BIOECONOMY IN ACTION
Midwest Bioeconomy in Action Webinar – Online (14 October 2025)
The SOILCRATES project played a pivotal role in the Midwest Bioeconomy in Action webinar, held online on 14 October 2025. Bringing together participants from research, industry, and policy sectors, the session highlighted how regional bioeconomy efforts are contributing to sustainable development and climate-positive innovation.
Attendees learned about SOILCRATES insights on soil health, circular practices, and how collaborative Living Labs are driving real-world solutions. Through a blend of presentations and dialogue, the webinar showcased pathways for integrating scientific research with industrial practice, reinforcing the value of cross-sectoral cooperation in addressing complex environmental challenges.
By connecting with Midwest bioeconomy stakeholders, this contribution helped foster enhanced networking and knowledge exchange, offering participants diverse perspectives on how Living Labs can catalyse innovation at regional levels. This engagement emphasized the importance of linking scientific evidence with practical, scalable approaches that support economic and ecological resilience. The event strengthened ties between European and North American bioeconomy communities, inspiring new partnerships and shared opportunities for impact.
Bioeconomy Week – Athlone (16 October 2025)
During Bioeconomy Week 2025, SOILCRATES partners contributed to a vibrant programme of activities on the TUS Athlone campus on 16 October 2025, attracting local and national stakeholders. Bioeconomy Ireland Week, held from 13–19 October 2025, is an annual nationwide initiative that encourages communities, researchers, students, industry and policymakers to engage with bioeconomy themes such as circularity, sustainability, climate change mitigation and bio-waste transformation.
On campus, project partners delivered presentations, shared research findings, and facilitated knowledge exchange sessions centered on improving soil health, circular resource use, and accelerating innovation through Living Labs. These activities provided attendees with practical tools and insights on sustainable land management and circular bioeconomy solutions that can be applied locally and regionally. Over the course of the day, interactive discussions encouraged participants to reflect on how scientific knowledge can be translated into action within their own networks and communities.
Bioeconomy Week’s broader programme across Ireland highlights how the bioeconomy leverages renewable natural resources to create economic opportunities while reducing environmental impact. The 2025 theme, Inspiring local communities for a sustainable, competitive Ireland, underscored the role of inclusive, grassroots involvement in shaping a resilient, bio-based future.
The SOILCRATES presence during the Athlone event increased the visibility of Living Lab activities and strengthened community engagement with sustainability initiatives, demonstrating how collaborative approaches can build momentum for circular bioeconomy practices across Ireland’s regions.
Why These Initiatives Matter
Together, these events exemplify how SOILCRATES and similar initiatives contribute to a growing bioeconomy ecosystem. The bioeconomy is fundamentally about using renewable biological resources to produce food, materials and energy in ways that support both economic development and environmental stewardship.
Learn more here.
Contact
For press inquiries, contact the communications team : natalia.brack@iid-sii.org and jessica.bailloux@iid-sii.org
