Bioeconomy For Change: the IAR cluster lays out its international ambitions

A reference point for bioeconomy, the IAR (Industry and Agricultural Resources) competitiveness cluster has been renamed Bioeconomy For Change (B4C) to promote its international readability and expansion. As a partner of Ardennes Développement, the cluster has been working alongside companies and authorities in the Grand Est and French Ardennes for 17 years.

Bioeconomy For Change brings together more than 450 members, from upstream agricultural activities to sales of finished products: agricultural cooperatives, research institutions and universities, start-ups, companies, public stakeholders, and others. Since its launch, the cluster, which has a team of 35 employees, has supported 350 innovation projects to improve agricultural resources, contributing to several flagship businesses (industrial leaders) and the mobilisation of €2.5 billion in investments. The cluster is involved in European programmes such as BBI JU, a public-private partnership that has leveraged €3.7 billion. Under this programme, thirteen projects have actually led, or will lead, to the construction of new biorefineries, creating 13,000 direct and indirect jobs and saving 600,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Four of these biorefineries are located in France: AfterBiochem (Afyren), ReSolute (Circa), Farmyng (Ynsect), and Scale (Microphyt).

With its change of name, B4C has reaffirmed its global dimension and its commitment to developing the bioeconomy according to the four Cs: the Climate, Citizens, Competitiveness, and Connections between different players. Its services have been redefined to meet the needs of its members and offer tailor-made options: network development (meetings, conferences, international delegations); informed decisions (monitoring, strategic advice, market studies); realising innovation (ideation, expertise, funding assistance); and promoting their activities (lobbying for influence, interpretation, administrative and legislative support).

Listed as one of the priorities in the France 2030 Recovery Plan, the bioeconomy also has widespread support in the Grand Est region. The presence of one of the key players represents a great asset in terms of project development. In French Ardennes, implementation is underway with Agronutris, a biotechnology company specialising in the breeding and processing of insects to make proteins, supported by Ardennes Développement.

 

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By Ardennes Développement, the Ardennes economic development agency - ardennes-developpement.com