CTA (Technological Corporation of Andalusia) is the only Spanish partner in the new European project SYMBIO, funded with more than 1.3 million euros by the Horizon Europe programme. The aim of this initiative, which has just started, is to support bio-based business projects that are developed within a framework of circular economy and industrial symbiosis.

SYMBIO (Shaping symbiosis in bio-based industrial ecosystems based on circular by-design supply chains) will use sophisticated data processing and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create ten symbiotic business models with a high degree of sustainability to increase the presence of bio-based products in the market.

The methodology will be tested through a collaborative consortium in twelve pilot regions, including Andalusia, in seven different countries, selected on the basis of their estimated bio-based resources defined by raw material availability, socio-economic indicators, networks and infrastructure, and development potential, among others.

SYMBIO aims to ensure the involvement of supply chain actors and the participation of the members of the so-called “quadruple helix” (companies, academic institutions, society and public institutions), to boost local development by promoting sustainable, innovative and participatory pathways towards the green transition.

CTA’s role

CTA’s technical manager of the Biotechnology sector, Carmen Ronchel, and CTA’s consultant, Rafael Castillo, have recently participated in the kick-off meeting of the SYMBIO project in Milan.

CTA will be responsible for carrying out a technical and commercial study of the ten symbiotic business models to assess their long-term economic sustainability. This will include the analysis of the market, competitors, brands/models, intellectual property issues and the value proposition of the symbiotic models compared to the classical linear ones.

During the project, CTA will support in Visibility, Transparency and Communication, to disseminate the results and raise awareness on the need to bet on this type of programmes.

The SYMBIO consortium is formed by the following entities: the Lombardy Institute of Green Chemistry (Italy), the circular economy consultancy Anteja (Slovenia), the bioeconomy research and innovation institute Alchemia-Nova (Austria), the consultancy Babeg (Austria), the Croatian Wood Cluster, the Startup Europe Regions Network (Belgium), Cardiff University (UK) and CTA.