Friday 22 May | 10:00 - 12:00 | Exhibition forum

From bio-waste to soil restoration: shaping policy together through innovation

The policy event brings together the Horizon Europe sister projects Bin2Bean, bioSOILUTIONS and FENIX, co-funded within the Mission Soil, to explore how innovative bio-waste valorisation solutions can support soil restoration and circular nutrient management, placing policy at the core of the discussion to understand what truly drives or limits their uptake.
The session will present key project results and experiences from Living Labs across Europe, framed through a policy lens, highlighting lessons learned from real-world implementation by exploring how policy frameworks translate into practice through concrete case studies. Building on these insights, participants will be invited to discuss and test a draft policy roadmap and recommendations co-developed by the projects. Through expert contributions and an interactive discussion, the event aims to gather stakeholder feedback, identify synergies across initiatives, and strengthen policy pathways supporting the circular bioeconomy.

Conference or visitor pass registration is mandatory.
Please note that this programme may be subject to alteration and the organisers reserve the right to do so without giving prior notice.

 

 

Agenda

10:15–10:20
Welcome & Scene Setting
The session opens with a welcome and introduction to its objectives, framing the discussion around the essential role of policy in connecting bio-waste innovation with tangible impact on soil restoration and environmental sustainability.

Marco Dreoni, ETA-Florence Renewable Energies

10:20–10:40
Innovation in Action: Insights from EU Projects
Key results and ongoing activities from Bin2Bean and bioSOILUTIONS Projects will be presented, highlighting innovative approaches in bio-based solutions and the role of Living Labs as real-world testing environments. The presentations will showcase how research outcomes are being translated into practical applications.

Sara Daniotti, ITALBIOTEC (Bin2Bean)
Maria Ferentinou, Greenovate! Europe (bioSOILUTIONS)

Video contribution of the FENIX project

10:40–11:15
From Policy to Practice: Voices from the Field
A panel discussion bringing together Living Lab representatives will explore first-hand experiences from implementation. Speakers will share challenges, enabling factors, and lessons learned from real-world deployment, with a focus on the influence of policy frameworks on innovation uptake.

Yannick Schrik, AMS Institute (Bin2Bean Living Lab Amsterdam)
Fanny Bourgeois, GreenTile (bioSOILUTIONS Living Lab Flanders)
Henning Friege, N3 (Bin2Bean)

11:15–11:25
Setting the Scene: The Policy Roadmap
The policy roadmap and recommendations developed jointly by the three sister projects will be presented. These outputs build on extensive stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue conducted throughout the projects.

Sara Daniotti & Giulia Cividini, ITALBIOTEC (Bin2Bean)

11:25–11:45
External Perspectives: Insights from Related Initiatives
Experts from related EU-funded projects will provide external reflections on the proposed policy recommendations, helping to situate them within the broader European research and innovation ecosystem.

Martijn Vis, BTG Biomass Technology Group B.V (FertiCovery)
Maurizio Cocchi, ETA-Florence Renewable Energies (IASIS)

11:45–12:05
Co-Creation Session: Testing the Policy Roadmap
Participants will be invited to actively contribute through digital engagement tools, providing feedback to refine and strengthen the policy roadmap through a co-creation approach.

Sara Daniotti & Giulia Cividini, ITALBIOTEC (Bin2Bean)

12:05–12:15
Key Takeaways & Next Steps
The session concludes with a synthesis of key insights and an overview of next steps, outlining how the outcomes will feed into a shared and actionable policy perspective across initiatives.

Organisers

Conference or visitor pass registration is mandatory.
Please note that this programme may be subject to alteration and the organisers reserve the right to do so without giving prior notice.