RIBES project

RIBES Synergy Opportunity | BIOEAST & BOOST4BIOEAST Student Challenge 🌱

The RIBES project is pleased to share the launch of the BIOEAST Student Challenge, an innovation competition inviting students across Central and Eastern Europe to submit ideas and early-stage solutions for a more sustainable bioeconomy.

The challenge welcomes technological, organisational, social, or policy-oriented ideas across key themes such as resilient farming, biomass logistics, digital monitoring, and circular bioeconomy awareness.

Selected participants will benefit from mentoring, innovation readiness support, and pitching skills training. Winners will also have the opportunity to present their ideas at the Bioeconomy Austria Summit on 5–6 October 2026 and gain visibility at the BOOST4BIOEAST Final Conference in Brussels on 25 November 2026.

📅 Deadline for applications: 31 July 2026, 23:59 CEST
🔗 Application guidelines:https://bioeast.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/BOOST4BIOEAST_Student-Challenge_Guidelines.pdf

bioeast.eu

Time flies, and here we are already in the final months of the RIBES project mandate.

The RIBES consortium recently met in for a progress meeting, bringing partners together to review what has been achieved so far and align on the next steps.

As RIBES continues its work to promote regional inclusive biobased entrepreneurship and support the transition towards more circular and sustainable bio-based economies, the meeting offered an important moment to strengthen coordination across the consortium and prepare for the project’s upcoming activities and results.

🔗 Read more on the RIBES website: https://ribesproject.eu/ribes-partners-meet-in-thessaloniki-to-review-progress-and-align-next-steps/

Today in , the : Advancing Circular Bioeconomy through Regional Innovation and Biomass Valorisation brought together experts working across research, public authorities, industry and circular economy practice.

The workshop began with the everlasting question of how regional actors can work together to create inclusive, practical and sustainable bio-based entrepreneurship solutions.

From there, participants had the opportunity to explore concrete examples of how circular bioeconomy principles are already being translated into action:

♻️ Local and regional alliances for sustainable agri-food waste management through the LIFE-IP CEI-Greece - Circular Greece project
🐄 Biogas production from livestock waste through hashtag
🌾 The valorisation of agricultural residues for pellet production and energy generation through PRIMARY project
🗑️ Smart waste collection systems as a tool for more sustainable urban management
💻 Digital innovation and decision-support tools for the sustainable energy transition, including the BioTheRoS EU Project
🌱 The evolving EU framework for carbon removals and carbon farming

All in all, the workshop demonstrated that advancing the circular bioeconomy is not only about new technologies but also depends on strong regional cooperation, accessible digital tools, enabling policy frameworks, and the active involvement of local stakeholders.

A warm thank you to all speakers and participants for sharing their knowledge, experience and perspectives throughout the day.

hashtag

And we are live!

RIBES partners are gathering in for the project’s 6th General Assembly, bringing together the consortium to review progress, align on priorities and prepare the next steps towards the project’s final phase.

Setting the scene, the RIBES Project Coordinator, Peter Canciani, from Central European Initiative - CEI highlighted the importance of turning the project’s work into meaningful, lasting results for rural regions and bio-based innovation ecosystems across Europe.

Over the coming sessions, this is exactly what the RIBES partners will do: exchange updates on the Multi-actor Transformative Forums, governance and business models, communication, exploitation, synergies, and the path towards the project’s final outputs.

A warm thank you to our hosts at the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH) and Dimitrios Kourkoumpas for the excellent organisation and for welcoming all of us to Thessaloniki.

How can regional innovation help turn waste and biomass into sustainable opportunities?

Join the RIBES Workshop: Advancing Circular Bioeconomy through Regional Innovation and Biomass Valorisation. The workshop will bring together researchers, public authorities, circular economy experts and innovation actors to explore practical approaches to:

♻️ Sustainable agri-food waste management
🐄 Biogas production from livestock waste
🌾 Agricultural residues for energy generation
🗑️ Smart waste collection systems
💻 Digital tools for the sustainable energy transition
🌱 Carbon removals and carbon farming policy

The programme will also present the RIBES Strategic Roadmap and the project’s work on sustainability assessment within Multi-actor Transformative Forums.

📍 Mediterranean Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki
🗓️ Wednesday, 1 July 2026 | 10:30–14:45
💻 Online participation is available via Microsoft Teams

Learn more on the project website: https://ribesproject.eu/event/events-ribes-workshop-circular-bioeconomy-regional-innovation-biomass-valorisation-2

If you didn’t catch it the first time, now’s your moment - and if you did watch it, now’s the perfect time to revisit it! 🎥

The RIBES promotional video may not be new, but its message remains powerful. Many communities still face challenges such as limited market access and skills gaps. This video captures how RIBES works to empower , , , and to build a stronger, greener across 10 European regions.

🎥 Available in 11 languages, it continues to be a valuable resource across our pilot regions.

📺 Watch or rewatch the video with the subtitles here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhdYKvc4B0I

Let’s keep pushing forward, , , and the transformation of rural Europe!

European Commission EU Science, Research and Innovation

RIBES Project: Transforming Rural Europe Through Bio-Based Innovation | Horizon Europe Welcome to the RIBES project! This video highlights our mission to foster a sustainable circular bioeconomy by empowering rural communities, building innovat...

RIBES deliverable spotlight: How can research help build stronger, more inclusive regional bioeconomy systems? 📢

A literature review and conceptual framework, led by Maastricht University / University of Hohenheim, brings together key insights from existing research to support the development of a shared framework for the RIBES project.

The deliverable helps structure future project activities, including the work of the Multi-Actor Transformative Forums (MTFs), by exploring the links between circular bioeconomy, social innovation, and regional transformation.

🔎 Read the deliverable here: https://ribesproject.eu/deliverables/

On 22–23 April 2026, the 4th Balkan Rural Parliament took place in Bar, Montenegro, bringing together almost 100 stakeholders from civil society, public authorities, business, academia, media, and rural communities across the Western Balkans and wider Europe.

Under the theme “From Dialogue to Action: Advancing Rural Democracy and Sustainability in the Western Balkans”, participants exchanged experiences, discussed rural development priorities, and co-created recommendations for future regional cooperation.

RIBES was strongly represented through the event’s focus on Climate Change and Circular Bioeconomy, with contributions from BRDN – Balkan Rural Development Network, ERDN – European Rural Development Network, and members of the Western Balkans MTF. Discussions explored circular bioeconomy models, sustainable resource use, rural innovation, and opportunities for stronger cooperation across the region.

The outcomes of the working groups will feed into the 4th Balkan Rural Parliament Declaration, helping turn ideas into concrete recommendations for rural communities.

A big thank you to Rural Development Network and Rural Development Network for helping bring RIBES themes into this important regional dialogue. 💚

Partner Spotlight: Q-PLAN INTERNATIONAL coordination and support of the RIBES MTF development. 🔦

In this interview, the Q-PLAN team reflects on the role of the , the value of the approach, the main themes emerging across regions, and what comes next in the process.

Read it here: https://ribesproject.eu/spotlight-on-mtf-coordination-a-qa-with-q-plan/

Spotlight on MTF Coordination: A Q&A with Q-PLAN - RIBES Project - Regional Inclusive Biobased Entrepreneurship Solutions Spotlight on MTF Coordination: A Q&A with Q-PLAN 13 Mar, 2026 | news Within RIBES, the Multi-actor Transformative Forums are a central part of the project’s approach to stakeholder engagement, co-creation, and two-way exchange with local communities. Under Task 5.2, Q-PLAN leads the coordination a...