Game-changersengender sustainable growth

European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology editionBrussels | October 2017

Official media partners with

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Innovators Magazine is a proud media partner of the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy (EFIB) – which celebrates its 10th anniversary in Brussels this week.

The Belgian capital will be the de facto capital of the global industry for the next few days as biotech innovators gather to discuss its impact to date and debate its future direction.

Biotechs performed well at last month’s inaugural Global Game Changers awards in Glasgow, where EFIB 2016 was held. We have all the news from a great night.

Scotland’s biggest city is also home to the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC). We have more on IBioIC’s latest work in this EFIB special.

Looking ahead to 2018, the ACHEMA trade exhibition in Frankfurt is one for biotech stakeholders to mark in their calendar. The German city will welcome over 170,000 people to what is the premier international showcase for the process industries. Biotechnology will take centre stage and I am delighted to announce we have been named as the official publisher of the event’s ‘Biotech for Chemistry’ magazine.

Harnessing the planet’s natural larder to accelerate the shift towards a sustainable world is a hallmark of biotechnology.

How about a similar approach to gender equality?

In our innovation economy roundup Katherine Manuel, Senior Vice President, Innovation, at Thomson Reuters, writes about the importance of creating frameworks that give both girls and women free and easy access to opportunity. Katherine explains why it is a moral and economic imperative.

The European Innovation Summit in November – also in Brussels – is the next stop for Innovators Magazine. Our summit edition, which will include an exclusive interview with Bertrand Piccard, will focus on the theme ‘changing mindsets’ with stories on the importance of intraprenureship, cross-sectoral collaboration and equality.

If you’re going to the summit, make sure to add our event into your plans. We are holding a reception in the European Parliament, as part of the official programme, on 30 November – from 6.30pm – where the ‘changing mindsets’ theme will be explored further in the company of some fine whisky.

Iain RobertsonEditor

Editor’s word

Iain Robertson - EditorIan Monk - Design

Ryan McFadyen - DigitalGillian Greig - Operations

Susan Robertson - Partnerships Front cover image credit: istockphoto.com

Newsdesk: editorial@innovatorsmag.com Advertising: advertising@innovatorsmag.comReception: +44 (0)141 570 0029150 Central Chambers11 Bothwell St | Glasgow | Scotlandinnovatorsmag.com | @innovatorsmag

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INNOVATION ECONOMY ROUNDUP

4 Katherine Manuel, Senior Vice President, Thomson Reuters, writes about the vital role women must play in filling the skills gap

6 TEV project pioneers smart mobility platform

8 EU Prize for Women Innovators launched

10 Planes, trains, automobiles… and a rocket – the future of travel

13 What can innovation achieve?

14 UN climate initiative calls for industry support

16 Biotechs shine at innovation awards

18 ACHEMA signs Innovators Magazine

BIOTECH FOCUS

20 Frankfurt showcase promises to be a record-breaker

22 Scotland’s Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) welcomes its 100th member

24 Q&A with Neil Renault, Flexbio Facility Manager, IBioIC

26 IBioIC conference set to be biggest yet

28 Glycomar case study

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CONTENTS

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According to the World Economic Forum’s ‘Case for Gender Equality’, the most important determinant of a country’s competitiveness is its human talent—

the skills and productivity of its workforce. What happens when the full scope of human talent is not participating in the global economy? We all lose out.

We are currently facing a skills deficit globally. The Hays Global Skills Index, a report that assesses the dynamics of skilled labor markets across 33 countries, found that in 2016 businesses were struggling globally to find the talent they need. This applied strongly in technical engineer-ing, specialist technology and professional finance roles. Additionally, code.org, a US-based non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and under-represented minorities, estimates that there will be one million more comput-ing jobs than applicants who can fill them by 2020. This is problematic for all of us. How do we ensure a strong talent pipeline to fuel the economy over the next several decades? A good first step would be ensuring that the full pool of human talent has access to the opportunities and education needed to fill these critical roles.

We are living in an age of massive disruption. Innovations such as artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, high-quality online education, and computerized medicine are opening an abundance of new opportunities that require skilled technologists to imagine, develop and operate them. These new innovations are shaking up professional markets and changing the way entire industries have operated over the last century. We have entered an era where some

are calling information and data more important than oil. “Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft are the five most valuable listed firms in the world. Their profits are surging: they collectively racked up over $25bn in net profit in the first quarter of 2017.” (The Economist, May 2017) This is due in large part to their access to an abundance of data, consumer and otherwise.

While change is always daunting, there is tremendous opportunity on the horizon. Companies have the ability to change the professional landscape for the better. We can rethink the future of work and how businesses interact within their ecosystems of customers, partners, employees and recruits. Thanks to technology, companies can recruit and train the best and brightest talent from anywhere without being tied to a geographic region. Specifically, we need to ensure that women are prepared to participate in what is often called a Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Where are the women?

Women make up half the world’s population. Even with all of the talent shortages looming on the horizon, we are still not making the shifts we need to ensure gender parity – even inclusion - in these emerging skillsets. Yes, there has been some encouraging dialogue around women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths [STEM] over the last decade, but are we simply ‘talking the talk’ without ‘walking the walk?’ U.S. News broke down the numbers and found “not only that boys outnumber girls by more than 4 to 1 among computer science test-takers, but by more than 2.5 to 1 on Physics C tests, which test specialized

Paving the way for gender equality

Achieving societal success in the disruptive economyBy Katherine Manuel, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Thomson Reuters

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fields of physics. Boys also outnumber girls by nearly 2 to 1 among test-takers in the more general Physics B, and by nearly 1.5 to 1 on the Calculus BC exam.” Additionally, “in 1984, 37% of computer science graduates were women, compared to only 18% today.” This trend is not moving in a direction that tracks societal progress. How will this help us fill those employment gaps business will feel increasingly by 2020?

Ensuring gender inclusion in STEM education and female career advancement is not just the right thing to do, it is necessary for the long-term success of our society. This lack of inclusion is based on societal stereotypes of gender preferences, which are more manifested than real. Again, if half the population is not getting equal access to where the biggest industry opportunities exist, we are collectively losing out. Gender parity in technology education and fol-low-on careers are necessary to fuel the next evolution of our economic growth.

The United Nations (UN) specifically recognizes this problem and addresses it head on in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs seek to end poverty while building the global economy and addressing key issues that impact all of us. Goal No. 5 tackles gender inequality because ‘advancing gender equality is critical to all areas of a healthy society, from reducing poverty to promoting the health, education, protection and the well-being of girls and boys.’ This especially holds true in the STEM fields where the most economic opportunity abounds and where women can make a real impact on the future economy.

Fixing the problems

Corporations are beginning to take gender parity seri-ously. While the trouble at Uber and the manifesto written by a “Googler” put an exclamation point on the problem, changes have been underway at many progressive com-panies to identify and address issues. The leaders of corporations recognize that their financial health improves with diversity at the top. The McKinsey Workplace Study on Diversity found that ‘Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.’ Additionally, the British Chamber of Commerce found that ‘businesses run by women were more likely to launch a new product or service and to harness the bene-fits of technology to do so. It also found that women were nearly three times as likely to collaborate with research institutions than men. Increasing numbers of women in business will shift business models to be more responsive, customer-driven and tailor products and services to the expectations of future generations.’

Taking all of this into account, companies like General Electric, Accenture and AOL, as well as my own company, Thomson Reuters, have publicly set ambitious goals around gender parity in leadership. Our CEO announced a target of 40% female leadership across the organization by 2020. Companies will need to go a step further and ensure that even while promoting and recruiting top female talent, they are building an inclusive workforce throughout where women can grow and develop the skills they need to succeed.

While it’s great that corporations are taking a lead to ensure that they have the right women in place to lead their organizations, we need to start earlier in order to create a healthy pipeline of future talent and future leaders.

Central to this is targeting girls in early education; teaching them that technology is not just a ‘boy thing,’ but rather an incredible capability that allows them to solve puzzles, use logic, and enact positive changes in ways which appeal to their own sensibilities and desires. How can people and programs attract more kids into technology, including both boys and girls? We are fortunate that today, many organizations support girls’ technology education, including Girls Who Code, Black Girls Code, Girl Scouts of America, and Girls Make Games. They’re doing incredible work, yet still just on the fringe of reaching mainstream education channels.

Universities are also getting on board. For the first time, Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California had more women graduate from its computer science program than men in 2016 by actively rethinking the curriculum. Duke University has launched a “D Tech Scholars” program that actively selects and supports women to attain Computer Science majors and actively connects them with employers through internship and mentoring programs.

We need collective action to drive real change and reach full gender parity in STEM. This is not a problem that can be fixed by education, alone. It cannot be fixed solely by corporations or even governments. We need to come together: let’s recognize the broader societal deficit if we do not change, and then empower our corporations, edu-cators, governments and parents with the tools and tactics to make changes.

We all can take part in supporting this change. What can you do?

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When I was a child, my father cruised into our driveway in a gleaming gas-guzzler he bought for a song during a spike in fuel prices. Our British family of five

fit in the snazzy, American Cadillac ‘Coupe de Ville’ with what seemed like acres of vinyl and velour interior to spare. I have fond memories of that car, like driving home with a Christmas tree on the roof in a light sprinkle of snow - or sitting on the big, chrome bumper eating ice cream after my brother’s football games, admiring the glitter in the blue metallic paint.

Fast forward and my 6-year-old barely notices what’s in the driveway. He is far more excited about ordering an Uber with the app and watching the car’s progress, or using online journey planners to map out train trips. It’s a hint of things to come. Already, most children in Europe – including those living outside urban areas – are exposed to a mix of travel modes, including those that are app-enabled. We are heading for a future that is less about cars and more about mobility, blurring lines between public, private and shared transport.

A recent forecast predicts that the internal combustion engine will be wiped off the face of the earth in just over a decade, taking the oil industry with it. In roughly that same time period, car sharing in America could reduce the number of vehicles on roads by 80% according to one think tank. Hold on to your Asimov books: a seismic shift in road transport is coming thanks to tech which used to be the realm of science fiction, but is very much here and now.

Two areas of technology are shaping the future of cars: electrification and driverless robotics. At TEV project, we’re working on a new kind of road infrastructure which harnesses both.

TEV is a design for a highway lane that powers electric vehicles as they drive. Called ‘dynamic charging’, electric and hybrid cars can travel indefinitely without the need to stop and charge, and producing zero local emissions. As my father, an expert and entrepreneur in battery technologies says, “If you achieve direct contact, energy density [for battery-electric cars] goes from inadequate to infinite. It’s a magical thing.” When it comes to keeping EVs on the move, dynamic charging will be a game-changer, making them more practical and enabling near-continuous use needed for car sharing.

A TEV lane is also optimised for driverless tech. One of the many benefits of having a computer instead of a human in control is vehicles can move at high speeds while being grouped closely together. Slip-streaming reduces overall air resistance, so there is substantially lower energy consumption per vehicle (studies suggest as high as 30-40% reduction). The other benefit of close convoying is a much greater throughput of vehicles, helping to tackle congestion and traffic jams. I often call TEV a “high bandwidth” version of a highway.

TEV does not require that cars operate driverless everywhere at all times. Dual-mode cars could still go on local roads with a human driver, then switch over to automatic control upon joining a TEV lane. Long distance, steady speed movement without intersections is relatively predictable and easy for driverless tech to tackle.

Single-mode TEV vehicles could remain inside a TEV network, stopping along the way at stations for picking up or dropping off passengers, providing demand-driven public transport.

I co-founded TEV Project in 2014 with my father Will Jones who, despite the gas guzzler on his record, worked on pure electric vehicles early in his career and has always combined business with conscience. TEV Project had exciting beginnings, taking us to government offices everywhere from Washington, DC to New Delhi. We scooped a few awards as well including being named the Smart Transportation Alliance Innovation of the year in 2016.

This year we formalised a partnership with Newcastle University. Volker Pickert, Professor of Power Electronics and Head of the Electrical Power Research Group, has joined our team to oversee work on TEV technologies and a PhD position is currently being created to work on TEV research and development.

It’s exciting to be part of big changes in our sector. Road transport today accounts for around 20% of worldwide carbon emissions. Air quality crises blight cities from Paris to Beijing; in London alone, it’s estimated that over 9,500 early deaths per year are caused by diesel particulates in the air. Meeting government targets to make road transport electric in coming decades will literally save lives. We have to make it happen.

I have fond memories of that big, blue Cadillac, but I can’t be sad that the heyday of the private, petroleum-fueled car is over. There’s something much more romantic to look forward to: safe, efficient, eco-friendly and effortless mobility for future generations.

Caroline Jones Carrick is a recovering petrol-head and director of Scotland-based TEV Project.

Twitter @jonescarrick

www.carolinejonescarrick.com

Green light for smart mobilityBy Caroline Jones Carrick

THE TEV PROJECT

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Women InnovatorsEU Prize for

Women innovators working in any sector have until mid-November to apply for a chance to win major cash prizes from the European

Commission.

The EU Prize for Women Innovators 2018 will recognise the outstanding work of entrepreneurs who have brought their product or service to market. It is open to women from across the EU (or from a country associated to Horizon 2020) who have benefitted from research and innovation funding from either the private or public sector. Entrants must have founded or co-founded their business before 1 January 2016.

Launching the fifth edition of the EU prize, Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: “Women make up half the world’s population but their talent and potential is not always acknowledged. Europe needs to recognise the outstanding achievements of women innovators.”

The winner will walk away with €100,000. While second and third spots are worth €50,000 and €30,000 respectively. There is also a Rising Innovator award, open to women 30 years or younger, with €20,000 up for grabs. Bulgarian, Kristina Tsvetanova, co-founder and CEO of BLITAB Technology, was named rising innovator last year for her company’s work in developing the first tablet for blind users, called BLITAB.

Carlos continued: “The EU Prize for Women Innovators gives public recognition to outstanding women

entrepreneurs and inspires other women to follow in their footsteps. We have seen some exceptional achievements since the start of the competition. For example, the 2017 winners created an innovation lab bringing together scientists and artists, or invented the first ever digital tablet for blind users. I look forward to seeing many more fresh ideas and talent in the new edition of the contest.”

A high-level jury including experts from industry, academia, entrepreneurship and venture capital will assess and select the four winners, to be announced on International Women’s Day on 8 March 2018.

“The outstanding achievements of the 2017 women innovators are an inspiration to others. Now it is time for the next generation of women innovators to join their ranks,” Carlos added.

The application deadline is 15 November 2017,

“Europe needs to recognise the outstanding achievements of women innovators.”

Imag

e So

urce

: © F

otol

ia

FOR THE MOST INNOVATIVE WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

WOMEN INNOVATORSEU PRIZE for

2018

Research and Innovation

WIPrize_15x10mm_Postcard_2017.indd 1 31/07/17 15:30

THE CONTEST IS OPEN TO WOMEN WHO:1. have founded a successful company and brought innovation to market

2. benefitted from Research and Innovation funding from the public or private sector

HOW TO participate

Apply from 5 September until 15 November 2017

www.ec.europa.eu/women-innovators@EUScienceInnov #WIPrizeEUrtd-women-innovators@ec.europa.eu

First Prize€100 000

Second Prize€50 000

Third Prize€30 000

Rising Innovator€20 000

For more information:

© European Union, 2017Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Cover image source: © Fotolia.com

WIPrize_15x10mm_Postcard_2017.indd 2 31/07/17 15:30

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PlanesA pioneering startup is planning to transform regional transportation networks in America using hybrid-electric aircrafts.

Backed by Boeing’s HorizonX initiative, which supports new innovations in aviation, Zunum Aero’s 10 to 50 seater planes would cut emissions by 80% – and eventually to zero once battery densities improve further. It would also open up air travel to millions by flying from the thousands of underused airports that exist in remote areas of the US – slashing door-to-door travel times by up to 80% in comparison to what is currently available.

“The shift of the industry to large aircraft and long ranges driven by gas turbines has concentrated almost all air traffic to just 2% of our airports, creating a massive transport gap over regional distances where there is no high-speed alternative. As a result, door-to-door times for most journeys are no better than they were 50 years ago,” explained Ashish Kumar, CEO and founder, Zunum Aero. “Hybrid propulsion is an industry-changing solution, enabling mid-sized aircraft on regional routes to have better cost efficiencies than airliners.”

The planes are expected to take off in the early 2020s.

TrainsDo you fancy getting from A to B inside a levitated pod travelling at speeds in excess of 700mph? Well you’re in luck. Buckle up and get ready for Hyperloop technologies. A concept from Elon Musk that has hit the headlines worldwide in recent years, it has already become an icon of the age of acceleration – despite the fact it won’t welcome passengers for a few years yet.

“Hyperloop is a tube-based transportation system for inter and intra-city transport. With a drastic reduction of air in the tube, motion is achieved with nearly zero friction allowing passengers to safely accelerate to airplane speeds,” – that is how Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) - one of the companies taking forward the idea - explains it.

The mobility revolution is set to deliver low emission consumer transport options that are quicker and safer – check out these four…

if you want to go fasterScream

courtesy: HTTcourtesy: Zunum Aero

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…and a rocketElon Musk has unveiled plans for humans to travel anywhere on earth – in a rocket – in under an hour.

Travelling at 18,000 miles an hour inside the BFR rocket, designed for space travel, the innovation from SpaceX would make the 7,392 mile journey from New York to Shanghai just 39 minutes. And Musk says the cost will be the “same as full fare economy in an aircraft”.

AutomobilesBosch and Daimler are collaborating to bring automated travel to cities by the early part of the next decade. The pair are working together to develop the software and algorithms needed to produce a secure and easy to use platform. The idea is that people will summon a driverless shared car to a specific area of a city via their smartphone. It is hoped this will ease pressure on busy roads and help increase the popularity of car sharing.

SpaceX YouTube screenshotcourtesy: Bosch

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What’s next?We asked some international influencers for

their thoughts on where innovation is taking us

“The rate of technological advancement creates incredible opportunities for us to create inclusive, sustainable growth and societal benefit on a global scale. Smart cities driven by sensor technologies which autonomously respond to changing environments are improving the health, wellbeing and prosperity of citizens. Advances in augmented and virtual reality are enabling technical teams to collaborate remotely to solve complex challenges in hazardous environments and investment in global communication networks is connecting communities and making education more accessible than ever before.”

“On a personal level, I am thrilled by the extraordinary innovation advancing the frontiers of technology. However,

what is exciting for an individual may prove to be devastating at a societal level. Many of our institutions have only adapted

superficially to new technology. Are these institutions ready for the radical transformations that technology will likely bring about in the years ahead? We are going to need

transformative innovations in our democratic institutions, education system, social safety net, and news media.

These innovations can help to reduce inequality, avoid mass unemployment, and make our societies truly sustainable.”

“The pace of technological change has the potential to revolutionise our lives in a very short time. If we can refresh our education and engagement systems, and rethink organisational structures to ensure that they

are agile enough to embrace change, we can enhance innovative cultures and create empowering environments

to harness the opportunities presented by advancing technology, Big Data, and real-time connectivity and make

meaningful progress towards the UN SDGs.”

Douglas Morrison, STEM and Innovation Lead, City of Glasgow College

“Technology and the flow of information will create enormous opportunities for education, particularly in emerging markets. These will help to democratize education; levelling the global playing field with accessibility, through online programs, and emerging technologies that can create a unique user experience for each child. Through virtual reality and augmented reality, students will see and experience events happening across the globe like never before. They will be brought into the global community through education programs. AI will be able to identify the areas where a student is struggling and work through techniques to provide them help precisely on the areas they need. It will also allow the more advanced learners to be stretched without being held back. As educators begin to embrace new tools, they will have the ability to be more effective in the time they spend with each learner. The real-time, global reach, ‘teach me now’ and ‘teach it for me’ characteristics each alone are enormous, but together they can blow off the walls of education as we think of it today.”

Katherine Manuel, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Thomson Reuters

Steve Kenzie, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network UK

SUSAN ROBERTSON, CO-FOUNDER, INNOVATORS MAGAZINE

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Help deliver a

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Commit to the easy 3 step process

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Contributing to projects that reduce emissions in

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Businesses and individuals are being urged to join a UN initiative and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The United Nations Climate Change secretariat is promoting the ‘Climate Neutral Now Pledge’, a voluntary programme that encourages organisations to take climate action by ‘measuring, reducing, and offsetting’ their unavoidable emissions. To offset emissions they can’t currently avoid, signatories can offset them by buying UN-Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs)

which finance projects in developing countries including solar and wind farms.

And this is a movement everyone can join. Individuals who want to get involved can sign up to the Citizens Climate Pledge at climatepledge.global. An online calculator estimates someone’s climate footprint so they can also effectively ‘measure, reduce, and offset’ their negative environmental impact by taking steps such as purchasing United Nations-certified climate credits.

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“With the vision of our Green Company Initiative to become a carbon neutral company, we are committed to continue to measure our carbon footprint, to reduce our carbon emissions and to compensate unavoidable emissions.”

Herbert Hainer, CEO adidas Group

“Climate Change is going to disproportionately affect the developing world. We have to start working together to limit its global effect so my beautiful continent Africa will be able to thrive in the future.”

Angelique KidjoGrammy Award winning singer-songwriter and activist

“We all need to take personal responsibility to combat the threat of climate change. Join me in the Climate Neutral Now initiative to reduce the impact of climate change and offset carbon emissions. Help protect the ecosystems that sustain biodiversity and save the livelihoods of billions of people around the world.”

Edward NortonActor, filmmaker and activist, UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity

“Climate neutrality is a long term vision of the world we want this century, but it begins today and requires action from everyone - from governments to corporations, cities and individuals. I’ve already pledged to personally become Climate Neutral Now and invite you to join me in measuring, reducing and offsetting your emissions. Climate change will affect everyone, yet everyone can effect positive change now.”

Christiana FigueresFormer Executive SecretaryUN Climate Change Secretariat

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Biotechs shine at innovation awards

It was a good night for the biotechnology industry at the inaugural Global Game Changers awards in Glasgow.

The event, which was held at the Glasgow Science Centre last month, was launched this year by Innovators Magazine in partnership with the Herald Scotland newspaper.

More than 200 people attended what was a major celebration of the innovation economy.

The awards recognised businesses and individuals - from a cross-sector of industries: innovators making an impact on the world stage and contributing to the development of a sustainable world, especially within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Steve Kenzie, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network UK, delivered the keynote speech and talked about the role companies can play in advancing SDGs.

And judges considered entrants’ success to date in contributing to the SDGs.

The categories included: women in innovation; intrapreneurship; corporates doing good; startups working in the sharing economy; collaborative initiatives; STEM education; young pioneers; and the circular economy. All key elements in growing the innovation economy.

And the biotechnology industry was well represented.

Roger Kilburn, CEO of the Glasgow-headquartered Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, presented the circular economy award – Circular Breakthrough – to 3fbio, a biotech spin-out company from the University of Strathclyde. It harnesses disruptive technology to meet the increasing demand for sustainable protein. The company’s patented tech produces mycoprotein, the ingredient in the leading meat-free brand Quorn, in a cost-effective way that means it can be the lowest cost source of protein for global populations. Established in 2015, 3fbio has received a number of international accolades, and it remains on track to have its first industrial plant in place by 2019.

And biotech entrepreneur, James McIlroy, was named Young Pioneer. In a bid to prevent and treat diseases, his company, EnteroBiotix, aims to unlock the potential of the body’s own micro-organisms by using healthy donor bacteria to fight infection.

Dr Holly Butler won the Women in Innovation prize. Holly researches in the field of bioanalytical and medical chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. Her work involves developing and commercialising a revolutionary test for the early detection of brain cancers. Dr Butler has published and spoken extensively in her field of expertise and is a vocal ambassador for the need for strong female innovators in science.

Star Renewable Energy (SRE) won the Corporates

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for Good category. The Glasgow company pioneers affordable clean energy solutions. It provides heat through water source pumps – offered at the same price as gas, but without the negative impacts that are associated with burning fuel. And SRE plans to prove the innovation in Glasgow by harvesting energy from the River Clyde, before taking it to the global market.

Find a Player picked up the Startup and Share award. The Scottish company’s multi-platform app makes it easier for people to find, organise and play sport. Its core mission is to build a global sports participation network, connecting sports people, clubs and facilities to each other.

The new awards platform was also backed by the organisers of the European Innovation Summit, Knowledge4Innovation.

“It’s great to see our partners at Innovators Magazine collaborating with Newsquest International to host the first ‘Global Game Changers’ awards in Scotland. Collaboration is a vital element of the innovation process. The awards recognise pioneering companies and individuals that are working to build a sustainable future by contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. With it being the 10th anniversary of the European Innovation Summit here in Brussels next year, who knows, we may well be welcoming the ‘Global Game Changers’ awards to the Belgian capital in 2018,” said Roland Strauss, Managing Director at Knowledge4Innovation.

The Global Game Changers awards 2017 were supported by law firm Bond Dickinson; City of Glasgow College; BAE Systems; the UN Global Compact Network UK and Glasgow Science Centre.

To be added to the mailing list for the 2018 awards please email ggc@innovatorsmag.com

Results in fullWomen in Innovation sponsored by BAE Systems Dr Holly Butler – Winner Dr Suzanne Doyle-Morris – Commendation

Circular Breakthrough 3f bio Ltd – Winner

Collaboration for Change sponsored by Bond Dickinson University of Glasgow – Winner TEV Project / Newcastle University collaboration – Commendation

Young Pioneers sponsored by Glasgow Science Centre James McIlroy – Winner Victoria Hamilton – Commendation

Start-up and Share Find a Player – Winner

Innovating in STEM Education/Training sponsored by City of Glasgow College University of Strathclyde – Winner Ayrshire College – Commendation

Breaking the Mould: Empowering Intrapreneurship Arabesque – Winner

Corporates for Good Star Renewable Energy (SRE) – Winner

Steve Kenzie

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ACHEMA finds the ‘perfect match’

Frankfurt will become the global capital of the process industries next summer.

The German city will host ACHEMA 2018, labelled the ‘world forum and leading show for the process industries’. Held every three years, it will welcome around 170,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. One of the ‘focal topics’ for next year’s showcase is ‘Biotech for Chemistry’. And Innovators Magazine is delighted to announce we are the official publisher of the event’s Biotech for Chemistry partnership publication.

“Innovators Magazine – the name already implies why it’s a perfect match for ACHEMA,” explained Dr Marlene Etschmann, ACHEMA communications. “Always on the forefront of technology and cov-ering a broad range of topics, the magazine is just like our trade show. The people that make it have the right mix of expertise in biotech and an open mind to look over the rim of the tea-cup, exactly what we need for a focal topic like Biotech for Chemistry.”

ACHEMA has a long and distinguished history. Founded by chemist and entrepreneur, Dr Max Buchner, the first one was held in Hanover in 1920. There were 75 exhibitors and 876 visitors at the inaugural ACHEMA.

Nearly a century on and demand from exhibitors is off the scale – more than 2700 have signed up and an additional hall has already been rented to accommodate everyone – but there is still time to book.

Dr Thomas Scheuring, CEO of organising body, DECHEMA Ausstellungs-GmbH, said the event will be “far more than just a trade venue: ACHEMA is where global trends are launched.”

And that is because more than 30,000 deci-sion-makers will be in Frankfurt ready to make key investments and advance new projects.

There is also a congress programme, with about 800 lectures planned.

Professor Kurt Wagemann, CEO of DECHEMA e.V. which organizes the Congress, said: “The speak-ers are literally face-to-face with the technology in question. This creates an atmosphere for truly application-oriented discussions.”

ACHEMA 2018 will take place from 11 to 15 June 2018. To find out how to get involved with Inno-vators Magazine at ACHEMA, visit our dedicated event page: innovatorsmag.com/achema-2018

“Always on the forefront of technology and covering a broad range of topics, the magazine is just like our trade show.”

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PAUSE

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BREAKING NEWS…

Innovators Magazine

named

Official publisher

Biotech for Chemistry magazine

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ACHEMA 2018

(11 to 15 June, Frankfurt)

Book your feature now: innovatorsmag.com/achema-2018

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22% in 2020, 30% in 2030 – the goals for the biobased share in the European chemical

industry are anything if not ambitious. They will not be achieved by some high-value active ingredi-ents here and some specialties there; if they are to become true, it will mean a fundamental change in the industry.

Detergents, lubricants, plastics are the case studies that aim at high-volume, mid- or even low-price biobased products. A biobased chemical industry is inconceivable without biotechnological processes that are much more efficient in making complex natural molecular structures accessible. But bio-economy and biotechnology reach well beyond the obvious. If you think about biotech companies, what are the brands that come to mind? Have you included any of the large ‘traditional’ chemical companies? You should, because biotechnology has arrived in the chemical industry, there‘s no doubt about that. Biotechnological processes complement chemical conversions, and biobased resources are chosen not only for sustainability reasons, but also for their superior performance.

Succinic acid for example is only one of many prod-

ucts where microbial production is about to replace chemical synthesis and no one wants to look back. ACHEMA is the trade show where both worlds meet.

Like a common thread the focal topic ‘biotech for chemistry’ runs through all of the eleven exhibitions groups:

Research and innovation hosts companies and institutions presenting brand new findings about how to harness even more microbes for chemistry. Are bacteria still the way to go for succinic acid or do yeasts offer more effective pathways?

In the laboratory and analytical techniques exhibition group you will find not only the furniture for your lab, but also the equipment to look into the last atom of your acid.

The engineering exhibition group is especially inter-esting for all those who take the step from pilot scale to full-size. If you are planning an industrial succinic acid plant, this group offers anything from 3D simulation software to service providers where you can commission a turn-key factory.

Fancy a separator for biomass or a distillation unit to purify the succinic acid? The thermal and mechanical processes group is where to look. And of course you won‘t be left alone in your search for

Biotech for chemistry:

21

techniques and equipment to process the acid into the polymer of your choice.

To make it easier to identify the unsung heroes of bioeconomy among the nearly 3,800 exhibitors, these companies will be marked with their very own pictogram. Look out for the icon on the website, in the printed programme and on-site on the aisle floors. Whenever you step on a floor graph you are standing right in front of the stand of a company offering products or services related to the focal topic ‘biotech for chemistry’.

Trade show plus congressOther than the leading trade show for the process industries, ACHEMA is also a major congress. Choose between more than 600 presentations ranging from biorefineries, reaction technology, energy supply and analytics to process design.

Save the date: 11-15 June 2018. www.achema.de

#BioForChem

featuring the best of both worlds

Engineering

Laboratory and analytical techniques

Mechanical processes

Research and Innovation

Thermal processes

22

The industrial biotechnology (IB) sector requires the expertise from multiple organisations to work in partnership to develop and commercialise new processes and change the way we manufacture for good. Based in Scotland, the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) is helping businesses of all sizes achieve this.

The Centre is a connector between industry, government and academia, and helps companies to identify how IB processes can benefit them by reducing costs or increasing market share. The IB sector is set to be worth £900 million by 2025 in Scotland alone, and IBioIC is helping the sector progress towards this goal.

IBioIC’s member network has just reached 100 companies but their footprint is not limited to Scotland alone. IBioIC has become a vehicle for international partnerships; with almost half its member base in Scotland and the rest from Europe, the US and the rest of the world. These companies range in size from 14 startups and spinouts, to 42 SMEs and 17 multi-national corporations, as well as government departments and other business consultancies. In keeping with the multi-disciplinary nature of IB, the members include IB expertise from a wide range of industries, from food to pharma to materials. IBioIC supports their members by helping their ideas develop from concept to commercial reality through network integration, provision of scale-up equipment and project funding.

100th member spotlight

IBioIC recently welcomed Oxford Biotrans as their 100th member to join the likes of GSK, Scottish Water and Ingenza. Oxford Biotrans is a University of Oxford spin-out company supported by over 20

years of research by Dr Luet Lok Wong from the Department of Chemistry. Founded in 2013, the company is working to develop and commercialise enzymatic process technology to yield high-value chemicals from natural feedstocks. Their processes are environmentally friendly - producing less chemical waste and using less energy than traditional methods.

Their first product, natural-grade nootkatone, is a sesquiterpene which is the flavour and scent of grapefruit and is used in food, beverage and cosmetic applications (including enhancing in non-citrus flavours). Natural-grade nootkatone is traditionally an expensive aromatic; grapefruits have a high price compared to other fruits due to availability, and large quantities are needed to extract commercial amounts of nootkatone – 400,000kg of grapefruit is needed to produce just 1kg of nootkatone. Synthetic-grade nootkatone can be produced through chemical conversion, but this process requires high temperatures, heavy metals and peroxides, and cannot be classed as natural in the EU.

Oxford Biotrans has developed an enzymatic process to convert natural-grade valencene, a citrus extract readily obtained from the cheaper feedstock, oranges, into natural-grade nootkatone, and is now offering an attractive, secure and environmentally-friendly supply of this in-demand compound.

Oxford Biotrans has used the support of IBioIC to develop collaborative networks, secure project partners and grant funding and access academic support, hosting an IBioIC PhD student in the organisation. They will also use IBioIC’s scale-up facilities in future to test new ideas and processes for commercialisation.

Developing an internationally collaborative network

23

NootkatoneNootkatoneNootkatone is a �avour ingredient of grapefruit.It is used in drinks, desserts and confectionary.

400,000kg1kg

Around 400,000kg of grapefruits are needed to produce just 1kg of nootkatone.

This involves heavy metal catalysts and peroxides. It cannot be classed as ‘natural’ in the EU.

The process and ingredients are all natural.

Since grapefruit production is limited, nootkatone is one of the most expensive �avour ingredients in the world.

$4000-7000

per kgBut nootkatone can be produced in a di�erent way

ValenceneValencene

ValenceneValencene WATERWATER

is produced from oranges, which, unlike grapefruit, are always in plentiful supply.

Valencene is vastly cheaper and more easily sourced, though the two molecules are actually very similar.

NootkatoneNootkatone

o

o

o

$550 per kg

So how to get from valencene to nootkatone?

The new technology

natural

natural

Chemical conversion

Cytochromep450

Cytochromep450+ +

Cytochrome p450 is an enzyme present in humans, plants and animals. A special form is produced by an engineered strain of E.coli.

Cytochrome p450 adds an oxygen atom and removes two hydrogen atoms, leaving nootkatone.

Producing cytochrome p450 involves synthetic biology.

The �nal nootkatone is distilled, leaving the enzyme behind.

The old technology

o

o

o

This part of the process is similar to the production of an enzyme used in cheese-making.

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Can you give an overview of the equipment Centres created by IBioIC

The open access equipment centres fill a UK-wide gap in scale up facilities at the technical demonstration scale of 1 – 100 litres. Following a significant investment, IBioIC are able to offer a fee for service facility to help companies with centres spread across two locations.

At the smaller end is ‘RapidBio’ at University of Strathclyde (Glasgow) which houses the most advanced technology to rigorously assess the potential of new cell lines, bio-products or novel approaches to bioprocessing. The facility is focused around the bioprocess stages up to an industrially compatible scale.

At the larger end is ‘FlexBio’ at Heriot-Watt university (Edinburgh) which allows customers to take promising bio-processes and providing facilities to help prove they work at a scale that allows the move to commercialisation. The space is highly segregated, highly flexible, but allows a highly integrated approach to total process development on a single site.

Can you tell me about the benefits and the opportunities offered by the FlexBio centre?

FlexBio is part of BioPilotsUK and is one of five biorefining open-access centres collaborating together to de-risk the commercialisation of bio-based

products and processes by trialling new technologies.

Located at Heriot-Watt university the Centre is formed of four core laboratories. A segregated lab structure with robust material transfer processes ensures maximum sterility and minimal contamination risk between microbial and mammalian activities.

The microbial lab allows upstream culture experimentation at 1 and 7L in Applikon bioreactors. The lab also offers a 7L photobioreactor for culture microbial where phased lighting is needed. Static incubators and a shaker incubator allow growing of seed cultures prior to inoculating the larger bioreactors.

The mammalian lab offers access to the latest in disposable culture technologies. An Appliflex rocker uses disposable bioreactor 10-50L bags as an alternative to traditional expensive stirred options reflecting the move towards single-use systems in industry. It is also good for reducing sheer stresses thereby improving yields. A Celligen Blu disposable stirred fermenter system combines all the advantages of single-use technology with the trusted performance and scalability of a stirred-tank design. A static incubator and microscope complete suite inventory.

The Downstream Bioprocessing area is a suite of up-scaled mobile equipment providing a flexible environment to handle a wide range of products.

At the upstream stage, is a 30L Applikon ‘sterilisable-in-place’ (SIP) bioreactor system which can be used for culturing microbial and mammalian cells.

At the downstream stage various separation processes can be investigated, using a GEA continuous disc-stack cell clarifier FSD1 centrifuge for cell clarification, as well as a Sartorius Sartoflow advanced crossflow filtration system for optimization of ultrafiltration, microfiltration and diafiltration of complex bioprocess mixtures.

An AKTA Avant 150 chromatography system completes the downstream suite which allows fast development of scalable chromatography methods and processes for purification of proteins using both lab-scale and bioprocess scale columns.

To allow full process integration our analytical laboratory is the fourth lab at FlexBio and is critical to allow full process integration and understanding. This lab gives the option for users to develop and test analytical methods which can be used to quantitatively and qualitatively determine changes in their molecules of interest at various in-process timepoints. The state-of-the-art equipment listed below has successfully been used in the areas of metabolomics, proteomics and cell growth assays.

• An Agilent 6530 QTOF LC Mass spectrometer can be used to identify, screen, profile, or perform

Q A& Neil Renault, FlexBio Facility Manager

Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC)

25

quantification on complex samples with extremely high resolution. This equipment has been shown to be extremely valuable in metabolomics and proteomics studies to identify new compounds or pinpoint bottle neck metabolomics reaction in a given synthesis pathways, for example. One of only three in Scotland.

• The Perkin Elmer Clarus 480 Gas Chromatography system, complete with autosampler, can be used both quantitatively and qualitatively in applications such as amino acid and fatty acid depletion, as well as other bioprocess and metabolomic applications. A standalone Perkin Elmer HPLC Flexar can be used to develop and test methods rapidly for both aqueous and reverse-phase applications testing for high-speed, high-throughput analytical testing.

• Our multi-modal, BMG Labtech Clariostar plate reader is an extremely advanced model, capable of screening ranges of wavelengths with its LVF monochromator. It has eight modes including fluorescence intensity (including FRET), fluorescence polarization, luminescence (including BRET), UV/Vis absorbance, time-resolved fluorescence (including TR-FRET), and AlphaScreen/AlphaLISA. The

system can handle 96-well plates for rapid, parallel analysis of cultures and other biochemical assays.

Who can access these facilities?

The facilities are open to all and have a competitive pricing structure suitable for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and larger industry organisations. IBioIC Leading and Core members get priority access at discounted rates. Both equipment centres are flexible and are aimed at being reactive to support both organisations on tight timelines as well as organisations that need support for longer term projects. Being based at universities make the centres very well supported in terms of facilities and collaboration and also supportive of academic research itself. With the growing need for funding bodies to see the commercialisation potential of research we often work with university/industry partners as well as academic groups alone, wanting to yield data to support further centre use as part of their next grant application.

What impact will these centres have on innovation and the growth of the biotech industry?

Publicly-funded equipment and innovation centres such as FlexBio and RapidBio are helping to drive innovation and growth within industrial biotech both in Scotland and the UK. In particular supporting our start-ups, spin outs and SMEs to have

access and technical support for the latest technology to demonstrate their research can be scaled into profitable ventures is particularly a strong value of the IBioIC. We operate a paid-for membership which to date, has welcomed over 100 organisations join us as Leading, Core and Associate level members with each level offering increasing levels of support with access to technological experts as well as access and discount for our equipment centre usage.

IBioIC is a Channel partner of Scottish Enterprise and also works closely with other potential funding organisations like Zero Waste Scotland to help members secure part-funding of projects in the Equipment Centres. In addition, IBioIC’s partnership with the BioPilotsUK alliance, allows quick and easy access to other scale up facilities across the UK for companies ready to take their processes to the next level.

How can people engage or collaborate with IBioIC on these services, or other projects?

For more information on becoming an IBioIC member or to enquire about using the equipment centres please visit www.ibioic.com.

Q A&

2626

Duration: 25th & 26th January 2018Delegates: 450Destination: Glasgow, ScotlandVenue: Technology & Innovation Centre“IBioIC’s annual conference has truly showcased the impact of the IB industry in Scotland and beyond. Scotland is a leading region for the bio-economy and IB, and opportunities to hear from and speak to key local actors, as well as international stakeholders have been plentiful.”

Agnes Borg, Industrial Manager, EuropaBio

Now in its fourth year, the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre’s (IBioIC) annual conference is fast building a reputation as one of the most important UK based industrial biotechnology meetings in the calendar, attracting key players and influencers in the UK and global bioeconomy. As a specialist in the Industrial Biotechnology (IB) sector, IBioIC was set up to stimulate the sector growth in Scotland to £900 million by 2025 through connecting industry, academia and government; facilitating collaborations; providing scale-up capabilities; and developing skills within the sector to ensure economic growth.

This event delivers on IBioIC’s aims by bringing together a unique mix of academia, biobased professionals and supporting organisations under one roof, to hear about and explore the potential opportunities for IB in Scotland as well as the global landscape of the industry.

Held in Glasgow, the city is ranked by the Mercer Cost of Living Survey as one of Europe’s most cost effective cities. It is served by three international airports with direct flights from over 175 destinations and boasts the largest rail network in the UK outside of London.

From five star hotels to budget accommodation, there are over 18,000 rooms available within close proximity of conference venues, restaurants and cultural attractions, making it an easily accessible location for bringing together the IB community.

For 2018, the organisers have great ambitions to reach our global network and invite you all to join us in Scotland for an event you will not want to miss.

Key highlights of the conference will include:

• Plenary sessions around biorefining, policy, challenges and barriers to IB

• Parallel tracks focussed around Technical and Commercial themes

• Conference partnering to facilitate new collaborations

• Bustling exhibition area featuring companies and universities from across the UK & further afield

• Civic Reception hosted by the Lord Provost welcoming delegates to the City of Glasgow

• Networking conference dinner with awards ceremony and guest speakers

With an ambitious target to transform the competitiveness and sustainability of industries through the innovative use of industrial biotechnology, Scotland as a nation, is well on its way to becoming a key influencer in the industry on a global scale and we hope you are available to join us in January and find out more.

Interested in exhibiting or sponsoring at the event? We would be delighted to hear from you. Pop by the Scottish Development International stand at EFIB this week, or contact judith.huggan@ibioic.com for further details.

www.ibioic.com

Key information

27

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INNOVATION OVERVIEWOligosaccharides are carbohydrates whose molecules are composed of a small number of sugars. There is a growing commercial interest for oligosaccharides for use in healthcare and personal care, however, there are issues involved with the preparation and purification of them, to achieve the right chain length and structure. This results in a key bottleneck in the commercial production of oligosaccharides. The project looked to provide a platform for the downstream processing of the carbohydrates using animal tissue, bacterial fermentation, algae and plant biomass, in order to address the commercial barriers.

BACKGROUNDThe Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) is a specialist in the industrial biotechnology (IB) sector, with a deep embedded knowledge and the technical expertise to help stimulate the growth and success of the IB industry in Scotland. GlycoMar Limited based in Oban, is a specialist biotechnology company discovering and developing new therapeutic products from marine resources, with a unique focus and expertise on novel polysaccharide products. The Centre helped to pair experts at GlycoMar with academics at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot Watt University to develop a solution for easily producing and purifying oligosaccharides, and provided funding to kick-start the project.

INNOVATION CHALLENGES AND OUTCOMESThe main objective was the development of a scalable platform to process and prepare oligosaccharides products from their polysaccharide sources. To inform this, the research team studied depolymerisation reaction methods in one marine animal tissue and one microalgae polysaccharide.

Exploring depolymerisation In order to obtain oligosaccharides, polysaccahrides must be broken down into monomers using chemical processes - depolymerisation. There are many different techniques to achieve this, but the project team used beta-elimination for the animal tissues and photochemical for the microalgae product. A third method was removed due to time constraints and relevance.

Project success

Key deliverables for this project included: • Optimised scalable methods for depolymerisation of

selected polysaccharides

• Optimised scalable platform method for purification of oligosaccharide fractions

• Optimised NMR methodology for monitoring of the depolymerisation and purification of oligosaccharides obtained from naturally occurring polysaccharides

In summaryThis project has taken major steps towards providing a tool kit of scalable methods for the production of oligosaccharides. This is possible using widely applicable depolymerisation techniques, which are not dependent on availability of unusual industrial enzymes.

PARTNERSHIP POTENTIALGlycoMar gained a significant new partner in Heriot Watt University and further extended its relationship with the University of Edinburgh, broadening the academic expertise available to the organisation. This is of critical importance in the development of further products, helping to establish GlycoMar as one of the world’s leading glycobiology companies. This partnership element would be hard to achieve without the initial networking support from IBioIC.

The project also contributes to the development of the knowledge economy in Scotland by enhancing industry – academic collaboration, generating industrially relevant technology and providing new research challenges for the academic science base.

NEXT STEPSWhile the project was very successful, the next step would be to repeat at increased scale of the depolymerisations. This will be required in order to produce increased amounts of material for downstream processing and to apply this methodology commercially. Purification methods of oligosaccharides were also explored towards the end of the project, which could be continued in a second phase project.

Glycomar accelerator project case study

2018JULY 16-19, 2018

Pennsylvania Convention Center • Philadelphia, PA

SAVE THE DATE!

July 23 – 26, 2017 | Montréal, Canada

205247_BIO_WorldCongress_full_Ad_A4 2.indd 1 6/30/17 11:25 AM

29

2018JULY 16-19, 2018

Pennsylvania Convention Center • Philadelphia, PA

SAVE THE DATE!

July 23 – 26, 2017 | Montréal, Canada

205247_BIO_WorldCongress_full_Ad_A4 2.indd 1 6/30/17 11:25 AM

16 - 18 OCTOBER 2018

CENTRE DE CONGRÈS PIERRE BAUDIS

TOULOUSE, FRANCE

Together with Local Partner:

Be part of the largest communityof bio-based professionals

Sponsorship Opportunities!

Contact EuropaBio: j.dupont@europabio.org

+32(0)27391184

Join over 650 bio-based leaders in 2018 for the 11th edition of EFIB in Toulouse, France, on the 16th, 17th and 18th October.

Event Organiser: