BE-Basic and CLIB2021 cooperate in developing the bio-economy

03 May 2012 Delft University of Technology

The directors of Germany’s cluster for industrial biotechnology (CLIB2021) and the Netherlands' cluster BE-Basic (Bio-based Ecologically Balanced Sustainable Industrial Chemistry) signed a memorandum of understanding during the BIO World Congress to cooperate in developing the bioeconomy.

“We have to face up the challenges of the bioeconomy. The only way to reach the ambitious goals of the bioeconomy is to build consortia out of the best international specialists. Through the cooperation of our two open innovation clusters we are able to take partnering in bioeconomy to the next level”, says CLIB2021 chairman, Achim Marx.

Luuk van der Wielen, Director of BE-Basic: "CLIB2021 and BE-Basic are benchmarks of how professional and intensive industry-academic collaboration accelerates IP, process and product development while promoting top level science advancement. The collaboration ensures a continued European leadership in industrial and environmental biotechnology embedded in the very heart of the European Chemical and Energy industries. "

The cooperation will target partnering along new value chains and education in bioeconomy. Aspects from politics, economics, society, technology, legislation, and ecology will be addressed in a holistic way. Stakeholders from all fields will benefit from the aggregated know-how of the two partnering open innovation clusters. This way members and partners of the clusters foster bioeconomy in Europe and far beyond. Since both clusters have built excellent international networks, they have global reach for raw materials as well as technology partnering.

Svenja Schulze, Minister for Innovation, Science and Research for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia: „I welcome the collaboration between CLIB and BE-Basic. We need to face societal challenges such as the more efficient use of resources. Only if we and relevant actors work together, will we find solutions. The partners in the Netherlands and Germany have the necessary critical mass to achieve this.”

http://www.be-basic.org/news-center/news/be-basic-and-clib2021-cooperate-in-developing-the-bio-economy.html