CommBeBiz Innovation Awards return
The second annual CommBeBiz Awards provide practical support to European scientific projects with the potential to address business and societal challenges.
Following the success of its predecessor, CommBeBiz has announced a second awards for European bioeconomy researchers, offering developing and innovative researchers the opportunity to promote their ideas to investors, entrepreneurs, policy makers and the media.
CommBeBiz is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme with the objective of accelerating knowledge transfer from bioeconomy research projects to businesses in the name of social innovation. These awards promote innovation from research projects in all areas of the bioeconomy sector, i.e. food, agriculture, marine, forestry and biotechnology.
Laura Lecci, from the Brussels-based innovation network EBN, the CommBeBiz project partner responsible for managing the awards, said: “We are looking for ambitious ideas with the potential to address major challenges in the bioeconomy sector with clear business or social innovation potential – a unique proposition clearly differentiated from alternatives already in the marketplace or public domain.”
There were eight EC-funded project winners in 2015 with research briefs ranging from bed-sore prevention and remote-controlled livestock feed to sustainable energy from biogases. Six of these now receive support in progressing and reaching their innovation goals. A total of 19 winners will be selected this year.
Rhonda Smith, co-ordinator of CommBeBiz, says, “Entering our awards is a valuable opportunity for researchers to test and validate the potential of their ideas, while our winners will receive vital support for their projects in continuing and communicating their work and ensuring it delivers impact.”
The closing date for the CommBeBiz Awards is 31 May 2016. Winners will be invited to attend the EBN Congress from 28-30 September 2016 in Guimarães, Portugal. Go here for more information.
