On October 20 and 21 the GRETE consortium gathered for its 6th meeting, again in online mode. Now, after more than two years of steady collaboration, the information exchange is settled and both, the structure and the modalities, are well implemented. Nevertheless partners being aware of the limits of exclusiv online conversations and thus keen to meet face-to-face again, really good discussions happened: whilst the research partners presented great progress in their work, the industry partners triggered stimulating discussions providing inputs and new perspectives to guide the research in its path to reach the project’s goals.
Besides updating all involved project participants about the ongoing research activity, the consortium meeting is used to make the point about executed and upcoming dissemination opportunities. After the summer break, the GRETE consortium took up the dissemination activities with a renewed spirit: although the general opinion is still skeptical about returning to an old normal after several months of living with a pandemic, signs are indicating that some sort of a hybrid normality can be achieved. In this regard, Autumn 2021 is offering some occasions to discover GRETE in different contexts and modalities: industry partner MetsäSpring introduced the initiative at the 6th edition of the Plant Based Summit in Reims (FR). The congress presents the latest developments and solutions to international public and private decision-makers. Participants to the conference typically include end-users, producers of biobased intermediates, biomass producers and transformers, R&D specialists, business angels, investment funds as well as European and national decision makers. The 2021 edition focused on the biobased products’ markets, and kept a strong emphasis on the sector’s innovations and challenges. Also in France, research partner BOKU had an intriguing GRETE poster presented at the 7th International Congress of the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence that took place from October 11 to 15 in Nantes.
On the other hand, two events in Italy were exploited to showcase the initial project results physically. The September special edition of the Milan Design Week introduced the GRETE technologies and processes to a young, innovation-eager audience: designers, materials investigators and technicians from various sectors looking for alternative solutions and production processes. Whereas, at this year’s edition of the International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy (IFIB) held in Trento (IT) GRETE was present at the poster session addressing Startups, Companies, Universities, public and private Research Centres in the field of industrial biotechnology and bioeconomy.
Upcoming: industry partner Celbi, part of Altri Group, will have the chance to introduce the initiative to leading managers of forest-based companies and technicians of the pulp and paper industry during Session 4 of the Tecnicelpa Innovation Talks on November 4. And on November 18 GRETE will be participating in Veltha’s Loops webinars, a virtual occasion to showcase the research and results that the Horizon2020-funded projects are producing in the field of circular economy and innovation.
Backed by the enthusiasm for the achieved milestones and upcoming project activities, the partners are looking forward to finally meeting face-to-face again: the next consortium meeting is scheduled for April 2022 in Portugal.
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