The Netherland Lounge hosts Dutch companies active in the circular and sustainable economy and, in collaboration with Consorzio Italbiotec, organizes matchmaking meetings and bilateral thematic sessions on corporate sustainability strategies.

Are you interested in learning more?

Here, can download the company profiles of the exhibitors hosted by the Netherland Lounge.

The Digestimulus project successfully achieved objectives 1 and 2. These objectives were the selection of candidate microbial strains and the isolation of a local strain.

Two organisms belonging to the Trichoderma genus have been identified. They were isolated from rice straw and demonstrated the ability to thrive on corn silage as the sole carbon source. These organisms proved to be very promising and were obtained in pure cultures from a bank of microorganisms.

Samples of the solid fraction of the biogas digestate, as well as environmental samples, were collected. From these samples, a significant number of microorganisms with properties of great interest for the project were successfully isolated:

1. Fungi occurring naturally in soil or compost, such as Petriella sp, Scedosporium sp, Scopulariopsis sp, Lasiobolidium sp and Fusarium sp.

2. Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Lecanicillium sp and Purpureocillium sp.

3. Fungi capable of lignin degradation, represented by Sordaria sp.

MPowerBIO is a business and investment readiness programme designed to fuel the growth of leading bioeconomy SMEs by supporting their close collaboration with clusters, ecosystem builders, and investors. Applications to the SME Business Support Programme are now open for bioeconomy startups and SMEs from all over Europe who want to access expert trainings, matchmaking and pitching opportunities. Apply here:

On 3 March 2022 at the Agriturismo Le Risaie, Piazza Mons. Rossi 2, Basiglio (MI), the Pei Operational Group organized a demonstration day in the field and a seminar to disseminate the results of the ConSensi project. The CONSENSI project aims to develop innovative soil monitoring systems, optimize the supply of organic and chemical nutrients through site-specific variable rate distribution and provide companies with effective decision-making tools.

Digitalization as a lever to accelerate sustainability processes linked to the circular bioeconomy and a driver to promote industrial innovation: these are the topics of the webinar "Bioeconomy in the era of digitalization: collaborations and financing opportunities", held on March 3rd, 2022, co-organized by LGCA and SC Sviluppo Chimica in the context of the Interreg Alpine Space ARDIA-Net project. The webinar presented financing opportunities for digitization, data exploitation and Information & Communication Technology to promote industrial innovation in local companies, in compliance with the principles of S3 and in accordance with the trends in Sustainability, Circularity and Safety.

On the 22nd February 2022, LGCA hosted at its headquarters the HempClub kick-off meeting, a EU COSME project coordinated by LGCA and which takes together 7 clusters and associations operating in the primary hemp production, bioeconomy, mechatronics, green chemistry from Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Austria and Portugal. HempClub project works to unlock the potential of hemp by creating EU value chains for biobased applications and new business opportunities for primary producers and chemical companies.

Promoted by the SMART FEED project – Sustainable Model for Agroenergy and Feed production by Urban Waste Recycling and Treatment – the INTERNATIONAL WINTER SCHOOL granted by Cariplo Foundation was held online on February 15th, 23rd and 24th 2022 and was attended by more than 40 among Master graduates, PhD, and Post-Doc international students. The school provided academic lectures, success stories from the business world, business game training and explored one of the core themes of the circular economy: the recovery of municipal solid waste to produce high added-value products, such as protein sources from insects and microalgae for sustainable feed.

The Policy Forum is dedicated to deepening into the preliminary results of the Innovation Express 2021 pilot call (under).

By promoting a mutual learning between managing and funding authorities of the participating regions, ARDIA-Net Policy Forum represents a great opportunity for them to get hands-on experience on how this synchronized call was conceived and managed: what worked, what could be improved, and which is the way forward from a macro-regional perspective. The input collected should pave the way for developing a roadmap for scaling-up experiences such as Innovation Express in the Alpine macro-region and beyond.

The first executive meeting for FuturEnzyme consortium was held online on November 8 using CSIC’s platform Conecta. The Executive Committee, formed by Work Package leaders and chaired by the project coordinator, meets twice a year to discuss completed and planned activities, monitoring the effective and efficient implementation of the Project. Any other person from the participating partners is also invited to attend the meetings. Up to 23 participants were connected, including the coordinator, members of the Executive Committee, other Consortium members and the Project Officer.

On November 5, the event of the Biogas4.0 project, funded by the EAFRD-Rural Development Program 2014- 2020 of the Lombardy Region, took place at the fairgrounds of the 93 edition of the FAZI-Fiera Agricola Zootecnica Italiana in Montichiari (BS). The event, organized by the Italian Biogas Consortium - CIB (under), project leader, in collaboration with the partner Consorzio Italbiotec>, illustrated to farms the opportunities for innovation that can derive from the resources of the PNRR. The event, held in person with the possibility of remote potential (possibly insert the registration link), focused attention on the agricultural biomethane sector to promote innovation with sustainability objectives and on the PNRR to deal with farmers of shipyard investments in the agricultural supply chain thanks also to the incentives deriving from agriculture 4.0 and rural development programs.

MPowerBIO consortium partners met each other in Aarhus for the final event (under) of the first iteration of MPowerBIO, where 30 selected companies in Food&Bioeconomy sector had the opportunity to meet investors and experts and pitch their innovative business models. Partners had the opportunity to evaluate the results obtained in the first phase of the project, collect lessons learned, insights and inputs and decide on the roadmap for the second iteration of Capacity Building Programme for bioeconomy Clusters and Business Support Programme for bio-based SMEs.

The event aimed to create a shared knowledge space on circular economy issues, stimulating interest and dialogue on the role of biotechnologies in supporting sustainable development and presenting the results and impacts of the proposed model. BOBCAT experiments innovative biotechnological approaches for the improvement of cardoon cell cultures for the production of bioactive compounds to be used as raw materials for the nutraceutical sector, cosmetics, bioplastics and green chemistry.

After almost two years from the kick-off meeting in Stuttgart in November 2019, ARDIA-Net partners had the possibility to meet in person for the 5th PSG meeting in Salzburg, hosted by ITG - Innovationsservice für Salzburg. During these two days, project partners had the opportunity to discuss about the next steps about Innovation Express pilot call (under) and share ideas on how to implement a durable ARDIA Network for the development of cross-regional research and innovation calls and project.

In the context of the AWARENESS WORKSHOP - Blue Biotechnology Hub ITALY, Diego Bosco, CEO of the Consorzio Italbiotec, participated as a speaker addressing trends, challenges, and opportunities of blue biotechnology and sustainable growth. The online event, "The B-Blue project: biotechnologies that come from the sea - Innovation at the service of sustainable blue growth", was organized by the B-Blue partners CNR and ENEA. The workshop is part of the activities within the B-Blue project to promote the construction of a national blue biotechnology community (BBt). The programme is available here:

This training session, organised in the context of the European MPowerBIO project and the "Towards Green Transition" facility of the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), aims to present the new opportunities of the Horizon Europe EIC Work Programme to SMEs belonging to the sectors of biomaterials. The webinar's focus is to provide recommendations on how to write a successful proposal under the EIC calls and develop a strategic circular bio-based business model

Consorzio Italbiotec participates in a European project, called FuturEnzyme, to develop new microbial enzymes that can be used to create consumer products (textiles, detergents, and cosmetics) that are greener, more innovative, and sustainable. On the 8th June 2021, 42 participants from 16 European organizations located in Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, Portugal, United Kingdom and Switzerland met each other to officially start project activities, defining the technical state-of-the-art at their laboratories and the fine-tuning of the working plans. Discover more on project objectives.

Consorzio Italbiotec participates in a European project, called FuturEnzyme, to develop new microbial enzymes that can be used to create consumer products (textiles, detergents, and cosmetics) that are greener, more innovative, and sustainable. On the 8th June 2021, 42 participants from 16 European organizations located in Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, Portugal, United Kingdom and Switzerland met each other to officially start project activities, defining the technical state-of-the-art at their laboratories and the fine-tuning of the working plans. Discover more on project objectives.

The webinar aims to illustrate the most relevant results of the TRETILE project coordinated by Politecnico di Milano www.tretile.polimi.it. TRETILE is a project funded by the Cariplo Foundation and Innovhub SSI srl in the context of the "integrated research on industrial biotechnologies and bioeconomy" call.

Italbiotec in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Consulate General of the Netherland in Italy is pleased to announce the publication of a new market study dedicated to the circular economy and the sustainable use of water resources. The market report “Circular Economy in Italy” provides a complete framework of the water supply, focusing on clean and safe water technologies and resource recovery from wastewater treatment. Its ultimate scope is to offer concrete insights to innovative Dutch companies on business opportunities supporting their market positioning.

On 27th May, the Italbiotec Consortium organised a round table "Rural bieconomy: challenges and opportunities of the PNRR" supporting the National Bioeconomy Day. The online event is dedicated to the circular bioeconomy and agriculture 4.0 to support the green transition, focusing on some industrial initiatives and projects to create new value chains. The ecological transition is one of the strategic pillars of the Recovery Plan, representing 40% of the total resources allocated, implementing the European Green Deal mission towards climate neutrality by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. 

INPACT reports on sustainable agricultural practices in the horticultural fresh-cut sector

Sustainable agriculture and the fight against climate change: four new Italbiotec reports in the context of the INPACT project have been published. The reports aim to illustrate good sustainable agricultural practices in the fresh-cut horticulture sector, the impact of pathogens and climate change on a sector that has a central role in our country's economy, and promote green and sustainable production thanks to experimental activities and agronomic protocols tested during the project.

Agriculture and the agri-food industry play a crucial role in the transition to sustainable production models and combating climate change. The webinar "Research and innovation for sustainable and resilient agriculture" illustrates the results of the INPACT project for the adoption of sustainable agronomic practices in horticultural production for the contrast and containment of diseases propagated by insect-vectors, such as Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, one of the most widespread and persistent pathogens in the world.  

The webinar "Precision agriculture and innovative use of biogas digestate" is an online event of the Biogas4.0 project, funded by the FEASR-Rural Development Program 2014-2020 of the Lombardy Region and dedicated to researchers and professionals in the agricultural sector. The webinar illustrates the results and objectives achieved by the project, focusing on the biogas sector and on the use of digestate in agriculture. The agronomic use of biogas digestate as organic fertiliser is one of the innovation factors of the project since it allows to improve the productivity of the land and allows the creation of a new circular economy production model, improving the production performance of farms both in terms of economic and environmental.  

The final conference of the Fine Feed For Fish – 4F project was held during the days of 29th and 30th of April. The project was dedicated to validating new feed formulations for sea bass, sea bream and rainbow trout, exploring alternative protein sources to fishmeal, guaranteeing the health, well-being and quality of farmed fish species, and environmental and economic sustainability. The project partners presented the main results obtained in relation to the performance of the new feed formulations on the health and well-being of fish species to encourage breeders and feed producers to adopt sustainable solutions in aquaculture practices. Furthermore, interesting technical-scientific insights were provided regarding the evaluation of the intestinal microbiota response to different diets and indications of environmental, economic, and qualitative sustainability of the product.  

Co-organised by the LGCA Cluster and SC Sviluppo Chimica in the context of the Interreg Alpine Space ARDIA-Net project, the webinar aims to promote the creation of new interregional cooperation partnerships between the academic world and the cosmetic industry. In order to provide an overview of the main perspectives for sustainable development of the cosmetics supply chain, the webinar aims to encourage dialogue between the main local realities. In this context, REI-Reindustria Innovazione, will present the value of the cosmetic sector at a regional level and the leading European S3 partnerships dedicated to the development of this sector. 

The final conference of the Interreg AlpLinkBioEco Project, of which the Lombardy Green Chemistry Cluster is partner, will take place on 31st March 2021. The conference will show the main results of the project: the Value Chain Generator tool, an innovative software developed for the creation of new intra-regional and inter-regional business opportunities in the circular bioeconomy sector and finally, a Masterplan for a common bioeconomy strategy in the entire Alpine area. Further information on the program and registration can be found at the following

The webinar is dedicated to researchers, scholars, professionals interested in discovering the challenges and industrial potential of this resource for obtaining sustainable dyes and improving the quality of the grain produced and tolerance to biotic stress. The webinar is dedicated to illustrating the results of the PASTEL project, which demonstrated the sustainability of a process of extracting anthocyanins from red corn for the colouring of natural fibers, replacing the use of synthetic substances with a strong environmental impact. 

In the context of the Consensi project, the online seminar "Optimisation of soil sensor-assisted organic fertilisation" was held in March 2021. Consensi project, funded by the FEASR - Rural Development Program 2014-2020, aims to optimise the use of nutrients for crops by monitoring soils and vegetative vigour thanks to sensors and precision farming techniques. This approach tries to stabilise crop yields and improve their nutritional status to reduce unwanted emissions of nutrients into the environment and preserve productive and economically viable levels for the farmer. 

The webinar aims to explore microalgae's application potential in bioremediation, biomonitoring, and products with high added value. Organised by Lombard Cluster of Green Chemistry and Consorzio Italbiotec, the event is part of the consolidated initiative of “Bioeconomy Dialogues” dedicated to professionals, researchers, students and interested in environmental sustainability, circularity and biotechnology for the bioeconomy 

The Ramaschi farm, partner of the Biogas 4.0 project, began the distribution of digestate on the plot of land dedicated to barley cultivation. The digestate, a by-product of anaerobic digestion, is used as fertiliser for the soil and is distributed to the soil through innovative technologies that allow the correct homogenisation of the soil’s fertiliser inputs. Are you curious to see how our partners work?  

The textile industry has a huge environmental impact at a global level. For this reason, the PASTEL project proposes an innovative dyeing process of natural fibers based on the use of anthocyanins (dyes) and tannins (mordants) extracted from corn cobs, that is the residual waste from the cultivation of red corn.

A training course in depth in the sector, structured in video lessons that you can follow anywhere! Link 

The Bioinitaly National Roadshow 2021 arrives in Milan on 29th January, hosted by the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association and the Consorzio Italbiotec, in collaboration with Assobiotec/Federchimica, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and Cluster Spring. Digital-event, open to companies and researchers in the field of circular bioeconomy, brings together innovative start-ups looking for capital and investors around the world. The companies selected will access a training and coaching session, enhancing synergies with venture capital. 

The webinar “Cardoon-based cosmetics, nutraceuticals and bioplastics: the biorefinery model of the BOBCAT project” proposes a biorefinery model that uses the by-products of the agri-food chain as a source of energy for cell cardoon crops to optimise their growth in sustainable conditions and coherent with the Circular economy’s principles. The webinar aims to create an area of shared knowledge on the circular economy topics, stimulating interest and dialogue on biotechnology’s role in support of sustainable development and presenting the impacts of the proposed model. 

The webinar is organised by the Lombardy Green Chemistry Cluster in the context of the ARDIA-Net Interreg Alpine Space project. To give an overview of the development trends of the bio-based sector at a regional level and to understand how S3 encourages the development of innovative products, the webinar aims to stimulate the dialogue between business models born in the Lombardy Region for the production of bio-based products for three different sectors: Feed, Fashion & Textiles. During the event, two projects, funded by Fondazione Cariplo, will be presented: SMART Feed and PASTEL projects.

The Smartfeed project, funded by Fondazione Cariplo, coordinated by the University of Milan and Consorzio Italbiotec, promotes a circular economy model for the Lombardy Region. Smartfeed recovers the The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) to produce innovative feed based on insects and microalgal biomass, producing the energy needed for the process through anaerobic digestion. The digestate obtained will be used as a renewable fertiliser, promoting the closure of the waste cycle. 

The workshop “International bioeconomy dialogues across the alpine space”, promoted by the Lombardy Cluster of Green Chemistry, will be held at Palazzo in collaboration with the Lombardy Region Pirelli on 4 and 5 November 2019. The workshop aims to encourage dialogue and new development opportunities in the bioeconomy and circular economy sector among all innovators active in academic research and in the industrial sector. 

Help SMEs capture investment: Make your mark on the design of MPowerBIO’s capacity building and business support programme. Are you an investor, an expert within the bio based industry or a representative from an SME or a cluster, than your input is highly appreciated. Join MPowerBIO’s online co-creation workshop on 29 October to make your mark on the capacity building and business support programme, which are designed to enhance the investment readiness of SMEs. 

The event is organized by the Interdivisional Group of Green Chemistry of SCI, CNR-SCITEC and Consorzio Italbiotec, under the Bioeconomy Pilot of the Vanguard Initiative and Società Chimica Italiana. The meeting aims to encourage networking between companies operating in the green chemistry and circular bioeconomy fileds. During the event will be presented the Call “New Green Deal European”.  

Organised by the Lombardy Green Chemistry Cluster, in collaboration with several Italian partners of the Alplinkbioeco project (CSALP, Confindustria Lombardia, Hub Innovazione Trentino, Fraunhofer Italia), the webinar explores new opportunities of cooperation in the field of bioeconomy, starting from the example of Vegea Srl, company dedicated to the transformation of by-products deriving from the viticulture industry in products with high added value. 

Promoted by the Lombard Cluster of Green Chemistry, in collaboration with ARDIA-Net and Alplinkbioeco projects, the webinar promotes regional development and the update of the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) for Research and Innovation 2021-2027. The Bioeconomy represents one of the pillars of the S3 of Lombardy Region, which has launched a public consultation plan for the update 2021-2017, in close connection with the new ERDF Regional Operational Programme and with the activities of updating and revising the regional strategic framework, including the Triennial Strategic Programme for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer.

The “Sustainable Business Models in Circular Bioeconomy” event will be held in Brussels, organised by the Slovenian Business and Research Association (SBRA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Chemistry, SRIP for circular economy and ERRIN. The LGCA Custer will be present as technical coordinator of the Pilot Bioeconomy of the Vanguard initiative, one of the main European cooperation platforms that bring together over 25 regions engaged in developing a Bioeconomy Strategy. 

The webinar, organised by the Lombard Cluster of Green Chemistry-LGCA and supported by the Bioeconomy Pilot of the Vanguard Initiative, aims to create a moment of interaction and update in the energy sector of biofuels, in particularly liquefied biomethane in the transport sector, to support the development of new partnerships and encourage cooperation between institutions, businesses and investors.

A live streaming event to discover 33 projects, excellences of the territory financed by the Lombardy Region and and able to face the needs and challenges of local communities. Among the presented projects there is “BIOMASS HUB - Biomethane for a Sustainable Society: development of an Italian Laboratory of Circular Economy from biomethane”, which aims to promote a model for the enhancement of organic waste through the production and efficient management of electricity, biomethane and fertilisers, with the aim of creating a virtuous platform, in a logic of promotion of circular economy. 

The webinar “Biopolymers stakeholder meeting” will be held on 18th June 2020. Free thematic webinar and partnering event”, organised by the LGCA Cluster, as coordinator of the Bioeconomy Pilot the European network Vanguard Initiative. The webinar aims to bring together experts and policymakers interested in forming new partnerships focused on biopolymers' production.

The Coronavirus crisis has a serious influence on all productive sectors, on the market for agricultural commodities and consumer goods. Companies, academic research groups and research laboratories are committed to accelerating projects' development to help overcome this emergency. Through this survey, the Lombard Cluster of Green Chemistry intends to offer support to those who work in the bio-based sector through support to design, development, and access to funding opportunities. Finally, the survey is aimed at mapping the major transformation dynamics to encourage new policies and funding dedicated to the world of business and research. 

The Consorzio Italbiotec supports the organisation of the XXV edition of the Congress of the Italian Phytopathological Society, which will take place from 16th to 18th September 2019, at the University of Milan. For this edition of the Congress, the discussion will be focused on hot topics in Plant Pathology introducing the upcoming International Year of Plant Health in 2020. 

The Lombard Cluster of Green Chemistry (LGCA), in collaboration with the Italbiotec Consortium and the RUMORE - Interreg Europe project of the Lombardy Region, organises the event “Good practices of green economy in agriculture”. The event aims to promote dialogue and cooperation between the bio-based industrial realities and the Agricultural Districts present in the Metropolitan Area of Milan to provide rural realities with new opportunities for the circular economy through the innovative use of biomass. 

The Consorzio Italbiotec, in the context of the 4F- 4F - Fine Feed For Fish Project, organises a thematic summer school. A week of theoretical insights from leading national experts on the subject, practical laboratory activities, and a sea bass and sea bream breeding plant visit. It was an extraordinary experience to enhance the synergies between those involved in animal welfare, feed formulation, intensive farming techniques, food safety, all committed to making their own contribution to an increasingly modern and sustainable aquaculture. 

Bioeconomy Dialogues” event – Brescia

The event “BIOECONOMY DIALOGUES: Green projects from the territory and beyond”, organised by the University of Brescia, in collaboration with the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association-LGCA and the School of Management and Advanced Education-SMAE. It is an opportunity for comparison and exchange of information between the main players in Scientific Research, Development and Technological Transfer of the Brescia area in the field of Green Chemistry.

“Bioeconomy Dialogues” event - Istituto Spallanzani: presentazioni

“BIOECONOMY DIALOGUES: Green projects from the territory” is an event organised by the Spallanzani Institute, collaborating with the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association-LGCA and with the partnership of the BALANCE project. It is an opportunity for discussion and exchange of information between the main players in Scientific Research, Development and Technological Transfer of the Cremona area in Green Chemistry. 

In October 2018, the activities related to the Sanofi and Italbiotec Consortium project entitled "Training of highly qualified researchers in the study of innovative technologies for the improvement of industrial production processes of active pharmaceutical ingredients from natural sources" began.

International autumn school. from waste to microalgae: an example of circular economy

workshop food integrity project

Conference "Arsenic in the environment: actions for the protection of health"

"Bioeconomy dialogues" event @ unimi

conference "where environmental biotechnologies are grown in Italy"