommendations and an exchange with participants.
The second day of the final event brought partners closer to the practical applications of biotechnology in Central Macedonia, with two visits showcasing innovation across the agri-food value chain, from circular bioeconomy and renewable energy to food ingredients and product development. The day began with a visit hosted by Qlab to the Kolchiko Innovation Park.
The Biotech4Food partners had the opportunity to discover the park’s infrastructure and learn more about how agricultural residues can be valorised through circular processes. The visit also highlighted the role of innovation ecosystems in supporting research and development activities, with several projects exploring new approaches to resource efficiency, bioeconomy and sustainable production.
The programme continued with a visit to the facilities of Provil, one of the Biotech4Food project partners, providing insight into the company’s expertise in food ingredients, flavour solutions and product development. The visit concluded with a tasting session, demonstrating how innovation in ingredients and biotechnology can lead to the development of new food applications. The afternoon was dedicated to the Biotech4Food Steering Committee meeting, bringing together the consortium partners to review the project’s progress and discuss the final stages of implementation.
The Biotech4Food Final Event in Thessaloniki, hosted by the Region of Central Macedonia & ATECluster, both partners of the project, highlighted the project’s ambition to connect research, industry and policy, fostering partnerships and innovation that will continue to support cooperation across Europe’s bioeconomy beyond the project’s lifetime.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
